Worried about losing my wisdom!

pug_in_a_bed

Hello

I hope someone can give me some reassurance!

Unlucky me, I have had all my wisdom teeth appear. I had one out at the dentist which was absolutely fine, over in seconds - plus it helps I've been seeing the same bloke for 15 years.

Started getting one or two infections, and very strange pain on one side every time i bit into soemthing, like a dull, prolonged pain in my jaw. My dentist then referred me to the hospital about getting my teeth taken out. After waiting ages, appointments canceleld without warning etc etc, i finally saw the consultant yesterday. First, he was very late, so I waited an hour and a half first for an x-ray then ages till he arrived. So, that was annoying to begin with.

I've never seen a consultant before, never been to hospital - but he was very weird and I left quite frightened. It was almost like he was enjoying it lol. First he said, so your dentist wants these 3 teeth out - well, we'll have to cut them out with a knife! He even made a little jabbing motion with his hand! Then he said, it'll hurt and you'll hate it (duh).

I know its a normal procedure to him but being put to sleep and cut at :eek: is certainly not to me! I was in there about two minutes. He didn't explain anything apart from it'll hurt and also didn't look in my mouth. He also said the operation could damage the nerves in my lip 'but if someone competent does it it'll probably be all right' ! I'm sure he was joking but it didn't really relax me to be honest lol.

I knew, I just knew, i should have taken my mum in to ask questions, i was a bit too dumstruck!

I haven't had any pain for a while (because it took so long for the appointment) and now I don't even know the reason they're coming out specifically, except that i had some pain and an infection.

I am also PETRIFIED of being put to sleep. I hope this doesn't make me sound bonkers, I hate the dentist!

Has anyone had theirs out like this? What's tha actual reason the dentist can' remove them?

Nile

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with the hospital consultant, he obviously didn't graduate from charm school.:mad:

Don't worry, I'm sure an expert like Toothsmith will respond to your worries soon. You could try sending him a private message for a more personal reply too.

It sounds like the reason why your dentist can't remove your wisdom teeth is because they need to be surgically removed using a scalpel, not with the usual dental instruments.........and this will also involve a general anaesthetic.

For someone who hasn't experienced a general anaesthetic like you, it can make you nervous. Tell your surgeon of your worries and he/she will reassure you and explain exactly what will happen. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Make a list of the questions and take them with you, write down the answers and follow the advice you're given, especially for after the surgery to help your mouth to heal.;)

I hope that helps to ease your worries.

crossleydd42

Wisdom teeth are quite different from other teeth, in fact the roots come in four different types - mine comprise all four! I've had two of mine out, both with a local anaesthetic, but that was my choice and those less brave would have been wise to have a general, which is much more common.
So the procedure is commonplace: the experience was not!

PS I see that doctors and surgeons are now going to two-year courses to teach them how to be sensitive to patients needs, something which should not need to be taught, and certainly not for two years! Another waste of taxes and potential healthcare funding!

Rant over for today!

Savvy_Sue

I would also go back to your dentist and tell him how frightening you found the consultant. I am sure he will be much more helpful and explain why he doesn't think he can take out the wisdom teeth you have left and why they need to come out.

If you do need a general anaesthetic, I have never met an unfriendly or scary anaesthetist. Although you may only meet them just before the op, I have always found they are brilliant at reassuring you. If you are worried about that, ask at your GP surgery if they can get you a leaflet about anaesthetics - I saw one when I was in hospital last month.

Toothsmith

Seen your message, but I'm a bit busy at the moment.

I'll reply if/when I have a gap.

Maisie

I had 3 wisdom teeth removed in hospital when I was 16 (some years ago).
.
They said I was very young to have wisdom teeth. But they were very reassuring and all the doctors/dentists were very good.

It was a bit sore afterwards but soon healed.

When the last wisdom tooth began to come through a dentist told me to have that removed too as it was impacted and no good on its own. So that came out at the hospital.

I was fine afterwards.

Bendybops19

I thought you could only get 2 wisdon teeth :rolleyes: I have one coming through, my gums all split :eek: hmmm perhaps i should see a dentist!

Maisie

4 if you're extra wise... ha ha.

Sounds if you have one coming if it's right at the back. They sometimes get infected or are impacted. Get it checked if it continues to be sore.

Teerah

Wisdom teeth have to be surgically removed if they are impacted in the jaw bone and are starting to cause problems from recurrent infections or perhaps compromising the health of adjacent teeth. It is not unusual to have a GA for this procedure if, as in your case, there are three teeth to be removed. This is not to say that they could not perhaps be removed under local anaesthetic with or without sedation but as you dont seem too keen on dentistry in general I am sure that the GA would be the best option to get it over and done with in one go. There are risks with any surgical procedure and also with any general anaesthetic. These should have been clearly explained to you as if they were not you have not given informed consent for the procedure to take place. Make sure you have everything explained to you before going ahead with treatment. This is essential and any good surgeon would not dream of going ahead without you being happy at the risks involved, not to mention he would be liable if he had not received informed consent from you. It is a good idea as Nile suggests to make a list of any questions you would like to ask beforehand. It is common to forget things we were going to ask in situations which you find stressful. As for recovery afterwards, yes you will be uncomfortable afterwards during the healing but the better you follow the post op instructions and cleaner you keep the wounds, the less problems you will have. It is common to receive a course of antibiotics to take immediately afterwards if there has been bone removal to prevent infection of the wound. You will also feel groggy in general due to the GA and you will need a soft diet for a while. It is important to note that healing will be delayed if you smoke.

Bendybops19

Yeah its right it the back, ooooh i shall now be wiser than my older sisters as they dont have them

Toothsmith

Hi there.

I’ve written this out on ‘Word’ in between patients, so no smileys and things I’m afraid.

Here’s the Toothsmith bluffers guide to wisdom teeth and Oral Surgeons!

Wisdom teeth are 3rd molars. There is one at the back in each quarter of your mouth. Some people have one or more missing. We are evolving out of them. They generally come through between 18 and 25 yrs old. A lot of people just get them through without any trouble at all. Trouble can vary from mild ‘teething’ pains to frequent major infections (Sometimes called pericoronitis). If infections are frequent and/or severe, the teeth are best out. Also, if they have come through at a funny angle, plaque and food debris can collect around them, and decay can start in the wisdom tooth, or the molar in front of it. This can be another reason why they need extracting.

Some people have wisdom teeth that haven’t come through, but are so deeply buried that they will never have any trouble from them. These are left alone.

Because we are also evolving smaller jaws, wisdom teeth often get cramped up and appear at strange angles to the other teeth. Sometimes being jammed up against the other teeth – this is called impacted. Sometimes, one wisdom tooth comes through fine, but because it has not got an opposing one to bite against, it comes through too far. These are dead easy to get out, and are the ones that only take a few seconds and your dentist would be happy to do this.

Impacted and buried wisdom teeth are a different kettle of fish. For a general dentist in practice, unless they have a keen interest in oral surgery, these are better off referred. Especially if there is more than one to do, as under a local anaesthetic you could only really do them one at a time, or maybe two if they were quite easy. Plus, there is some pain, swelling and discomfort afterwards, and no dentist would like his patient to be telling other people of what they went through when they had a wisdom tooth out at their practice, and so would hate to have to do that 3 times! If it’s done in hospital, people somehow expect and put up with a bit more discomfort afterwards.

For an oral surgeon, removing wisdom teeth is a doddle normally. They are highly skilled and trained individuals. Unless it’s a much older chap, he would have to be a qualified dentist, who has done a postgraduate fellowship exam (V. Hard), then gone back to medical school to do 4-5 more years training to be a doctor, then done his surgical fellowships and worked up through house officer/registrar ranks to consultant. If you can imagine the amount of study that all that would involve, you can see that it would normally take a rather odd sort of person to want to do it all in the first place!! I have been lucky I think in that all the consultant OSs that I have been associated with really have been very nice people.

I must say that yours does sound like a bit of a pillock though!

I may be worth going back to your dentist and asking if there is another consultant he could refer you to, but that may put you back to the end of the queue again.

I am sure the guy you’ve been sent to is perfectly able, and will make a good job of it, especially as he’s left himself wide open to a lawsuit now if he does damage the nerve in the process! One of the best consultant orthodontists (Tooth mover – braces and the like) round here has very poor people skills!

If I had the choice of a good communicator, or someone who could do the job, I know which one I’d want (Although ideally I would like both, and I too would be pretty peed off if I got a grumpy s*d!)

Let’s face it, you’ll be asleep anyway, and probably not see the guy again until it’s all over.

As to the pain & suffering you’ll go through. I can’t pretend it’s not unpleasant! To put it into context though, it’s probably not as bad as a medium – severe flare up of the teeth themselves, and it will be a once only event.

The fear of a general anaesthetic is again a sensible fear. They do carry a risk, and shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. (Which is why I have strong feelings about cosmetic surgery!) Like aeroplane travel though, millions of people do it quite safely every day, and it’s only the disasters that make the news. I assume that you are very young. I would presume you are fit and well, and I would hope you don’t smoke. If you are all these things, you will be absolutely fine.

4 years ago I needed 4 general anaesthetics in 8 months for one thing or another. I quite enjoy the feeling of sleep coming over you like a wave, and the next thing you know, a pretty nurse is waking you up!!!!

Best of luck. It WILL be fine!


EDIT:- Just read Teerah's post. She's obviously had a quieter day than me today She's made some very good points!