# Screw Wisdom Teeth and Crappy Anesthesia **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036 "2003-12-19T20:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/1 "2003-12-19T20:01:00Z")
I had my wisdom teeth out yesterday morning, and while I wasn’t expecting it to be a thrilling high of my life, I didn’t expect it to suck this much. When he tried to start my IV, he _said_ that if he couldn’t find a vein, I would be getting laughing gas instead. There was no talk of trying to get me hydrated or anything, just you _will_ be getting gas, which scared me because I didn’t _want_ to be awake, and I was told I _wouldn’t_ be awake. Then it got worse. When I was promised IV sedation, there was no talk of me possibly being awake. And I definitely was. It didn’t hurt, but I could feel them breaking the teeth in my mouth, and I could hear the drill when it would be in my mouth. That was terrifying for me- I’ve never had oral surgery before! I kept yelling and trying to get him to stop, because I was awake, and I said I wanted to know what was going on. He just told me to be quiet. He said he’d tell me what was going on, but as soon as he got the equipment back in my mouth, he’d just go back to it. Everyone I told about my surgery said that the best thing about it was I’d get good drugs. Good drugs my ass. They help a little, but it still hurts a lot, especially if I don’t have my ice-pack on. I guess that’s enough ranting for now, but the surgeon was a dick, and I’m in more pain than I expected. Also, I’m just _a little_ out of it, so I hope this all makes sense… ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/2 "2003-12-19T20:33:36Z")
What kind of drugs did he give you? You should’ve got some Vicoden. ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/3 "2003-12-19T20:42:18Z")
I’m on Lorcet… Hydrocodone and acetaminophen. I guess it’s supposed to be good, but oww, it’s so sore. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/4 "2003-12-19T20:48:10Z")
You must have incredible strength of will. I can remember taking about 5 minutes to answer a yes or no question when I was on laughing gas, because it …was…just…too…much…effort. I can’t imagine yelling at someone. ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/5 "2003-12-19T20:58:45Z")
I wasn’t on laughing gas. Just IV sedatives. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/6 "2003-12-19T21:50:07Z")
I had simple novocaine shots on two of my wisdom teeth. I swear, I thought he was going to put his foot on my chest to yank the damn tooth out. It took HOURS. But I healed up real quick with little pain. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/7 "2003-12-19T22:42:35Z")
Ugh. That is awful. I had general anesthetic when I got my wisdom teeth out, and was lucky to have a good oral surgeon – I was able to go to work the next day (although was still sore). ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/8 "2003-12-19T22:48:32Z")
Ugh. That is awful. I had general anesthetic when I got my wisdom teeth out, and was lucky to have a good oral surgeon – I was able to go to work the next day (although was still sore). ---
**Author:** ![Mefern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bcef8e/32.png) [@Mefern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mefern)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2003, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/9 "2003-12-19T23:40:25Z")
I had a local and had all 4 out at the same time, two were impacted. The surgeon and nurse wore plastic shields in front of their faces which the blood splashed off of. Got to love the smell of burning tooth in the morning. I don’t see the reason to get knocked out for wisdom teeth extraction… but whatever floats your boat I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/10 "2003-12-20T00:29:52Z")
Because I’m a wuss, and don’t like having things ripped from my mouth? Just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/11 "2003-12-20T00:56:27Z")
I was awake when my wisdom teeth were taken out… I’m glad that that was before the freezing stuff they used stopped being decently effective. Last time I got fillings they gave me 2… _2!_ shots on one side, with lots of time for it to kick in and I _still_ felt the pain as they drilled them. Of course the freezing agent kicked in shortly _after_ they finished and I looked like a stroke victim (drooling, slurring words) for longer than usual. I must be like my Dad… last I heard he has to be knocked out to get fillings because it doesn’t work at all on him. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/12 "2003-12-20T02:21:22Z")
I know if I ever have to have my wisdom teeth removed, I am getting totally knocked out - I’ve had enough dental pain in my life. More of a mental pain on this one, though - I got cavities in my front two teeth, before I had them capped. To do the fillings, the dentist had to numb the area - and the needle had to go in the front gums - and I could feel the tip behind my nose! Aaagh! Susan ---
**Author:** ![cbtcad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@cbtcad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbtcad)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/13 "2003-12-20T03:17:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lynne\_kilii \* > \*\* > When I was promised IV sedation, there was no talk of me possibly being awake. And I definitely was. It didn’t hurt, but I could feel them breaking the teeth in my mouth, and I could hear the drill when it would be in my mouth. That was terrifying for me- I’ve never had oral surgery before! I kept yelling and trying to get him to stop, because I was awake, and I said I wanted to know what was going on. He just told me to be quiet. He said he’d tell me what was going on, but as soon as he got the equipment back in my mouth, he’d just go back to it. > \*\* He should have at least told you what he was doing. I think that would have made it much less frightening. Personally I had about the best extraction possible. They put me to sleep and when the meds they gave me while I was at the office wore off there was almost no pain. I think I took an Ibuprofen the first day and that was it. They told me that I almost had enough room for the teeth so perhaps that had something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/14 "2003-12-20T03:46:58Z")
I heard stories of how bad wisdom tooth removal is, and I was so afraid that it would be terrible. With the first two wisdom teeth removed, I got a local anesthetic, I was fine a few days later, and I was only on pain pills for about a day and a half. When the second two were removed (years later), I had nothing but novocaine. When I was done, I walked out of the office, went shopping, and took a walk. I bought a bottle of fifty ibuprofen while out shopping just to make sure that I would be okay, and used about ten. I was out of the dentist’s office in 45 minutes, most of which were spent waiting for the novocaine to take effect and paying the bill. I know my wisdom teeth weren’t impacted, but both extractions went quite smoothly. I know it’s not much help, but if anyone else is facing wisdom tooth extraction, it’s not always bad! ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/15 "2003-12-20T04:17:38Z")
All in all, it wasn’t that bad. I’m just mad cause the doctor was a jerk about it, not telling me what was going on and just starting in without saying anything. And everyone I talked to said that the “good” thing about it was the drugs, and these drugs just take the edge off. It wasn’t that bad, I’ll admit I’m just bitching, but still, it was less than expected. On the upside, I’ve had no post-op bleeding, and I don’t expect anything bad like dry sockets or anything to happen. The swelling isn’t that bad and I’m going back to work tomorrow. Again, the doc was just a bit of a dick about it. ---
**Author:** ![Harlow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Harlow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harlow)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/16 "2003-12-20T13:57:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lynne\_kilii \* > \*\*Hydrocodone and acetaminophen \*\* Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen = Vicodin ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/17 "2003-12-20T14:34:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Harlow \* > \*\*Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen = Vicodin \*\* Seriously?! I feel scammed. This is crap. I’m not happy and pain free on Vicodin (labeled on my pill bottle as Lorget), what good are drugs…:rolleyes: ? Off to sell some bras. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/18 "2003-12-20T16:18:44Z")
This seemed like an appropriate thread. Yesterday I had several fillings and a root canal (“Yes, Doctor, it’s been a while since I’ve been in…”). They got the right side numbed up pretty well with Novacaine, but the left, not so much. I objected a couple of times… the first time he stuck the left side again, but I think he just re-numbed something instead of hitting where he needed to. (Not that I know how to anaesthetize, but…) The right side went beautifully. There was vibration and such, but no big deal. The left side… not so much. There was definite nerve pain, and he kept jabbing my gums with… something. God only knows. Ah well… grin and bear it, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/19 "2003-12-21T01:50:24Z")
Screw wisdom teeth? Wouldn’t that be nice! If only teeth screwed and unscrewed, dentistry would be so much easier! ---
**Author:** ![Lynne\_kilii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lynne\_kilii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynne_kilii)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036/20 "2003-12-21T02:37:42Z")
Hee hee hee, thank you. That made my (slightly still painful) evening. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screw-wisdom-teeth-and-crappy-anesthesia/220036.md?page=2)