Have any of you personally had all four fully bony wisdom teeth taken out?

Question

I'm 23 and generally healthy, and I'd like to know what specifically to expect in my case, i.e.: Does the IV anesthesia really take a whole day to wear off?
How long will I be in pain and will have to take the pain meds?
How long will I be unable to talk (I have to go back to work after 2 days)?
How long until I'll be able to eat solid food again?

My oral surgeon was rather short on detail and just mentioned that I'll be "uncomfortable for a few days", before he bustled off to see the other 12 thousand patients he apparently had scheduled for that hour.
Needless to say I'm looking for a little more information than that...

I'll appreciate it if anyone who's had a similar surgery can answer my questions and give me any other relevant information or advice.
Thanks

Answer 1

I had the 4 done at once.. it was a medical operation, not a dental one. I went to the hospital, went under full anasthetic and woke up a few hours later. It sucked, it was at Christmas and I could only eat through a straw for about a week, with the uncomfortableness lasting 2 weeks. It takes about a day to wear off the sleepy gas, and the painkillers work mildly I found... I still felt alot of pain. Anyway, good luck!!! By the way, work after 2 days... not going to happen.

Answer 2

Yep. I had this done when I was 18. All of mine were impacted and pushing on the molars in front of them. Had it done at around 9am, was out of there by 10:30 (that included recovery time till the anesthesia wore off enough for me to go home.) I used a few of the pains meds that day, then was on Tylenol after that. Be careful. Don't smoke or suck anything through a straw or you will get a dry socket. Very painful, but the dentist can fix it.

You'll can eat soft foods that day. And you will be talking that day too. It's not that big a deal. Two days and you should be fine to go back to work. Call the oral surgeon with any pain that the meds doesn't help or if it won't stop bleeding.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I was 23 and I had all 4 taken out at the University of Toronto.
I was put under and felt no pain during the thing.
I was in some pain for a couple of days and had some pain pills but only took a couple. Not so bad really.
I could talk right away but it hurt to use the muscles and few people could understand me. (Lots of swelling ey!)
I only ate jello for 1 week. No solid food but guess what ...I lost weight
I have a surprise for you...Something I discovered afterward...

I looked like a chipmunk for 3 days. Darkening around the eyes and my cheeks were puffed out so it looked like I had a mouth full of peanuts I was putting away for winter. It was quite funny really and it did wear off and in 1 week I was all better, back to normal and very glad I had been asleep and had all 4 done at once. I would not like to go through that 4 times...

PS I went to the university because I saved a lot of money. The dentistry school did it for $20. The head instructor did the surgery but he had some students view the whole thing ...cool..

Answer 4

I was 21 when I had all four surgically removed under anesthesia.
I would say it takes the whole day to wear off... I was hallucinating a little bit, but don't remember it. My friend that drove me to and from the appt. told me I was talking to my sister in the back seat of the car, but she wasn't there.
You will experience pain... you will need to take the pills. It really, really hurt.
I couldn't talk normally for about 4 days, but you can talk. Solid food is kind of case by case... depends on how you are doing, if you get dry sockets, etc.
Unpacking all the gauze sucks, it hurts, it's uncomfortable, and you feel so exposed once it's out. Swishing with water and there was a solution I used, but can't remember what it was... If you ask about it, they should be able to tell you. I suggest getting as much sleep as you can, while you can. Take the pills and sleep.
Hope it goes smoothly.
Good luck.

Oh yeah... a straw is a bad idea. The suction can rip out your stitches.

Answer 5

Yes, I have had all four pulled at once with two impacted and one dry socket. (My first ever surgery of any kind.) The surgery took less than an hour but I was unconcsious for about an hour and a half. Then I was "subdued" under painkillers for four days; but a friend of mine was up and running her regular schedule after the same procedure was done in just a couple of hours. It depends on the individual and your capacity to handle pain and meds. As to solid foods, they have to be soft with no major crunchy foods, soups, jell-o, pasta are the best to start off with and then gradually building up. You'll be able to talk immediately after the surgery although you probably won't feel like it. I just wanted to sleep and the percocet really did the trick. I was back to "normal" within a week. Consider talking to another dental surgeon if this one couldn't spend a few minutes to address your concerns!

Answer 6

Yes, two of mine were impacted, so the surgeon suggested removing all of them while he doing the other extractions. I was in la-la land for about 48 hours, to be honest. I was in pain but didn't notice because I slept most of the first day. You will be able to talk as soon as you wake up. You may or may not remember it though. I don't drink any alcohol or take any kinds of medications, so I was really "out of it" due to the anesthesia.

I would not recommend you try to eat solid foods until much later. Start with soups, broths, water, etc. Oh, and don't make the mistake of trying to drink from a straw. My dad gave me a milkshake with a straw so I wouldn't spill and I felt like my head was going to fall off. Apparently, I left the house and ran down the street screaming I needed something for the pain. I guess I was trying to go the pharmacy. I don't remember. lol (I mean I don't remember doing this period, even at the time, not that I can't recall the details).

Personally, I wouldn't have surgery with someone who did not have time to answer ALL my questions. Call back and talk to him or his assistant. It's not reasonable for him to expect you to agree to something when you are not clear on some of your concerns.

Good luck to you.

Answer 7

Ok, I've had all 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out when I was 14. It took 2 hours or so for the anesthesia to wear off. When it wears off, the pain comes little by little. If you can bear the pain, you dont have to tkae the meds, and I was able to talk but mostly made -ish sounds. Youshould take some time off of work too, because stress makes the pain intensify. I was able to eat solid food after 4 days. I had alot of smoothies and milkshakes. I hope this helps!

Answer 8

Hey, don't worry! I had all 4 removed and they were fully grown in. The dentist gave me 12 shots (sounds scary, but you only feel the first two . . .) and removed the teeth. I took ibuprofen and that was it. There was no need for pain meds, since the shots numbed the area for quite a few hours. That night, I was out with friends, all of them surprised "I thought you'd be in pain", etc.

I was able to eat solid food immediately, avoiding chips and popcorn (stuff you'd avoid with braces.) Rinse the areas well every night and you'll be fine.

The reason so many people dread this procedure is because they get drugged, and the stuff stays in your system for days, making you feel groggy, sick and weak. Avoid being put under and you be back to normal by the next day.

Answer 9

I am 29 and just had mine taken out last November. The anesthesia works so fast, I remember him putting the needle in to the iv and I was out in a second. It does last all day, you'll be alert after a few hours, but very very sleepy. The next day I still had some affects of it, I was still very dizzy, and fainted in the shower really badly. Be careful! It doesn't hurt too bad at all, afterwards. I had pain pills, but hardly needed them, a day or two. But what hurt increadibly bad was "dry socket". This is a fairly common occourance after this type of surgery, don't ask me how it happens, it just does sometimes. The doc had to shove gauze filled with the most aweful tasting stuff in the hole in the back of your mouth. He did this everyday for a week, and ruined my Thanksgiving! I couldn't eat anything with that stuff in my mouth. All I could do was sit and spit for about a week. I hope that doesn't happen to you.

Answer 10

Pull them all at once is the best way. Now you have to gargle with salt water after every meal and before bed time. Make sure when you do eat something light that your holes are not left with food in them. This can cause a very stank smell in your mouth basically rotted food.
These pockets where you have had the tooth removed will need to heal in a period of two weeks. So you have to baby that and the pain should subside in a few days depending on your resistance to pain.
Remember you can eat, but make absolutely sure you do not keep any food in those pockets some of them are deep and may require water pressure to clean them out...if it gets bad you will have to use a water hose and jet it clean...so you have been warned by one who has been there and done it..