Summary : Getting teeth out under general anesthetic is the way to go
I've been told since I was 18 to have my wisdom teeth out, by every dentist in every country that's had a look. By waiting twenty years I learned that only three need to come out, plus I've endured episodes of pain. Overall, a bad decision to leave them in so long.
And now, 24 years later, the story has ended. About 18 months ago I planned to get them out in the chair, because I wanted to avoid a GA (general anesthetic). However, the extraction in-the-chair was difficult and after 45 minutes we all agreed to stop after the first removal. Then I had two weeks of agony (no, not due to a dry socket). The operation was interesting. I had no pain of course, but it was not terribly encouraging to hear the surgeon and the nurse updated each other on what a difficult extraction it was. A gruesome experience, actually.
Recently I broke a tooth on the same side as my remaining two problem wisdom teeth. Broken tooth had to come out, to be replaced with an implant. The implant guy looked at my xray and the wisdom teeth and said "if that's was my mouth, I'd be doing in under GA".
I've never had GA, but needing three teeth out now as the time.
In my discussions just prior to going under, the surgeon told me that there are some advantages to the operation under GA which I did not previously know about. If I'd known earlier, I would never have made the first attempt in the chair. I was surprised at learning these things at the last minute: If I'd known earlier, I would have gone straight to GA.
1) the operating theatre is equipped with faster, more powerful drill. This is important for difficult extractions in older people because there is more bone to worry about. The removal is faster, the bone spends less time exposed and there is less bruising.
2) they give much more powerful local anesthetic (I don't know why). This lasts much longer after the operation. Mine is slowly wearing off about 18 hours later. The pain will surely kick in, but at least I got a good night's sleep.
The general anesthetic was good. I was very nervous, and said so, so I had some "pre med" tablets (some kind of relaxant) which probably helped. So did the last minutes talks with the two specialists.
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