Welcome back everyone!
Today we're talking about what to expect when you're actually getting your wisdom teeth out.
Now some of this is going to depend on the form of sedation you choose to have for the procedure. For some more information on sedation, home remedies, and a video version of what to expect, check out this video:
Let's assume you're getting oral sedation, plus or minus nitrous oxide (i.e. laughing gas).
Typically, your dentist will bring you in one hour before the appointment, and administer (a fancy word for "give") you the tablet to swallow. The reason you come in so early is that it takes time for the sedation to take effect.
Slowly you'll start to feel more and more out of it - while you'll still respond to verbal cues from the dentist, you won't really care much about what's going on around you. This makes the whole procedure much easier, as the sounds, pressure and vibrations associated with the wisdom tooth removal will be much less likely to trigger any anxiety or stress.
After you've chilled for an hour, the dentist will come in and give you local anesthesia (dental freezing) so that you don't feel any pain. Often, you won't even realize you're getting a needle because the sedation has done such a good job; other times, people report being aware that they were getting freezing, but just didn't care.
During the actual removal, you can expect to feel vibrations, experience pressure, but not pain, and have your mouth open for extended periods of time. Typically, the procedure only lasts 20-40 minutes, but can take longer depending on the complexity of the wisdom tooth roots. Often times, you'll hear sounds similar to that of a dental filling, which will be associated with the vibrations mentioned earlier. Again, you should not be feeling any pain whatsoever; if you have any doubt that you might be feeling pain, let the dentist know right away.
Afterwards, you'll very likely receive a stitch or two (or more), and these may need to be removed by the dentist at a later date. You'll receive some instructions on how to take care of yourself for the next few days, as well. What instructions, you ask?
Well... you'll just have to wait for part 3, when we do a deep dive into the best practices for reducing swelling and the chances of a dry socket (something you really really don't want) after wisdom tooth removal. Coming soon to a Tooth Minute Tuesday blog near you!! ;)
Thanks for reading!