Looking for some encouragement here! I had all four wisdom teeth out a little over a week ago and still suffering a fair amount of discomfort. It was a difficult procedure. Two lower were impacted, I am in my mid 30's so those roots had time to grow deep near the nerve.
I am still very numb in chin, lower lip and gum. The numbness is driving me nuts. I felt so bad I had to call off a couple days ago.
I had bruising all the way down to my Adam's apple. Swelling is going down.
I didn't take any Vicodin for the last day and a half for fear of the medicine (Vicodin and antibiotic) making me feel bad. I finished antibiotic last night. So far today I just took 2 ibuprofen.
Please tell me I am on the upswing! I am finally getting better at chewing more solid foods. Operative area not as tender, can tolerate maneuvering foods in mouth better.
I was told the numbness could be permanent! Please tell me that is rare! I hate this numbness! Will it likely gradually diminish?
I also had IV sedation (Versed and Fentanyl) when I had my four wisdom teeth out at an oral surgeon's office. I woke up DURING the procedure (no pain, just awareness so I'm guessing the Versed wore off but they were giving enough Fentanyl). It sounds like you had the opposite experience - you sound like you were very sedated since you don't remember hollering, but maybe there wasn't enough pain medication on board.
The one thing I DO know is that the side of my face that they were working on when I woke up was the side that was three times as swollen the next day. I think when you aren't perfectly still that there is much more trauma to the area, causing more swelling. Maybe since you were obviously upset during the procedure (hence the hollering), you were moving a lot and there is just more swelling than usual? It's possible that the swelling is pressing on the nerves, making the numbness worse.
I can't remember if Ibuprophen was okay or not (I know my doc told me either that or Tylenol was a no-no because it could increase bleeding), but whichever one they told you to take - take it! And take it consistently, like Q6H around the clock, because that will reduce swelling, and eventually numbness. I also slept with two of those gel-filled ice packs strapped around my head, using an ace bandage to secure them.
That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure. I remember them stressing it - but it was six years ago so I forgot exactly which one.
They took forever to get my IV in as well. It was at a medical school's oral health center, so they had residents trying. Three tried, none got the IV. I am a very easy stick and they were going for juicy hand veins - they didn't even TOUCH the veins, they were so clueless. Then they made me lay down with my arm dangling a few inches above the floor with a tourniquet on for a couple of minutes - talk about pain - and another resident knelt on the FLOOR trying to get the IV in. He missed too. Finally I told them that I was going to start my own IV, that I did it before in nursing school, and that I wasn't going to let them torture me anymore. They got SO mad. I told them I was cancelling and going to another oral surgeon, that if they couldn't even get an IV into me, how could I trust them to do surgery?!?!?!?! Their instructor/attending/whatever explained that they needed to practice, but I said that I was done being their pin cushion. He finally got the office manager - who was a PICU RN for years - to place the IV. :angryfire
I fondly (haha) remember my 4 impacted wisdom teeth being removed. I had to go to a hospital's day surgery and had a general anesthetic. Well, I too had the bruising, SWELLING, pain, SWELLING, numbness, oh, did i mention SWELLING really bad.
My face was like a square for at least 2 weeks and i couldn't talk or eat at all (lost a lot of weight that i really couldn't afford) and was on pureed baby food for over a month ( so 6 weeks from date of surgery cause I couldn;t eat for the first fortnight). Luckily i loved the fruit baby food in the cans.
Yes - the numbness has a VERY HIGH chance that it will go away. The swelling in time will go down, and the brusing is your temporary battle scars :)
Wear them with pride :) (or at least try to!)
Just think - no more problems from them EVER AGAIN!!!!!!
I can't remember if Ibuprophen was okay or not (I know my doc told me either that or Tylenol was a no-no because it could increase bleeding), but whichever one they told you to take - take it!
I double checked my post-op instructions. It definitely says supplement the Vicodin with Advil. I think no APAP because that is in the Vicodin. It does definitely warn against aspirin.
I double checked my post-op instructions. It definitely says supplement the Vicodin with Advil. I think no APAP because that is in the Vicodin. It does definitely warn against aspirin.
usually after the first twenty four hours you're ok with motrin. before that, however, hold off.
it has increased chances of bleeding. plus, it can be rough on the stomach so eat with it before you take it.
because I'm 21 years old and I haven't had my wisdom teeth yet
the last time I was at a Dental office(Aug 2004) and had an X-Ray, the dentist said he didn't see any more teeth hiding in my gum..hmm could I be lucky?
And is it possible to NOT get one? I'm scared from reading all your post, plus I don't have a Dental insurance so it would cost me a lot to have them removed :stone
because I'm 21 years old and I haven't had my wisdom teeth yet
the last time I was at a Dental office(Aug 2004) and had an X-Ray, the dentist said he didn't see any more teeth hiding in my gum..hmm could I be lucky?
And is it possible to NOT get one? I'm scared from reading all your post, plus I don't have a Dental insurance so it would cost me a lot to have them removed :stone
Oh, sorry! I don't know that answer! I don't know much about dental stuff. I just try to take in the info from the dentist and way my options like a regular lay person when it comes to dental..........I am clueless.
I can definitely say this has been quite an experience. This numbness has been awful. And, more pressure than all out horrible pain.
because I'm 21 years old and I haven't had my wisdom teeth yet
the last time I was at a Dental office(Aug 2004) and had an X-Ray, the dentist said he didn't see any more teeth hiding in my gum..hmm could I be lucky?
And is it possible to NOT get one? I'm scared from reading all your post, plus I don't have a Dental insurance so it would cost me a lot to have them removed :stone
I think that everyone has wisdom teeth. Problem is, much of the time they're not "hiding" in the gums - they're impacted, which means WAY down there, far under the gums, in the jaw. If they stay there, I don't think it's a problem. I think wisdom teeth are like "back-ups" in case you lost a lot of your adult molars - they'd come up then. But now, with such good dental care, most people have no use for these extra teeth. Like I said, if they stay there I think it's okay. But for most people, they start to erupt and the problem is that there isn't enough room in the mouth for all those teeth. Sometimes they only "half" come up, so half the tooth is trapped under the gums. THIS is a big problem, because bacteria can enter this area and cause infections. You HAVE to get them removed if this is the case. There have been cases were people died of horrible infections stemming from absesses around wisdom teeth!
As long as nothing is poking through your gums, and as long as you aren't having a sore jaw all the time, you are probably okay.
your post about extractions came at a good time though, because I really don't know what to expect for recovery.
pulled on tuesday AM, work Thursday PM????
That's cutting it really close. You might be doing fine, or you might be horribly swollen and in pain - everyone is different.
I got mine pulled on a Wednesday, tried to go back to work Sunday 7p-7a, and they sent me home at 11pm because I was so bad. It wasn't so horrible until I got to work and had to talk so much - the pain came back, along with lots of dryness, and I was miserable.
If you absolutely MUST go to work, make sure to take your pain meds Q4-6H ATC and stay very hydrated. Bring lots of jello, yogurt, etc. to eat - but nothing with a straw because that can lead to dry socket.
your post about extractions came at a good time though, because I really don't know what to expect for recovery.
pulled on tuesday AM, work Thursday PM????
Gompers had good things to say to you. I agree, that could be cutting it close.
I had mine done on a Thursday. There was a recreational activity I wanted to go to Saturday night and I didn't feel good enough to go have fun, much less work! I was scheduled back to work Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I went Tuesday, was miserable, called off Wednesday (almost a full week post-op).
How old are you? It often seems younger ppl do better. I am in my mid-30s.
A girl at work is in her late teens. She said she was out at a game the same night she had hers done. It really does vary.
As Gompers pointed out, you may feel ok when you don't *have to function, but walking and doing and talking can tire you. After working Tuesday night, I had a hard time taping report even.
Good luck! Make sure you follow your post-op directions. Use your ice. Make some Jello and have some soft/pureed type foods ready ahead of time. After, you probably won't be up to shopping and making stuff. My stepmom took care of me that way.....fixed me jello, chicken soup, cleaned up bloody mouth, put Vaseline on my lips, etc. :) DH went out a got my scrips and got me pudding cups and 7up, etc.
PS, I still am not back to normal almost 2 weeks later. I still have significant numbness to lower lip, chin, gum. I have to be careful what and how I eat, although I am getting better at that!
jeepgirl, LPN, NP
851 Posts
Motrin is a no go..