Wisdom teeth, GA or local??

[WisdomTeeth]

I’ve been very dental phobic, I’ve now broken off a wisdom tooth. I was referred to oral surgery today for pre-op assessment. The consultant was very polite but not at all informative. He just asked me to choose between local or general. I don’t know anything about how, I didn’t have a clue which! I’ve said sleep, as I’m pretty terrified, but now I’m wondering if I’ve done the right thing. It’s upper, broken off at the gum. I could get through something super quick (just) but not much fiddling around, I’m ok with pain but terrified of pressure/ force

I have had both. Bottom taken out under general. Top one locally as they refused to do it under general. I am terrified of the dentist, get into a hot sweat and shake, and had been 2 times in 5 years as hate it so much.
Dentist says if I could have injections for a filling I would cope with tooth out. To be fair, it was ok . Not a nice noise (not nasty just grinding) and pressure but it was over and done with in minutes (after being numbed) and a lot better than expected. It hurt afterwards badly but no worse than under general. Has my eyes shut the entire time and nurse has to cover me with a coat as I was so shakey, but otherwise ok. Stock up on good pain killers for after.

Is gas and air an option?

Personally I’d go for a local every time. Had local anaesthetics for all four wisdom teeth extractions...felt pressure but absolutely no pain. They talked me through it and I felt reassured that as I was awake I knew exactly what was going on.

All GAs come with a risk and the fewer I have in my lifetime the better.

Be brave OP. It’s all over so quickly, before you know it you will be on your way home with no recovery time needed as you would have with a GA.

Oh God I've got to have an upper wisdom tooth out soon and I'm worried I'll get asked this. I've never had a GA before and think that will frighten me more than anything else.....
There is a dental phobia clinic near me so I'm going there and they offer sedation. I'd personally rather be awake but kind of like the idea of being away with the fairies during. Good luck OP and I hope it goes well for you

I had local and it was fine. The nurse and the consultant where extremely used to very stressed patients and kept me calm. GA has more risks and I always avoid it if I can.

I went for local. It was pretty unpleasant but not sore and recovery was 10x faster than I’ve seen in GA wisdom tooth extraction.

From personal experience of removal under local, I would never have one removed again unless they would let me have general.
Mine was a bit ‘stuck’ and the dentist was a complete a**hole, rude and rushing. Painful, cut up lip, and could feel so much pressure.

But it’s a bit like any procedure, some people’s go well, some don’t. So do whatever you feel more comfortable with. As others have said general comes with higher risks to add into consideration

I had a wisdom tooth out at my local dental hospital as my dentist couldn't get it numb enough to pull it out, I'm resistant to local anaesthetic because I have ME & Fibromyalgia. At the dental hospital they gave me all the injections to get me numb & then gave me gas & air through a mask attached to my nose, they left me 15 minutes to get plenty of the gas & air in my system & then removed my tooth, it was out in less than 2 minutes & I never felt a thing.

I don’t know what I was given when I had root canal a couple of years ago, but it was an injection in my arm that put me to sleep. It was brilliant. Ask for sedation?

My bottom left one was removed with a local. Took a couple of minutes. Been having pain in my right one so that will need to come out soon. Bloody hate teeth!!

Don't know about local or general as I wasn't asked but what I can recommend is taking your headphones and putting them in/on. Just double check with the dentist beforehand but I'm sure they'll be fine with it.

I had a local as I was pregnant. Needle phobic also!! Was totally fine, managed a cheese sandwich later that day!
My dh has had 15 teeth out this last month under local. And he is dentist phobic to say the least - he said the thought of going was far worse than being there!

I have had both. Had a GA for 2 teeth together, both impacted. Fine and I was back home the same day.
Local for one lower one. Easier to get out and I didn’t feel anything. If it is just one and the dentist thinks it will come out easily, then local. Anything else I would have a GA.

I didn’t feel I got an answer as to if easy/ not easy. I don’t know if being broken off at the gum is good or bad. I asked and he made a kinda non-committal sound and hand gesture.

I don’t even really know what being ‘asleep’ means, it I think it was a general.

I had about two min of his time, he got an x-ray but they had no referral letter for me and he didn’t ask to look in my mouth at all. Just sitting at a chair and asked me to chose, I felt I was choosing in the dark.

I had both my upper wisdom teeth out with local anaesthetic. I was absolutely terrified but it was such an easy non-event that I truly skipped home with glee! Really not bad at all- zero pain and just a few tugs, nothing like I expected.

I believe bottom wisdom teeth are a slightly different kettle of fish. I was told I would need GA if I was to need the bottom ones out. Top ones are much easier!

Either way, make sure you have decent pain relief for when whatever anaesthetic wears off... that was far worse than the deed itself for me.

I’ve never had a GA, or anything bar childbirth in my life so just no reference point:

I have had 2 bottom wisdom ones and 1 top one out via local - forgot to add!!
Walk on the park tbh.
Dh's 15 teeth were smashed off at the roots and tricky to remove but he coped amazingly with local.
You have given birth op!!
Tooth out? Meh, a breeze!

It sounds crazy, I’ve given birth multiple times, twice with no pain relief at all and one with a PPH, in a relaxed and easy manner but get me near a dentist and I’m throwing up in fear and crying...

I’ve had all four wisdom teeth using local by dentist with no issues.

Not sure of local for a broken tooth though. How much has broken off?

I assume because your dentist referred you they don’t see it as an easy extraction. If you can’t get any more info from the consultant maybe go back to your dentist for advice?

My dentist suggested sleep, though more on anxiety I think?

I'd prefer general for pretty much anything. Had 6 in my life and would opt to go under for a scale and polish if I could as I'm terrified of dentist.

Realistically though I would go for general if its a lower and local if upper. I have had one out under local and it was fine. Just wear earphones and have music fairly loud so you don't hear anything, shut your eyes and think of something else.

General you get a needle in your hand and then you wake up what feels like 5 minutes later with a mouthful of gauze and a pleasant floaty feeling.

Not to recommend but need to tell you about dh's final app today.
A man sat waiting for the last of his teeth out today - downing a bottle of Vodka!
Interested to know if the dentist kept his app on not!

If you have a GA you will need to have someone to bring you home and look after you for a while. Is that ok?

Ah yes as Disford said you need someone to bring you home for general.

I had general many years ago for teeth removal (I have very small gob and lots of issues) and I was doing handstands on the bed coming out of the general

😳

Jesus it feels like there’s no solution

I just didn’t feel I had trust or a discussion to say I’d try local, he didn’t hardly look at me, let alone in my mouth! Didn’t find my referral letter. I know he had an X-ray, but could he see guns? Early infection...?