Wisdom teeth removal under GA

[WisdomToothRemoval]

Posting for traffic, sorry!

I’m having four wisdom teeth removed under GA in October. I’m also having two additional teeth removed so it’ll be a total of 6 teeth needing to come out.

The surgery is scheduled for Thursday morning and I’m due to go back to work on Saturday. I have no more annual leave left so I’m wondering how other people were after the surgery? Once the anaesthetic wore off, were you in a lot of pain? Is it realistic for me to go to work two days later or will I need to take it off? For context, I have an office job that’s incredibly laid back

Not a chance! OK, it's been 40 (eek!) years since I had all 4 out under GA and I was puffed up like a chipmunk who'd been punched by Mike Tyson for at least a week afterwards. You can only eat liquidised food and soluble painkillers. Do NOT try to talk - it hurts like fuck. Sorry.

I had one wisdom tooth out under GA and while the pain wasn't too bad after the operation, my jaw was very sore from the manhandling, and I had bruises on my face. The other thing was that it was my first GA and I had crazy fatigue after it, I was genuinely falling asleep at the drop of a hat for about 4-5 days later. It hasn't happened to me on subsequent operations so I don't know if they used different drugs or what, but it really wiped me out . I was signed off sick for a few days afterwards, rather than taking as leave.

Isn't this is what sick leave is for?
My DH had them out. On the sofa for a week and his breath stunk!

It depends on the difficulty of the extraction. My last 1 left me looking like I'd done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, fairly minimal pain which lasted for about 4-5 days (nothing that paracetamol couldn't deal with), the swelling and bruising took over a week to get to the point where it could be successfully covered with make-up

Sick leave 100%. I had 4 out under GA and face and neck was very swollen for a week, and I was bruised right down my chest. I couldn't eat solids for 5 days either.

I went back the day after but I was taking codeine. My face looked like a balloon. It is doable if you are sitting at a desk.

From the anaesthetic point of view you will be able to go back to work.
However typically wisdom teeth are only taken out under GA if they are heavily impacted and removed such teeth will lead to a lot of post-operative pain and swelling. Most people normally need at least a week off work, if not two.
If they’re simple extractions that could be done under LA and you’re having the GA due a phobia then you may be able to return to work.

I had it done many years ago on a Friday morning. Straight home afterwards, with company. I was back in work on the Monday. The worst discomfort was when the stitches were healing. I think I was lucky.

I think it really depends on dentist skill level. You don’t NEED to be bruised as fuck. It happens when the dentist is rushing because they don’t want you under GA for longer than you need to be and because you are unconscious you aren’t protesting about being jerked about.

i had two out and had hardly any swelling. No visible bruises anyway. I did struggle to eat but was back at desk job work 2 days later. My work also had a physical side but I didn’t go back to that until a week.

I had all 4 out under GA and ended up with 10 unexpected stitches. Was signed off for 2 weeks and was at least 6/7 days before my fave went back to normal, and longer til the stitches dissolved. Can you get a docs note?

I had my wisdom teeth and 2 extra removed under GA 30 years ago and had to have 2 weeks off work. It probably took at least another 2 weeks to be able to eat normally.

I had one (very difficult) wisdom tooth extraction under GA after a previous failed attempt to remove it under local anaesthetic, and I ended up having to take two full days off work completely, and then for the next two or three days I worked from home but cancelled all Teams meetings because my face was swollen and bruised and I couldn't really speak normally. To be honest, I could actually have done with taking the week off completely. My face was very, very swollen and painful and I had a lot of sinus pain and headaches, and I think I achieved very little of any use while I was working!

However - my extraction was a particularly long and complicated one, and I know other people who had barely any swelling, no bruising and only minimal soreness and were pretty much fine to work 24 hours later!

I really think it depends on how long you were under GA, how well you tolerate anaesthetic, what they had to do to extract the teeth and how prone you are to swelling and bruising.

If I were you, I'd tell your employer that you'll need at least two days, but possibly more because recovery can vary a lot and you simply don't know how you'll be affected.

Oh gosh, this doesn’t sound positive at all! Am I able to get a sick note from the GP even though I don’t exactly know how long I’ll need off of work? Or will I need to go to the GP as soon as I’ve had the procedure done? I’ve never actually needed a sick note before!

Also, does a sick note from the GP mean that I can qualify for SSP? I have no clue how it all works

I had 2 Wisdom teeth plus 2 molars out under GA. I went back to work the next day. I was in so much pain for so long before the op that anything was an improvement. We are all different though. You can self certify for 7 days btw.

I must have been very lucky.

I had all of mine removed when I was 18 as a day patient at my local hospital. By 5pm I was up and nibbling very, very gently on a cheese sandwich. I left a couple of hours later and was out like a light as soon as I got home. I was still at school so swung the lead for as long as I could, but I only had a couple of days and the weekend, then back to school on the Monday. Not much swelling. A bit achey, but not painful. It was more the feeling of my jaw feeling like it had been pulled about.

I had 4 out under GA some years ago .. I was back working in the pub, and going out, the next night .. but I was about 20, and an idiot / invincible young person (zero common sense)

I had all mine out under GA and was totally fine and I was told in advance that some would be difficult extractions too. I was back to work the following day. Obviously following the aftercare advice.

About 20 years ago, I had 2 wisdom teeth removed under GA. The recovery from the anaesthetic was fine. I described a walk up a mountain we’d just done in Scotland whilst coming round. They gave me toast and tea, I could not quite believe they gave toast! The pain killers for recovery wereCodeine and the dose was too high and spent the next day vomiting before deciding just to have Anadin. So I had 3 days off work not 2 as planned.

The only really bad thing about the experience was the registrar who did the op. He handed me a pen to fill in the form and falsely accused me of chewing it. Really quite bizarre

I had exact same done many many years ago - 4 wisdom plus 2 extra ( I was 18 - so 32 years in fact)
Even at that age I was out for the count for a while - I can't remember exactly but I would give yourself at least a week.

Had all 4 of mine taken out at 21 I'm now 33 and I can honestly say it wasn't that bad for me. Lots of blood after and I took pain killers but wasn't at all extreme pain etc.

Everyone's experience is different to be fair 🤷🏼‍♀️

I think after surgery we'd had sick notes straight from the hospital. Maybe ring them and check, but I would bet you'll be discharged with one.

When my friend had the same the dental surgeon signed them off for a week. Is your's aware that you are going straight back to work? When I was due to have two out my dentist cancelled the surgery because I mentioned that I would me moving the next day and they said it wasn't feasible!

I’d have thought the dentist would sign you off.

Not to mention you can self certify for the first 5 days.

Just to counter the bad experiences - I had one only removed and felt fine. I was warned about pain, had lots of painkillers etc, but didn't take a single one. Felt fine! Yes, couldn't eat normally but otherwise felt fine and almost as usual after half a day, just a little sore.

It might be very different to have more removed of course :-)

I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth (still impacted) removed surgically in one go. I think I took a day or two off school. Mostly because of pain and really bad swelling - my face resembled a rugby ball.

You might be okay, but allow room for flexibility if you need to stay home.