Wisdom Teeth Removal

[legolammb]

I'm looking for some opinions on wisdom tooth extraction. I've been having pain from an impacted tooth and so the dentist referred me on the NHS to have 2 teeth taken out. They were being slow and I was in absolute agony and made an appointment with a consultant at a nice private hospital. They said they could take it out under general anaesthetic for £1.5k in a few weeks.

Sod's law, on the way home from the private consultation I got a call about the NHS referral and they gave me a date not too far off the proposed private date, though the procedure is without sedation. The private consultant said the X-Rays looked straightforward - it's not growing at a crazy angle or anything. Is it better to have it done by a consultant in nice hospital or to go to the high street surgery for the NHS removal? I prefer the idea of being put to sleep as I'm so nervous about these things. I'm also worried about any roughness with my jaw as that's given me agony due to clenching it so much from tooth pain

Are you sure it will be without any sedation? I had mine done and I presumed I would have a GA but wasn't. However, they gave me an injection which makes you so relaxed you are basically not aware of anything at all but can still respond - I "came round" right at the end where they were saying "open your mouth" and that was it. Then they walked me through to the recovery room. That was NHS.

Whatever you do, whoever you have it done with, do not rinse your mouth out when you get home. I did, albeit not vigorously and dislodge the clot. That meant a very very painful healing process. That said, it was the best thing ever to have done - no further pain or infections.

The NHS option was local anaesthetic only, they don't do IV sedation at that practice, they said I'd need to go back to my dentist and ask to be referred to the hospital if I wanted sedation/General anaesthetic.

Flip - glad you eventually got a positive outcome! I've heard so many horror stories about nerve damage etc

Oh OK, that's a slightly different scenario then. I'm not sure I'd have wanted it done under local. Not sure what to advise you! Is it worth speaking to your dentist?

The other thing that no-one told me was that it heals from the bottom up so you have a gaping hole for many months afterwards. A dental nurse at our church told me why that was but none of the dentists I saw even mentioned it. It's completely healed now 10 months later. I had it done just before Christmas - it was the best damage limitation for eating over Christmas that I have ever known!