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Original poster

Horizontal Impacted Wisdom Tooth Removal

23 replies

Shushpuppy · 15/01/2021 21:38

I have a dental hospital appointment for my impacted wisdom tooth. Does anyone know if the first appointment is for removing the tooth itself or just an assessment? I feel a bit wobbly and have no one who could collect me from the appointment so I'm going to have to get a taxi. Will they allow this after sedation?

OP posts:

butterry · 15/01/2021 21:40

I assume you had an x-ray already which is why they know it's horizontal. I had mine done at my dentist and after the x-ray, the next appointment is the surgery for the removal. Is there a number you can call them to ask?

DishedUp · 15/01/2021 21:40

Normally it will be for assessment. You aren't going to be given sedation for removal without a chat first about options/treatment planning etc.

Equally when it comes to it, if you want sedation you will need someone with you to take you home afterwards. You can get a taxi but your escort needs to be in the taxi with you

AnneShirleysNewDress · 15/01/2021 21:51

@Shushpuppy I had an impacted wisdom tooth removed at a dental hospital 12 months ago. The first appointment was an assessment and I got sent for further xrays. I had the tooth out under twilight sedation at the 2nd appointment. I had to take someone with me on the day who could wait and take me home. They also said I had to have someone to look after me for 24 hours after the sedation. Things may have changed under COVID though. Hope it all goes well. I don't remember a thing about the procedure

opinionatedfreak · 16/01/2021 20:38

First appointment will be an assessment.

The rules are still the same under covid - you need an escort to accompany you home and stay with you for 24hrs afterwards although there are variables about where escorts can wait at the moment.

Check your information carefully - the dental hospital I provide a GA service at, won't start treatment under sedation or GA unless the escort it physically present in the building.

The reason for this is that the staff have been caught out too many times by people promising an escort is coming and them then not turning up. We can't discharge someone safely with no escort and even pre-covid trying to get an overnight bed was very challenging.

I stepped in at short notice as an escort to take my friend home after his partner (also NHS staff) got stuck at work. If I hadn't been able to do this his procedure would have been cancelled.

Original poster

Shushpuppy · 16/01/2021 20:40

@opinionatedfreak what happens when people genuinely have no one?

OP posts:

Frankinmachine · 16/01/2021 20:48

I'm interested in this too. I've also got no one who can stay with me afterwards.

opinionatedfreak · 16/01/2021 23:06

You are expected to find someone - friend, relative etc.

If you say you don’t have anyone further back in the process as that would make you unsuitable for daycare surgery and you would be booked for inpatient care which is a different pathway that I am not involved in (doesn’t take place at our hospital as it has no overnight beds).

DishedUp · 16/01/2021 23:37

You need to find someone. If you can't find anyone you have it out under local, sedation is a choice.

If you are having a tooth under sedation that's a tooth that can be removed under local. So if you don't have anyone you need local. You can't have an overnight hospital bed for a tooth extraction under sedation

If someone needs a GA then occasionally they will get an overnight bed but this tends to be more special needs patients or dementia patients etc. People who really need treatment under GA

Original poster

Shushpuppy · 17/01/2021 01:25

I really don't have anyone. My own dentist said it would need sedation "at minimum". I think I should just cancel the whole thing to be honest.

OP posts:

InglouriousBasterd · 17/01/2021 01:30

Following this as I have the same issue - horizontal, impacted, increasingly giving me grief but no one to escort me. I’ve had two other (non dental!) surgeries where I’ve had someone collect me but then drop me home.

thirdfiddle · 17/01/2021 02:01

Hmm, I had one of those (also horizontal I think, if that means facing forwards not up?) done under local and in first appointment. If in any doubt, call and find out. No need to worry yourself needlessly. I was also worried about whether I'd need help and they were v reassuring that with a local I'd be fine to drive myself home.

But yeah, if you do need sedation you will need to find help. Is there anyone at all you could ask? Colleague, neighbour? Most people are so kind if you can bring yourself to ask.

I'd ask into whether it can be done without sedation first if I were you. (Then I generally like the idea of being sedated even less than I like the idea of drilling.) Dental hospital are the experts, see what they say.

Original poster

Shushpuppy · 17/01/2021 10:51

It is mostly growing under the gum and is lying flat rather than growing up. Dentist said its very rare that surgeon would attempt with just local. I dont have anyone so I can't find anyone. My dad has dementia and is over 80 anyway. My sister is his full time carer. My best (only) friend is on the other side of the country with her husband who has just been diagnosed with cancer. So has enough going on in her life not to mention the covid risk. My Ex will have the kids but otherwise wouldn't spit on me if I was on fire. I am self employed so have clients but no work colleagues. I don't want to have to keep explaining this either online or at the hospital. If I could find someone I would but I can't. As the tooth doesn't hurt at the moment it just seems easier to cancel.

OP posts:

thirdfiddle · 17/01/2021 12:04

I'm really sorry, the reason I ask is that mostly when people say they have no-one, they do have some local human contact and those people would step up, just they are unwilling to ask as they feel they're not close and don't want to trouble them.

Mine was lying flattish but visible over the gumline. Had to be sawn up and taken out in bits. Worth asking the people who'll do the extraction, they have more experience about what they can do under local than regular dentists. May well be this is what the first appointment is for but if not sure, ask.

Leaving it would depend on the reason they wanted it out in the first place. Mine was left for years but eventually needed to get out to stop it damaging the next tooth along. You don't want to end up needing worse treatment in a year or two.

Frankinmachine · 17/01/2021 12:59

Does the escort have to stay with you overnight? I might be able to have someone drive me home and then stay with me for a few hours, but not overnight.

NoGoodPunsLeft · 17/01/2021 13:05

I had 3 wisdom teeth taken out in hospital under GA, my brother picked me up the next day but I think I'd have been allowed to leave by myself because I'd stayed overnight.

Are there any parents of your DC? Even if someone I didn't know well asked me to pick them up I would if I could.

JanewaysBun · 17/01/2021 13:09

I've just had my teeth out under GA and was allowed to leave in a taxi
This was a private hospital though and there was a very outing last minute childcare emergency on the day.

Gliblet · 17/01/2021 13:13

First appointment will be an assessment as pp have said, and you'll have a chance then to talk about aftercare.

I had top and bottom, left and right done all at the same time under general anaesthetic. If you've stocked up on soft foods, have someone to take care of the kids and have someone who can ring you at agreed times to check in on you then most of the risk would be down to how out of it you were on pain relief. Have you had strong painkillers like codeine before? Any allergies?

This is all stuff you can talk to the assessment and nursing team about and see what they advise - possibly something like one overnight stay for observation and to see how you get on with some pain relief and then you could get a taxi home.

Don't cancel without discussing all the options though.

thirdfiddle · 17/01/2021 15:52

First appointment will be an assessment as pp have said, and you'll have a chance then to talk about aftercare.
Wasn't for me, so it's worth checking if not clear from the paperwork.

DishedUp · 17/01/2021 17:53

They arent going to do sedation with no assessment

Just go for the assessment and see what they have to say. If they think its possible under local then they will say, just because its buried or horizontal doesn't mean it can't be done under local. If they say it can't be done under local then you will need a GA and an overnight stay I guess if you really have no one. Or speak to a neighbour? Parents of your DC friends?

You can't have sedation with no escort, its simply not safe.

TuttiFrooty · 18/01/2021 17:28

@thirdfiddle also interested in this. So was your first appointment to remove your tooth under LA and when was this?

thirdfiddle · 18/01/2021 19:42

Oh before lockdown tutti, a couple of years ago. They did an extra xray when I arrived, checked medical info then got on with it. My dentist had already asked if I wanted to be referred for sedation, and they checked that when I rang to make the appointment too. If it's not clear from the paperwork I'd call and ask, I guess different hospitals have different processes.

Flutterby8 · 18/01/2021 21:44

I had a wisdom tooth out at hospital under light sedation.
I was referred after continious infections and antibiotics.
Destist did all the xrays then referred me.
The first appointment was to basically have a look and ask whether I was happy with local anaesthetic or a sedation.
I opted for sedation as I hate all things dentist related.
My appointment to have it removed was a few months later.
I had to take my husband with me as I wasnt allowed to drive due to the sedation.

To be honest, it took them longer to put an IV in my arm and give the sedation than it did to take the damn tooth out!!
It was out in less than 1min!!
They literally sat me up, asked if I could stand, called my husband in and told me I could go home.
Job done.
I havent regretted it since to be honest.
Oh, and they gave me my tooth in a bag to take home as well 😂 (optional I assume!)

butterry · 18/01/2021 22:57

My impacted horizontal wisdom tooth was taken out under local at my private dentist. It was a complicated one as the tooth had a hook in it as well that didn’t show up on x-ray but all went fine. Surgery took about 40 mins instead of the 1.5 hours it was booked for. Definitely ask again if it can be done under local.

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