What was your tooth extraction experience like?

[Zipkey]

I’m due to get my lower right lateral incisor tooth extracted tomorrow because it’s severely misaligned. I’ve never had an extraction before and I’m started to dread the tugging sensation I’m imagining and if there’s any cracking noises etc.

I’m also getting braces put on in the same appointment.

I’ll take ibuprofen before I go and make sure to eat well - just want to hear your stories!

It's absolutely fine in my experience. The sensation is more like pressure than tugging- they seem to sort of lean in to the tooth and push it out rather than tugging. It's not my favourite thing in the world, but it's not as horrible as you imagine.

@Zipkey check on the ibuprofen idea - fairly sure it can reduce clotting. You might want to go with paracetamol but afterwards not before?

I've had a bunch of extractions, none of them ever hurt at the time, afterwards you need to take decent pain relief and be careful but during is no problem.

I found the extraction much less horrible than having a filling - or than the ultimate horror - a root canal. It's really quick with no drilling so no stress imo (and I hate going to the dentist).

It's fine, not painful and very quick. Bit sore afterwards so take painkillers.

Watching carefully as I am debating having a molar removed (bottom back one).

I have an appointment to make a decision on it in about 6 weeks but I know the dentist will want me to have a root canal and a crown but I just don’t want to do it. The tooth currently is nearly all filling with a tiny bit of tooth around the edges which keep chipping and coming off.

Any experience of having a molar removed would be really useful too please.

OP I have had wisdom teeth removed and yes I just felt tugging. It wasn’t pleasant but it wasn’t awful to be fair.

It’s over before you know it.

I put one off for two years and really regret it I cried just thinking about it and every time the dentist discussed it with me. It was no where near as bad as I imagined. Once I was numb there was a bit of pressure and it was out. I was walking on air after and so relieved it was out!
Don't drink with straw after. I ate smooth soup and apple puree (baby jars). It healed amazing, I used a baby tooth brush to gently brush other teeth while healing.
All the best and be brave

It was much better than I expected.

Top tip: take painkillers before it starts hurting. I had a schedule that I stuck to with paracetamol and ibuprofen. Barely felt any pain.

@Teenagers2grownups0

Watching carefully as I am debating having a molar removed (bottom back one).

I have an appointment to make a decision on it in about 6 weeks but I know the dentist will want me to have a root canal and a crown but I just don’t want to do it. The tooth currently is nearly all filling with a tiny bit of tooth around the edges which keep chipping and coming off.

Any experience of having a molar removed would be really useful too please.

OP I have had wisdom teeth removed and yes I just felt tugging. It wasn’t pleasant but it wasn’t awful to be fair.

Same here...had one out a few years ago...no pain...it was fine...now thinking about the upper right back molar as mostly all filling and plays up every 3 or 4 months...been filled again and again....dentist agrees it should go ...

Also
Much bette than I feared. I asked them to stop if I put my hand up and they agreed apart from one minute when they were actively pulling tooth-they told me
This in advance and a lovely nurse held
My hand. Managed it with no sedation.

There's no tugging; the dentist will push it and wiggle it. I had one removed earlier this year. No pain at all.

Gargle with salt water after, and watch out for dry socket.

Good luck!

Fucking horrific.

They had to remove a wisdom tooth. Took an xRay, so far, so good.

Came back for extraction, did injections, all fine. He happily went in to pull the tooth, saying"it'll only take 3 seconds easy peasy"

Then it all went fucking wrong. He couldn't
get the tooth out, had to grab with both hands, and wriggle and jiggle it out. Took minutes, not seconds.
Turns out the roots are kind of splayed outwards...like tank traps or something.

He eventually got it out and then showed it to me proudly ...I nearly fainted there and then. It was grim, covered in blood and... something...

He was prattling on about how he wanted to keep the tooth to show other dentists it, because he'd never seen anything like it before and wondered why it hadn't shown up in x-rays etc... But the assistant had chucked it away.

He cleaned me up etc. I Went into reception to book follow up appointment for check up. Felt all dizzy. Had to sit there for 45 minutes. Rang DH who collected me. As I had walked in and didn't feel like I could safely walk the 15minutes home.
Felt like fucking shit the next day, literally laid on the sofa about spaced out and feeling shite couldn't eat, sipped water only.

Was fine after that though. But took over 2 years to get over the trauma of seeing that tooth and the struggle.

The extraction didn't hurt. Was just mighty uncomfortable due to the amount of time it took.

And the worst bit was the unexpected seeing if the freakish roots, and the stuff that was still attached. It really was a mystery how he got it out. Like one of those puzzles where you have to the trick of how the break them apart.

One of mine was hard to get out, still didn't hurt, though. Just a bit of a faff. I've had six of my back teeth out. Honestly, no need to worry, but do keep to a painkiller routine and gently rinse with salt water.

Erm...not sure it will be helpful as you are already booked in.
Mine failed.
I was in agony.
This was an upper molar though.
I do wish I had tried for a deep filling first in retrospect.

I had to have a wisdom tooth out as I wasn't wise enough it had grown at an angle towards my cheek and given me an infection

I hate the dentist and get really nervous. My jaw also clicks and locks open which adds to my stress.

My dentist was a tiny, very grumpy lady. She did not reassure me At my second appointment, after x rays and anti biotics, she reached in my mouth like the fucking Hulk and pulled my tooth out in what felt like one swift motion.

I was so shocked, but so relieved! Much easier than a filling.

I've had several extracted. As long as the dentist uses plenty of novocaine and will top it up as needed you should be fine. The only bad one was a molar where the roots curved in. Don't take ibprofen beforehand. It promotes bleeding.

@Teenagers2grownups0 - I had 4 wisdom teeth removed at the dentist ( not all at once ) . Local anaesthetic - no pain- tugging sensation but fine. Just make sure you have something in you can have for dinner without doing much chewing for a day & they may give you a pad you need to keep on for a few hours . But honestly - having a tooth out hurt less than the hygienist.

I would not worry about a molar - having one out would not be my leisure activity of choice but I suspect the anticipation is worse then the reality .

If they numb you up properly you won't feel any pain. It's not exactly pleasant, but it's ok.

It was awful but I won’t get into the details. I rebooked to have it done under twilight which was fine. And I thought I had a high pain threshold…

I had one out on Tuesday.
Yes you are likely to hear some creaking noises and feel pressure and pulling, but not pain. You can let them know if you start to feel anything and they’ll inject more anesthetiser in.
My tooth took a while longer than it should have because it was fused (?) and I needed stitches. Even with all of that it has actually been fine!
I’m squeamish so I only ate smooth soup & mashed bananas for the 1st couple of days.

No smoking or drinking through straws afterwards to avoid dry socket.

Also, my dentist was very specific about after care.
She said that before I went to bed, to very gently swish salt water around my gums and that it must be cool. After that to do warm salt water after any food and non water drink and to use a child’s toothbrush (mines a minion one ) because they are small with soft bristles.
I took ibuprofen afterwards and paracetamol 2 hours later. For me that was enough to keep pain at bay.

I had a back molar out 8 months ago. I put up with tooth pain all through lockdown as I was too scared to get it done (and the dentist was closed for a long time). Eventually developed an abscess so the tooth had to go.

It was fine. Worst bit for me was the injections, and then the pushing down feeling. But it was all over much faster than I thought.

However when I went to pay, my legs get very wobbly and my hands were shaking, which can happen after the anaesthetic stuff. I had to sit in the car for quite some time to feel ok to drive.

My dentist told me not to bother with salt rinses, so I didnt, and it healed up just fine.

These images helped me know what was happening. Trigger warning for anyone with that phobia of holes
oralsurgerydc.com/tooth-extraction-healing-long-take-can-expect-precautions-restrictions-pictures/