Tooth Extraction experiences

[EllaB2023]

Hello all,

I would be glad to hear your experiences. I am due to get a molar extracted later this week – it is giving me a lot of anxiety as it gets closer.
I have a fear of the dentist and I also seem to have got health anxiety after covid where even the thought of getting numbed is making me really anxious.

Any one had an extraction and can share the experience? How long is it likely to take? How long do you stay numb for -I have to go back to work and have a meeting three hours later. Is it possible to get an extraction without getting numb or is this a mad idea?

No it certainly isn't possible to avoid getting numbed - the very idea!!

I personally don't think you'll be fit to take that meeting.

However the procedure is easier and quicker than a filling. You're left with a blood clot that you will want to keep very clean and not disturb - soft food, don't drink through a straw.

It's really much better than you're imagining. Scaling, fillings are all much more of a performance. But do go carefully with the aftercare.

I've had several extractions. Molars tend to come out pretty easily unless the roots are curved. The dentist will know from the x-rays if it will pop right out or take some work.

The numbing tends to last a few hours. Don't skip it, that's a mad idea. Reschedule your meeting if at all possible.

I used to be a dental nurse and only last week had a lower molar extracted.

Upper molers have fewer roots so are very easy to extract. You won't notice anything other than a little pressure.

Lower molers have 4 roots so they often drill a gap between them first (depending on access and amount of decay )
Again you won't feel anything other than pressure but you may also hear the drill. If they use it (they don't always !).

Play your favourite song in your head and distract yourself

It is honestly fine. It really won't hurt at all

And yes you need to be injected to be numb ;).
I did a seminar two hours later. It's fine I promise

I had a lower molar removed last year. I’m also very nervous of the dentist but it was quicker than I expected and I was pleasantly surprised when it was all over.

i wouldn’t have been able to do a meeting the same day. Trying to avoid the numbing is a very bad idea, and I doubt the dentist would agree particularly as you are already a nervous patient.

i am self employed but have myself a few quiet days afterwards.

Aftercare is super important to keep it clean and try to avoid dry socket. You’ll be given detailed instructions. I still had a hole that food would get stuck in after a few weeks so you’ll need to be careful with food both immediately and for a while afterwards.

Erm god no of course you can’t skip being numbed!!

I had a lower molar extracted a couple of months ago. The extraction itself was fine but you need to take it easy straight afterwards. I felt rough after mine for a few days and despite religiously following after care advice still ended up with an infection (not dry socket though thank god!). It was completely different to when I had a wisdom tooth out which was a total breeze in comparison.

HOnestly, you'll be fine. I hate the dentist and also have health anxiety. But it is quick and apart from a tiny sting when they inject you, totally fine. I can't remember how long it takes, but not long at all of the dentist actually being in your mouth.

I would be totally fine for a meeting straight after? You'll be number for an hour or so, but it's not like you can't move your face... just that it will feel weird if you poke your cheek on that side. Doesn't mean you can't talk etc.

I had a molar out just before lockdown. I was terrified, fortunately my dentist is used to me being beside myself when I go there and was very patient, so tell them if you're scared/nervous etc. It was over in the blink of an eye and the only sensation was the sting of the injection, which was the same as any other injection I've had at the dentist and then a moment of pressure. Dry socket was then the thing to avoid so make sure they've fully informed you about what you need to do over the next few days. I'd forget the meeting, just take yourself home. The gum/hole healed as it was meant to but it takes a while.

I had a lower molar extraction a few years ago. I had taken ibuprofen & paracetamol beforehand & the dentist gave me loads of local anaesthetic, so it didn’t hurt apart from the needle going in, and that’s just for a second. Then she dug around the tooth to loosen it, grabbed it with the forceps, applied firm pressure and I heard & felt a crack as it became dislodged. Quick process.

She then packed the socket with gauze to stop the bleeding. When she was happy that a clot had formed, I drove myself home & went to bed because I felt a bit traumatised. That’s probably an over-dramatic word, but I can’t think of a better one. By the evening the anaesthetic had worn off & my face felt like it had been punched by Tyson Fury. More painkillers, no dinner, early night. Managed to get some sleep & went to work the next morning as normal. I kept taking painkillers for the next few days. A few tiny bits of bone came out of the socket over the next few days so I went back & asked her to check if everything was ok, which it was. The socket then healed uneventfully.

Also, no dentist would agree to doing an extraction without anaesthetic and it’s a completely ridiculous idea. I certainly wouldn’t have felt up to attending a meeting 3 hours afterwards. Be kind to yourself & take the rest of the day off.

Hi OP. I am a dental nurse and used to work in an oral surgery department. Absolutely take the numbing, you won't manage without it. You will still feel pressure but you shouldn't feel pain. You'll know the dentist is doing something but it shouldn't hurt.

I always recommend nervous patients listen to music through headphones, just keep the volume low enough that you can hear the dentist if they speak to you.

Upper molars actually have more roots but tend to be easier to extract due to gravity.

No one can say for certain how long you will be numb for or how long it will take. You will most likely be numb for a few hours with your speech potentially being affected so best to rearrange the meeting. I would take off work for the rest of the day if you can. How long the extraction itself will take is dependent on many factors and you should discuss that with the dentist.

Tell your dentist how nervous you are and if you want to know what's happening during the procedure. You're going to be absolutely fine, it's never as bad as you think it's going to be!

I’ve had 2 lower molars extracted and 2 impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed, you’ll be fine, honestly! They’ll make sure you are well numbed (don’t skip this part) and you won’t feel a thing. The only thing you might feel is slight pressure and rocking as the dentist gets leverage on it but that’s it and if it’s straightforward (i.e. no curved roots as mentioned above) then it will take literally seconds for them to extract. The numbness in my experience lasts around 3 to 4 hours but it gradually wears off over this time so as far as I’m concerned you should be fine to go straight back to work. Just make sure you follow the aftercare advice to the letter so you avoid dry socket! Word of warning that isn’t usually mentioned, you may get pain sensitivity in the adjacent teeth for a few weeks afterwards, this is totally normal. Nobody seems to tell you that and it can last a few weeks but painkillers help. Hope it goes well for you 💐

I had an extraction last year, and although it wasn’t fun, it was better than the attempt to save the tooth I’d had previously! One of the roots was at an angle so it was a bit trickier to remove than expected, but it came out smoothly in the end. I had a stitch in the gum, which I didn’t feel, but was a strange sensation afterwards. I drove myself home, and had a slow day rest of the day, but was able to take my 3YO to the playground that afternoon. I lived on soup for a couple of days. It healed really well and cleanly.

I went last week, iv just posted actually about being in pain again but basically what happened was I got tooth ache went to dentist they done an x ray said I had decay done a filling when the numbness wore off ( my filling was at 12 pm and the numbness began wearing off about 3pm and was fully gone by 5pm) as I tried to call at 5pm the dentist back up but they had closed early as I was in agony once the numbness was gone I called nhs 111 they couldn’t see me, had to wait 24 hours to go back as the only app they had was 5pm the next day I went back they said they must have damaged the nerve while doing the filling so do I want a root canal or take it out I said out with it, she numbed me up was about 5:30 by this point as she was running well late! She started to prod around I said it’s tender like I could feel sharp pains and I was scared like this was going to really hurt so she numbed me more as she said should be numb by now the worse needles were the ones on the inside near my tongue, she started the wiggling the noise was kinda awful but I had 4 molar teeth out when I was 13 for over crowding and I just got numbed up then so I told myself if I could do it then I can do this now, so I tried to relax it took a good new mins but I couldn’t feel anything expect like pressure as she held my head while she pulled, ok sorry just checked my pics I went into the room at 5:20 and I was walking out as I took a pic of my tooth at 5:34 lol I sent it to my brother he kept asking how I was lol oh and my mum. I went alone btw. I just drove myself there and drove myself home, the numbness wore off about 9pm this time and I was tender but not in pain wooop I had nothing for dinner that night and hadn’t the day before so I was kinda hungry by now. I’m day 6 now and it’s woke me up hurting and pulsating under my tongue and around the area the tooth was.
don’t be scared I mean I was nervous but after the pain I’d been in I was begging them tk take it out lol even if they had numbed me that morning I’d have been happy so I could if had a few hours rest Before my app then numbed me again for my app I’d be happy but nope wouldn’t see me at all until 5pm.

@EllaB2023 I’m having one taken out on Friday, an upper molar. When is yours?

this thread has really reassured me, I’m not frightened of the dentist per se but I have been a bit anxious about the procedure. I have chosen extraction because this tooth has been filled so many times and has now broken, I couldn’t face the lengthy deep filling required to save it. My plan on Friday is to go to the dentist at 11, then come home and go back to bed for a few hours with a book and a podcast! I don’t think I’d like to be in a meeting.

good luck!

Thank you for all the advice!

I am also getting an upper molar out on Friday @thenewaveragebear1983 at 10 and then have to go to a meeting at 1 which I can't move and cant get out of - I have to present for 10ish minutes during it. I have asked for it to be moved but work were unable to do so. Good luck for yours!
I am really nervous .. the receptionist called a few minutes ago to confirm my appointment and said it is an extraction and a clean!! I didnt think they could do both at the one time!

Could you ask to be put to sleep. Ive had 3 teeth removed and none were as bad as fillings. Its so worth it to stop the pain too

They clean first.

Good luck! I can understand how you feel as I’m a very nervous dental patient. I’ve had 3 of my wisdom teeth removed at different times.?The thing that really helped me was listening to music via AirPods. I actually have a playlist on my phone called “Dentist”. Last time I had a tooth removed, he cleaned my teeth while we waited for my mouth to go numb. As others have said, I could feel pressure but there was no pain. If you have to go to a meeting afterwards, I’d explain to everyone there that you’ve just had a tooth removed and cannot stand up and present anything. Unless they’re utter barbarians, they’ll understand.

I had an extraction just before Christmas and was nervous about it. I needn’t have been. The dentist was lovely and reassuring and the only pain was the very brief sting of the injections. The whole thing was over very quickly- I couldn’t believe how quickly she got the tooth out. I anticipated pain later on when the anaesthetic wore off but none came. I was very lucky! Felt fine afterwards but would have struggled with a meeting because I couldn’t talk properly for a while due to the numbing.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!

If I try to push the meeting back how long does the numbness take to wear off so that it is not noticable?

I had a lower wisdom tooth out last week. I had a meeting 3 hrs later and it was fine. Anaesthetic hadn't worn off to the point I felt any pain but I was able to talk.

I had anaesthetic recently and it lasted about 3 hours in total. Had worn off enough to not notice speech wise after an hour and a half to two hours

It depends how much anaesthetic they use. I always need a double dose to get me numb enough and so for several hours afterwards I would be unable to do a work meeting.

You may also be quite swollen and a bit sore so I wouldn’t recommend working after an extraction.

How did you get on @EllaB2023 ?