Wisdom Teeth Extraction While Awake?

[PlanningAhead2024]

Is it possible?

Im someone with severe dental phobia but even worse “loss of control” phobia (is there a name for that?). My wisdom teeth are coming in sideways and will need to be removed, but the idea of being put under is giving me panic attacks.

I can’t cope with the idea of not knowing what’s going on. I don’t even drink because I can’t handle the idea of “blacking out” and not knowing what I’ve done or said. I’ve always sworn up and down that if I ever needed to be put under for emergency surgery, I’d rather the doctors just let me go. It’s insanity, I know, but I can’t help but be terrified of it.

I explained this to my dentist, and she said that it can be done in my regular practice with just local anesthetic. She offered sedation too, but I shot that down immediately. I told her that if I couldn’t be fully awake, I wouldn’t get them out, but now I’m worrying she only told me I could be awake to calm me down.

Sorry, I know this is a bit of a ramble but basically, has anyone had their wisdom teeth out while awake?

Yes, I have (once then another under general) though if they’re coming in sideways May require some wrangling!

I don’t mind that. I told my dentist I don’t mind if I’m in the chair for two hours as long as I’m awake the entire time.

I know it sounds crazy but I’d rather feel every bit of it than be unconscious for a split second 🙈

Yes, all four, two were impacted. All just on local anaesthetic.

Thank you so much!!

Was it really uncomfortable or just like any other general dentist visit?

Yes. Same as you - severe dental phobia and prefer to be conscious.

I had one wisdom tooth come through. The others were all lying on their sides. One however was partially erupted and I started to get infections around it so it had to come out.

I had it done in hospital and was in the chair for an hour but I can honestly say the only pain I felt was in my cheek muscles from keeping my mouth open for so long. And eventually they put a block in the side they weren't working on which relieved the strain.

I had something called a Valium drip (or it was at the time). It’s a sedative which leaves you conscious, but extremely relaxed. I don’t remember anything, but was apparently awake throughout the procedure (two wisdom teeth removed, one had a deformed root and was tricky).

I wasn’t allowed to drive for a while and needed someone to look after me for 24 hours as I kept falling asleep, but all good. No side effects in the long term.

The not remembering anything would be a nightmare for me. I’d torture myself with scenarios of what could have happened - and I’d never be able to get over it because “how can I be sure of what happened when I don’t remember?”

Yes, I’m in therapy 😂😂

Yes but only one. I was incredibly lucky it just came out immediately with no after pain whatsoever. I walked home floating on air!

I had a wisdom tooth out with regular anaesthetic, it wasn’t any worse than another tooth that was removed (random extra tooth that grew as an adult). And I am a massive dentist hating wuss.

My wisdom teeth were impacted and growing sideways. Too big a job for my dentist, so I went to the maxillo facial clinic at my local hospital. I had a local anaesthetic plus sedation. It was absolutely fine. Quite painful afterwards but not horrendous. I have severe PTSD. It was the best option.

I had two out with local anaesthetic only. The top one was growing sideways & it was taken out easily. The bottom one same side was causing some problems a few years later & came out easily too. Both were done very quickly.

Oh me too! I’ve seen 6 year olds in the clinic with more grace than I had. I’m a grown woman about to be married next year and I still call my mommy before an appointment 😂😂😂 When I started going to the dentist regularly again, my husband to be stayed in the room with me. I’m sure the dentist thought it was very odd 🙈

I had three out on separate appointments. One of the teeth started bothering me and I went to the dentist to get it checked out and he offered to extract it there and then, I had no time to even think about it... the best way 😆 Luckily it was straightforward and came out fast. Because of this experience I had the next two done under with local anaesthesia too. Recovery was ok for the first two, the third one was more painful - it was the lower gum, but nothing some ibuprofen couldn't sort out.

I had no idea general anaesthetic was an option! It’s never been offered to me. I’ve had two under local - one was fine, one was a bit more painful.

There's some serious aching from the pulling for about a day and some bruising but normal co-codamol kept me happy enough for a couple of days. I've had much worse: root canals, crowns, abcessed split molar. Once as a child I said I didn't like the taste of anaesthetic overspill ftom the syringe and took a filling with no pain relief. With my history I really should be afraid of dentists but I'm not I just trust them to do their jobs. How about some cbt for the anxiety before you plan the appointments?