Wisdom teeth: dentist or hospital?

[mrmellors]

After years of suffering with an impacted wisdom tooth, finally saw a dentist who was prepared to discuss it and not just give it a poke and say "come back in 6 months if it bothers you ...."

Anyway, the damn thing has to come out - it's partially erupted and a bit of a mess. Dentist says he won't touch it due to the potential of nerve damage (he said was quite a risk if tooth is impacted). So he said he'll refer me for nhs or I can pay privately to have it out under GA in hospital.

Anyone else had this? I've only had a GA once and it was grim.

I had 4 out at once in hospital under GA because they were all impacted

No problems and got hardcore more effective analgesia

Hi I had all 4 out at once and 2 were still under the gumline so had to be cut out. It was okay done under GA so didn't really remember anything, other than waking up with a very swollen face. I stayed with my mum and took painkillers for 1 week and ate loads of runny porridge and soup. The plus side was I had 2 weeks of work with my mum looking after me.

Isn't your option nhs dentist work in hospital or private dentist work in hospital?

2 of mine had to be gouged out as well

It was v sore (but was going to be really!) and on the plus side I lost loads of weight because I couldn't eat anything for days

Sorry I didn't explain well. He said he can refer me to another nhs dentist prepared to have it out in the chair - but after scaring the crap out of me talking about nerve damage I'm not over keen. I've had 2 out by a dentist but they weren't so badly impacted and hadn't erupted at all. Got a really bad infection the second time and again it's put me off.

A friend who just had the GA hospital option has just given me the full-on, bruised chest and face, bone-gouging version - thaaaaaanks!

ah, ok. Don;t you have a dental hospital near you which would do it on the nhs?

If not, I'd consider private as I might prefer to be more heavily sedated if there are complications.

I had one wisdom toothe in a dental hospital. I was mildly sedated but it might as well have been GA because I was aware of nothing.

I had two out in the local dentist's chair and it was fine but then it was a very straighforward case.

Ah so a local is an option? Even if they're not so keen? (I had a hysteroscopy with a local and the surgeon was well under-impressed beforehand - he said I'd find the process disturbing even if it wasn't painful, but it was fine). Relieved this might be an option.

I had my impacted teeth out under sedation plus local at the dental hospital. Sedation was v.v.nice.

Pain afterwards was grim - stitches and severe bruising- , but I don't see how a GA would have improved this.

local and sedation is fab.

Thank you all, feel a bit better now - guess I've just gotta get on with it and let the dentist know I need a referral.

I've just had an impacted wisdom tooth taken out with IV sedation, this very week, in fact.

The IV sedation was fab, I don't remember a thing about the surgery. Would definitely recommend. I hate needles etc..

However, I was v.sore the day after, so recommend some STRONG painkillers. There is also something called a dry socket that can occur if the extraction site gets infected, so make sure you rinse well with salt water after the extraction! Dry socket can be very painful.

Good Luck!

local on its own is not for the squeamish

I would not even think about a GA except in hospital. And I wouldn't think about removing wisdom teeth without a GA (but I am an utter wimp!)

They have to spout the nerve damage stuff, my dentist did the same, sounded to me like he was trying to put me off but at the time i was in so much agony i would have prefered the nerve damage

I had 2 impacted wisdom teeth out under local, at the dental hospital, it was a piece a piss and no no nerve damage

Top or bottom?

AFAIK, reaccuring bottom wisdom teeth problems are an automatic referral to the hospital for free removal . My sister and I have both just had this done. It was fine, just sedation and some pushing and pulling. Top teeth are done at the dentist for a charge.

Bottom - I've had the other bottom one out in the chair - I didn't mind the process itself (though lots of cracking and creaking noises) but I got a really bad infection.

Definitely see another dentist as the operation won't be for a couple of months.

I had my lower right wisdom tooth out under GA 6 years ago. Swollen and sore afterwards but OK overall. There was a bit of nerve damage that only lasted a few weeks (numb chin).

Saw my dentist in August this year and asked to be referred for reomoval of top left (fully erupted but rubbing against my cheek) and bottom left (totally impacted) wisdom teeth.

Saw the NHS orthadontal surgeon in October and have been scheduled in for day surgery in January. Not looking forward to it, but have arranged week off work and will stock up on some heavy duty pain killers in advance.

NHS have an 18 week deadline for ops following consultation so the waits not too bad.

I am dentist.
Th NHS/private thing is a red herring.

You can get GA or local anaesthetic with either NHS or private. It is just the usual difference bout being seen quicker and at more convenient times (and probably in posher surroundings)if you go private

There is absolutley no need for a GA no matter how technically difficult (for the dentist) the extraction is.

Dentists who do lot of impacted wisdom tooth extractions are as slick as anything . I only do simple cases as there is a clinic a few miles ago staffed with dentists who do little else than minor surgical procedures

Also often there is little or no afterpain or swelling.

People don't tend to talk about the unremarkable painless ones