Wisdom Teeth

[Ludens]

Oddly enough it seems that I finally (at twenty-one) am going to get my first wisdom tooth appear. There is definitely something growing at the back of my upper right jaw, but nothing at my upper left one. I don't think there is space enough at my lower jaws to accomodate another tooth.

Fragony, I always understood they were called wisdom teeth because they appeared around the time one came of age.

[lars573]

I had all 4 out at 18. My brother had them out at 16 and needed to put out and have major surgery like a pussy. I got a shot of morphine in the arm and had them out. After 8 days I yanked out the stiches. My friend who was with my was 'OMFG you pulling out your stiches!!!' I was like yeah so?

[Uesugi Kenshin]

I haven't had my wisdom teeth wrenched, but I did have to have 4 teeth ripped out when I was 15 iirc. They refused to fall out and were double-layered. Anyway the dentist gave me a shot of novacaine or two to my left gums, problem was I had one on the right side as well. It was a bit uncomfortable having the first three wrenched, but no big deal. The last one I could feel the whole thing, but the pain wasn't really bad at all. The thing that bugged me was the feeling of the cold metal device slowly ripping the tooth out.

I didn't punch a nurse or anything....

[nokhor]

i had my lower ones removed when i was about 17. one of the worst experiences of my life. it was a local anasthetic so i was still conscious. and it took at least 3 times as long as they thought it would. 'wow, you have really difficult teeth,' they even brought in a class of students [with my permission] to look at my procedure so they could see what it looked like with someone who has difficult teeth i guess.

[Reverend Joe]

I have only had two wisdom teeth removed, at age fifteen, and not at the same time- the dental surgeon really tried to push that one, to have them all taken out at once, but my father and I steadfastly refused. No way was I going without solid food for a week or more.

Anyway, the bad one was one wisdom tooth that had gotten caught on another tooth, and had subsequently stopped that tooth from coming up all the way. In my infinite genius, I decided to opt out of the knockout drug, mostly because it kinda freaked me out, and go for novocaine instead. What I did not know at the time was that dental surgeons are more like coal miners than true dentists. After having five or six shots of novocaine, not injected, but jammed, into my jaw, I knew this was going to be nasty. There was no pain, of course, but there was a horrible feeling of pressure, as the doctor wrenched one tooth into place, and had to pull like hell to tear the wisdom tooth loose; plus, kept feeling sick, so I would start taking deep breaths, but then the doctor and nurses would yell (well, not quite yell, but you get the point) "You're hyperventilating, you're hyperventilating, you're hyperventilating" until I stopped- but then I would get sick again!

The surgery was very nasty, and when combined with having not eaten anything all day, I went into shock on the way home, and vomited the half-cup or so of water I had drunk for breakfast onto the floor of my father's truck. Normally, this would not be a good thing to do, but considering my current state, and having had many dental surgeries himself, he let it slide.

[ajaxfetish]

I had all four out at age 16, before they'd grown in. It was part of a pain-killer study so we didn't even have to pay for it . I also got the general anesthesia, so I was out for the procedure. I remember my last thoughts beforehand, right after they put in the IV, were "I wonder how long it takes to take effect?" The feeling I had when I woke up finally made it clear why some people like drugs so much, at least until it wore off and turned to dull aching.

As for the next few days, all I can say is, "Thank God for applesauce." The least pleasant part was the hollows in the back of my mouth where they had been. Until they filled in a couple weeks later food would get caught back there, and I couldn't use a toothpick to get it out for fear of reopening the incision. Yuck.

Anyway, I was in great dental health after that . . . at least until that bike wreck in '02 made me have to replace a few of my front and center teeth. Much less fun.

Ajax

[Samurai Waki]

I had my wisdom teeth pulled when I was 17. Not a fun experience, and even less fun when you suddenly wake up in the middle of the procedure... I did learn one important lesson that day however, that I need a pretty large amount laughing gas to put me out, they said I didn't become irresponsive to pain for 40 seconds, which is the longest the dentist ever had someone stay awake for.