Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not? - UPDATE in first post

Hi everyone - I have to get a tooth pulled (not a wisdom tooth) on Friday morning - of course I've been putting it off forever because I'm terrified, but now my regular dentist made the appt for me with the oral surgeon for Friday.
Just sitting here thinking about it is giving me heart palpitations and I'm crying.
I am terrified of being knocked out but I am terrified of not being knocked out - I'm so scared of "going under." Can any of you share your experiences if you have been knocked out? Do you think I should be knocked out? If you are not knocked out, is there still major stuff they can give you during the procedure so you don't feel a thing.
I'm actually going to call the surgeon's office in a bit and ask them some questions, but right now I'm too bugged out and upset to even call them, so I wanted to get opinions and experiences from you guys.

Thanks so much


Update: So I called the woman I was supposed to call this morning - she was rude and nasty - started off by telling me she was the office manager and shouldn't be dealing with questions like this and I told her someone in her office gave me her name to call - I have to ask her three times to explain the procedure to me because she was being difficult and just kept saying - what do you want to know?

She tells me there will be novocaine - I ask if there is sweet air or anything like that and she says novocaine and sedation - so I ask her if sedation means I'm knocked out - she says - you're sedated - again, but does that mean I'm knocked out? three friggin times I have to ask her - ummm, lady isn't it obvious that I do not know what they mean by sedated which is why I am asking you???? So she FINALLY tells me that I will be very sleepy and "out of it" - whatever - way to calm my fears and give me an explanation - still don't know if it means I'm going to be completely out!

Message edited 7/11/2007 11:57:38 AM.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I was knocked out for my wisdom teeth. I had 2 pulled at a time. so that is twice I was under for that. For me it was 123, didnt have any bruising, light swelling and didnt need the vicodin either. I threw them out after having 1. advil worked just fine and I wasnt out of my mind. I was back at work the next day.
good luck and dont worry. My oral surgeon was Dr. Hirsch in Levittown.

I forgot to tell you about my DH's experience with a wisdom tooth- he just got numb, he said he could hear it coming out but didnt feel it.
they will most likely give you a block if you decide to just get numb and you will be numb for hours though afterwards. that was the worst part my DH said, otherwise it was a piece of cake.

Message edited 7/10/2007 3:33:41 PM.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

honestly, I would get knocked out

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I am also terrified of being knocked out.... I would probably choose not being knocked out... Good luck deciding

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

DH was knocked out for a tooth removal (not a wisdom tooth). As far as I'm concerned going under is the only way to go. Having to hear what's going on just skeeves me. You're out within seconds and when you wake up the tooth is gone, no issues! The entire process is so short!

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I got my top 2 wisdom teeth pulled a week and a half ago and I got knocked out (if I could get knocked out for a cleaning, I would). It's really not that bad.

First, they got me all comfy in the chair and they put a sweet hair thing over my nose, while that was kicking it, they inserted the IV/anastesia. As soon as they put the sweet air over my nose, I closed my eyes and relaxed and the next thing I knew, it was over and I was awake and ready to go home. I was a little out of it, but nothing too bad.

I say, get knocked out. Good luck! It'll be over before you know it!

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I had a very bad experience being knocked out for major root canal - I was comepletely passed out for two days.

On the other hand I had two wisdom teeth pulled at a time a year or two later without going under and it was no big deal.

Good luck!!

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

get knocked out. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I recently had a tooth pulled, and honestly I made a bigger deal out of it, than I should have.

It wasn't a wisdom tooth....it was a tooth in front that had become fractured at the root, and I had several shots of novocaine instead of being knocked out.

It was not painful. Dr. gave me Vicadin, and I didn't even need it. I took Tylenol for a day, and that seemed to do the trick.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

See - I know they are probably in the minority, but experiences like Wendy's scare the you know what out of me

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

And I didn't mean to scare you!!

I just would never do it again!!

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

Posted by mrswask

See - I know they are probably in the minority, but experiences like Wendy's scare the you know what out of me

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I had 4 teeth pulled - not wisdom teeth- and I was out for it, but not out completely. I remember some talking and some vibration, but no pain at all. I think it may depend on how experienced/good with the anesthesia the oral surgeon is.

I had some pain (more soreness) afterwards, but I am glad I was out for the surgery, because I don't think I would have been able to stay still the whole time otherwise.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I say don't get knocked out. I had 3 wisdom teeth pulled at once, with just sweet air and novicaine. I was fine.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I had all 4 wisdom teeth taken out at the same time, I was awake and it was really no big deal, I hardly felt anything with the novacaine.
I would avoid being knocked out if you can, you never know how your body will react to anaesthesia.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I have been put under for oral surgery and I have stayed awake for oral surgery. I would recommend staying awake.
When I was put out I woke up all disorientated and a mess. It was not a pleasant feeling. I was frightened when they put me on the IV and to sleep and when I woke up I was just as scared and plus I was in another room.
For the second oral surgery I opted to stay awake. It was fine. I was coherent and able to see all that was going on. The procedure took less the 3 minutes. He pulled the 2 teeth and it was done. they give you plenty of novocane and you do not feel a thing. SO much better. You go home with your vicodin and you are good to go for a few days. Just be careful you do not get a dry socket....I ended up getting one and it is more painful than the extraction!!

Good luck!! It will be fine!!!

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

Yeah - I had dry socket after a wisdom tooth pulled- it stunk.

Yes - I did have a tooth pulled (wisdom) - I was awake, with sweet air and novocaine and I was fine - I just think this tooth is a lot "hairier." I had an experience this spring where I did not get numb to novocaine - they shot me up literally 8 times over the course of two hours and I never got completely numb - that has only happened once but I think that's what's scaring me about being awake.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I gotta be honest.. I have had teeth pulled without being knocked out. Maybe I am sadist?

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I do not know if the anaesthesia (sp) used is the basically the same as the type of stuff they use to knock you out with regular surgery - my only experience was being knocked out for an inpatient surgery and I came out of it really bad - hysterical crying, disoriented. Yes - granted one second I was awake with them putting in an IV, and the next second I woke up and it was over, but it was bad.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

probably not the same. What kind of surgery was it?

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

My mom just had this done and did it without being put out - just novacaine. She didn't feel a thing.

You will be sore afterwards whether or not you're put out, but she didn't feel anything during the procedure being lucid.

If you're the type that will panic or freak out if you're lucid, you might ask for IV sedation or something like that. You won't feel it, though!

My mom was sore and out of it the night after the surgery, but she was able to sleep and feeling good by the next day. My first wedding gown fitting was the same day and she came to it just hours after the procedure. She wasn't feeling great, but she was okay.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

I called the office and they told me to call back tomorrow and ask to speak to someone in particular so I will ask all my questions. I want to make sure they have sweet air and if not, maybe see if they'll prescribe valium ahead of time.

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?

Re: Questions About Having A Tooth Pulled - To Be Knocked Out or Not?