extracting one wisdom tooth

[wizardofoz]

i've had a cavity in my left upper wisdom tooth for a couple of years, which a dentist back home advised me to extract. after ignoring it for all this while, it's starting to hurt - and i suspect cause occasional headaches too.

can anyone share with me about wisdom tooth extraction? would the extraction take place there and then, or only after a previous consultation with the dentist? can i go back to work the next day if it's just one tooth being pulled out? also, what is the price range like?

[dumbdonkey]

Best to talk to a dentist

[Fiona in HKG]

It would be very difficult to answer your specific questions, but in my own case, it was easier than I thought.

Basically the dentist numbed around the tooth and then pushed up, twisted and pulled down.....I thought he was just seeing how loose it was and I said OK I'm ready and he told me it was out!

But I have also had friends requiring surgery due to roots up into the jaw and the like.

See a dentist and get it looked at. Sounds like it's overdue

Good luck

[HowardCoombs]

One thing I recently told my 10 year old after she neglected to tell me about her bad tooth, it got severely infected and hat to be very painfully extracted : teeth do not get better by ignoring. The longer you leave it, the worse it gets.

There are a miriad of options from simple extraction to full blown surgery with associated costs.
The choices will depend on :
1) your budget
2) your tolerance for pain
3) the health of the tooth
Most dentists will give an examination and recommendations at minimal costs. Go to one or 2 and get opinions and then make up your mind which route to take.

Most important : Dont delay. Go and see 1 or 2 or 3 quickly because it will get worse.

[bak875]

I have had 4 of my wisdom teeth taken out last year. Two in HK and two abroad, one of them required surgery.

No sweat! Didn't feel much pain the area was sore and went to work the next day

oh I also had a root canal last week. That was uncomfortable it took 5 visits.

Good luck.

[Satay Sue]

I had two good experiences with wisdom tooth extraction (straightforward) and one absolute nightmare, literally the most painful experience I ever had (it was impacted). Ask a dentist and get it sorted out ASAP.

[gunsnroses]

I have been advised by a dentist, I saw on sly (behind my regular dentist's back, sorta cheating) and she told me I MUST remove my wisdom teeth, all of them, as they are slanted and are a bad idea. She wanted me to do it immediately, I told her to hold her horses and then later on went to my regualar one and she said, if you promise to clean it as I tell you to, then you won't have to remove them, besides let's take a look at them when you come again in 6 months. I LOVE my teeth, and I'd want to keep them intact, healthy and shining. Yes, teeth are the only part of our body which doesn't stay with us and leave us early, so take care.

[Laksa Girl]

If it's already up, it will be an easier procedure. If it's infected, there may be complications.

If it's impacted (underneath the jawline cupping the tooth in front), don't let anyone convince you it's an easy dental chair in-out procedure. It involves cutting the gum, breaking the tooth, twisting it out and then stitching it up.

Your options are second, third opinions and for more complicated dental work, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

[justjoe86]

This thread makes me shudder.

Never even had a toothache in my life. Wisdom teeth seem to have grown neatly enough and painlessly. But I'm scared!

[wizardofoz]

thanks for all the replies. i got it out today. thankfully, although the tooth was horrendously rotten (the cavity had reached the nerve), it had not affected the tooth next to it.

most of the clinics were fully booked, so i ended up going to dr jude leung in central on a colleague's recommendation. their schedule was full when i called, but when they found out that i was in pain, the receptionist worked something out and managed to slot me in.

dr leung speaks both cantonese/english and was very reassuring and professional, setting out the possible options (while recommending extraction), explaining each step of the process, and enthusiastically showing me the manifold flaws of my teeth.

like fiona's, mine was straightforward: examination, x-ray, injection of gums, yanking for a few seconds, tooth out before i knew it. it didn't hurt, although the injection was rather awkward and i could feel the rigorous pulling of the tooth through the anaesthesia. was made to bite on a cotton piece for half an hour, and have since had dinner.

cost: $1,000. was quoted $800-$1900 over the phone by different clinics (upper teeth are cheaper than lower ones). was also told by another colleague that i can get it done in tuen mun for $500 - an option i'll consider for not such a painful case.