Go BackMany of you might know me as your Dental Hygienist, Amy, but I am also a patient at Dental 359and like many of you, I don’t particularly relish the thought of visiting the dentist outside of my professional capacity; but alas, my teeth had other plans for me. I would like to share with you my recent experience of having my three remaining wisdom teeth removed.
I have known for many years that the day would come that I would have to bite the proverbial bullet and have my extractions done. However, I was silently hoping that my wisdom teeth would remain in their sleepy dormant state and not bother me… and then began the ache.
I, like so many others, had a mesio-impacted lower wisdom tooth — meaning that instead of erupting into my mouth it was sitting under the gum and pushing against my last molar. The problem with that is there is a risk that it could cause irreversible damage to said tooth (and as it happens that one is my favourite chewing tooth), so I knew I had to save it.
I had an OPG x-ray taken to assess my wisdom teeth and took it to Hooman, who confirmed that the teeth had to be removed. A cold sweat broke out over my body as the anxiety crept into my mind… I was going to need multiple needles… the taste of blood in my mouth… and the sound of drilling… my least favourite things. As I let the anxiety wash over me I took a moment to pause and appreciate the irony in the fact that we take people’s teeth out every day, and I, like any other patient visiting the practice, was really nervous.
As you may know, Hooman had to take a leave of absence, so the task of removing my wisdom teeth fell to our dentist, Dr Justin Soon. A few months passed and I tried not to think too much about my extractions, but with my appointment just around the corner I was starting to worry again.
I’m not going to lie — having three teeth out (one being a surgical extraction) while being awake in the chair isn’t the most pleasant experience in the world, but since it had to be done, I put in my headphones, selected my favourite relaxing playlist and sucked it up.
The Best and Worst Parts of My Experience
Everyone will have a different opinion, but for me the hardest parts were:
- Being numb — I already mentioned this, but I hate the feeling of having a fat face and a tingly tongue that lasts for hours afterwards.
- The noise of the drill — having bone drilled from your jawbone is less than enjoyable. It doesn’t hurt because of the numbness, but it does make an awful sound.
The best part of my experience was having the pleasure of being looked after by such a kind and compassionate team. From Kayla at the front desk offering support for days before and after the procedure, to Justin and Mel who couldn’t have been more understanding and patient with me during the appointment itself.
My message to anyone who is putting off having their wisdom teeth removed: don’t delay. The anxiety beforehand is far worse than the procedure itself, and waiting only increases the risk of damage to neighbouring teeth. Come and see us, and we will make sure you feel as comfortable as possible from start to finish.