Out With The Old, In With the New

The old wisdom tooth, that is. This morning, I woke at the crack of doom to have my only wisdom tooth (upper left) removed at around 8:00.

I'm usually fine going to the dentist, and I was only slightly apprehensive about this procedure, although I was reassured by the many people who had gone before me assuring me that it is quite mild.

I opted to take nitrous oxide (a.k.a. "laughing gas," which, incidentally, happens to be what propels your whipped cream out of its canister and is a leading greenhouse gas) instead of an intravenous anesthesia, and I'm glad I did because it allowed me to remain conscious while feeling no pain.

I thought I would write down my experience of the procedure for my own recollection and for others who have to have their wisdom teeth removed in the future.

The technician showed me into the operating room, which was really no different than many other dentists' offices, and covered me with a nice, warm blanket and sheet (to keep the blood off of course). She then placed a rubber "mask" over my nose and proceeded to administer the nitrous oxide to me before the dental surgeon swabbed some piña colada-flavored numbing gel on my gum in order to inject me with the local anesthesia.

The nitrous oxide was probably the best part of the whole process. It is difficult to explain unless you have experienced it, but I would describe it as simply a warm, pleasant sensation, akin to that which you feel when you're feeling particularly touched or sentimental, which spreads from your chest out to your head, hands, and feet. It was very peaceful, and I briefly wondered if that is what it feels like when you die (morbid me), although I think I described it as a "fugue-like state."

Anyway, they injected me four times I think, and while I could tell that something was poking me, I couldn't feel much of the needle. Then they left me for 10 minutes just breathing oxygen while the local anesthesia took effect, during which time, I contemplated the ceiling, prayed, and made mental notes of the whole procedure because I was fascinated by it.

Ten minutes later, the assistant and surgeon returned, turned the nitrous oxide back on, placed a "mouth prop" between my teeth near my lips to keep my jaw open, and with some calming words to describe what I would feel, began the incision process. I didn't know to what extent the anesthesia actually numbed the pain, but I honestly felt nothing of them cutting my gum, which took probably a minute. Then, the surgeon told me I'd hear some noise-- it reminded me of the polisher they use at your regular dental checkups-- after which I felt "some pressure."

This was probably the worst part of the whole process, but it was hardly painful. It reminded me of when the orthodontist removed my Herbst appliance, which had been cemented to each of my four molars, although at that time, I was not anesthetized at all and I feared he would pull my molar out with the contraption. In this case, I can only describe the sensation as a vague pulling somewhere back in my head, kind of like after you have been hit by a basketball on the side of your head. Then, a slight give that reminded me of when one of your loose teeth finally just kind of floats out of its place after days of pushing it with your tongue.

Finally, I saw the thread they used to stitch my gum back up, of which I felt nothing, of course, and even that part only took about a minute or two. Then, it was over. The entire ordeal took less time than a regular cleaning, and thanks to the nitrous oxide, I was basically in a state of blissful autopilot.

I was fortunate I only had one, and the doctor told me if I'd had four, it would have taken about four times as long. When all is said and done, though, I came back into the waiting room and said, "Well that was fun!"

I asked them if I could keep my wisdom tooth, and I have it wrapped up in an envelope; unfortunately, I left my camera's cable at school, so I will post the picture of it in a couple of weeks when I return.