Wisdom Teeth Removal Series: the Removal

You can read the first part of the Wisdom Teeth Removal Series all about the consultation here!

Well, the day has finally arrived. By the time you all are reading this (and I am writing it) I have finally had all four of my wisdom teeth removed.

Now, if you read my blog post about the consultation I had with the oral surgeon who would be preforming the “operation”, you will know that talking with the surgeon gave me quite a bit of confidence in him. Nevertheless, I was still a bundle of nerves when walking into the oral surgeon’s office.

It was an early Tuesday morning and I hadn’t eaten for the required twelve hours before the procedure so I was also quite hungry. Despite knowing that it was definitely going to happen any minute (I was sitting in the waiting room after all), my mind was in some kind of blissful state of denial still. It wouldn’t be until I was being strapped onto a heart monitor and given an oxygen tube to help me breath that my hands began to shake.

Soon I was called back to the area where the procedure would take place. Going back their alone didn’t help the nerves I was already having. I said goodbye to my Mom and my older brother who was kind enough to come along and help me out where needed.

The helpful ladies at the oral surgeon’s office took my blood pressure and measured my heart rate that was slowly increasing by the minute. I felt like crying. Because I am so squeamish about anything to do with teeth or dentistry, the tears were brimming at my eyes.

As the ladies leaned back the surgical chair I was sitting in one of them asked if I was nervous about needles seeing that I would be receiving an IV pretty soon. My prompt reply was, “I’m nervous about all of this.” I am pretty sure that probably wasn’t the first time she had heard that from a patient about to get their wisdom teeth removed.

The next step towards sedation was laughing gas. Boy did that make me relax! I could feel the muscles in my body just left go. The ladies helping me out told me I had cool shoes and “Laughing Gas Sarah” thought this was hilarious and took real joy in telling them thank you.

Next, the oral surgeon came into the little room we were all in and kind of started talking to me. I think the subject of interest was still my tennis shoes, but I can’t really remember really well since I was still laughing. Anyway, he sprayed something cold on my arm and put the IV in me. I didn’t feel a thing which was awesome, but pretty soon I fell asleep.

I don’t remember at which point I fell asleep or woke up. It is all still so hazy to me even now, but it sure felt like the next this I knew my Mom and older brother were in the tiny room with me and I was crying. Later my Mom told me that I would go between the depths of despair with crying and abundant joy with laughter. While I don’t remember any of that, I believe her because some of the video she took of me shows just how vastly different my emotions were in that moment.

One of the ladies who helped me out initially wiped my tears, gave my Mom some extra gauze, and somehow got me to walk out to the car. After I was in the car “delusional Sarah” who was still reacting to the drugs she just received sure convinced herself that everything was normal again.

So, that is what my removal process was like. I must admit, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. I am very lucky to have had such an awesome oral surgeon and his team to help me out! Also, I am very glad that I chose to be asleep for the duration of the procedure. If the ladies hadn’t given me the laughing gas when they did I am pretty sure I might have just jumped out of the chair and ran out of that place.

At least the wisdom teeth are all gone now and they will not bother me anymore. I will cover the recovery part of this journey next week after I have a full week of no wisdom under my belt. But for now, enjoy seeing my wisdom teeth removal aftermath clips below!

Much Love,

Sarah