Wisdom Tooth Extraction Complications?

[Eaglesfan27]

I had my wisdom teeth extracted on Friday morning. Friday I was out of it most of the day due to meds, but Friday night I noticed that my lower right lip and chin are numb. I was told this is an uncommon complication that becomes more common when patients are older than 30, which I am. However, this afternoon I noticed something that is freaking me out a bit.. I can't smile. I can get the briefest start of a smile up on the right side, which is the side that my chin and lip are numb. However, I can't get my left side of my mouth to go up at all. I'm hoping this is just due to swelling and is not due to nerve damage, which is the cause of the numbness in my lip and chin. I'm going to call my oral surgeon tomorrow to ask his opinion, but has anyone else experienced trouble smiling after wisdom tooth extraction? I'm hoping it is just due to the swelling. Also, I'm having trouble with pronounciation of many words. I'm tempted to call the cell phone number that the surgeon gave, and I've been tempted all day, but I figure it's not going to make a difference tonight. Anyone else experience these complications?

Edit: Oh yeah, I can't chew anything either, it is difficult to get my mouth to perform the chewing motion as well as causing pain if I try. I've been just sipping soup the last 2 days.

[Deattribution]

I had some trouble chewing occassionally for a while, every now and then I'd end up biting my lip accidently - something that I didn't ever do before. Other than that, It was relatively good - the first day/night was the worse.

I think you'll notice some differences in your mouth for a week or two but eventually you get adjusted again. If you're concerned I'd call the doc like you planned, but I don't think I'd panic too much since everyone seems to have different experiences with the healing process. My brother's mouth was swollen for quite a while longer than mine, I ate a steak about 3 days after surgery since I couldn't have it and I had a terrible craving for it cuz I couldn't have it.

[Shkspr]

I had my wisdom teeth out at 32, and yeah, it nicked the nerve. I could stick pins in my chin for a few months; it's settled down to the point where it's just a thumbtack sized patch of numb skin. The biggest PITA was dry sockets - I ended up going in to the dentist three times a week to get the clove-flavored oil changed and my sockets restuffed.

My experience is that some significant portion of functionality will return; it all depends on how much your wisdom teeth were affecting the nerve to begin with. The older you are, the greater the risk, I believe.

Also, Tastee-Freez shakes are your friends. Spoon, not straw.

[PadresFan104]

Had 4 impacted wisdom teeth extracted when I was 33, and it was a royal pain in the rear, although it was not similiar to your experience. I really hope you didn't suffer any permanent damage.

My fun had me going back for three followup visits to extract shards of bone that began poking out of my gums in the weeks following the surgery. This was after the constant bleeding for about 48 hours after the procedure.... But what the hell were they doing while I was under? They never did give me a good explanation for the shards...

[spleen1015]

I had my lower ones pulled when I was 26 and I was fine to eat a day or so later. I had no issues at all.

[path12]

Definitely sounds like a nerve thing. They hit one with mine also (root was wrapped around it). Took a couple weeks or so and everything was back to normal.

[Karlifornia]

However, this afternoon I noticed something that is freaking me out a bit.. I can't smile.


Learn from the master, Shane MacGowan:

http://yambra.bitacoras.com/imgpost/shane%20macgowan.jpg

[Dutch]

However, this afternoon I noticed something that is freaking me out a bit.. I can't smile.



I'm sure it's nothing, but this is how Osama Bin Laden got his start.

[JonInMiddleGA]

My fun had me going back for three followup visits to extract shards of bone that began poking out of my gums in the weeks following the surgery. This was after the constant bleeding for about 48 hours after the procedure.... But what the hell were they doing while I was under? They never did give me a good explanation for the shards...

Having experience shards & fragments emerging some 20 years after my wisdom teeth were removed, I might be able to give you an explanation & it might also clear up why they didn't want to explain it themselves.

What I was told was basically that it occurs when the tooth is shattered during the original extraction and that the surgeon is either unable or unwilling to remove all the fragments. In my case the problem was compounded by what my current dentist called one of the sloppiest jobs of stitching & repair he'd ever seen. Basically my original work was done by an incompetent moron too lazy to fix his own screwup.

[Flasch186]

I had my wisdom teeth out at 32, and yeah, it nicked the nerve. I could stick pins in my chin for a few months; it's settled down to the point where it's just a thumbtack sized patch of numb skin. The biggest PITA was dry sockets - I ended up going in to the dentist three times a week to get the clove-flavored oil changed and my sockets restuffed.




Try having to do the restuffing, on your own, with tweezers, while on a vacation with your parents. It was truly an awful relationship I had with the bathroom mirror and a ziplock bag full of soaked strips.

[Eaglesfan27]

Thanks guys. I'm praying I don't end up getting a dry socket, as that sounds horrible. I've been very careful to follow all of the instructions regarding no straws, smoking (I don't smoke anyway), etc. Also, I've avoided liquids that are too hot or too cold. Hopefully, I get lucky and don't develop a dry socket. The oral surgeon just called me back, and he doesn't think there is any chance he nicked my facial nerve which would be responsible for me smiling. He thinks that the smiling problem is just due to swelling. However, he agrees that he certainly injured my trigeminal nerve and that is why I have the numbness. Anyway, he moved my followup appointment up to tomorrow morning and told me not to worry about the smiling because that will heal in a few days to a week once the swelling goes down.

[Shkspr]

Try having to do the restuffing, on your own, with tweezers, while on a vacation with your parents. It was truly an awful relationship I had with the bathroom mirror and a ziplock bag full of soaked strips.

No. I didn't want to try having to do the stuffing on my own. That's why I had professionals do it for me. Good god, I even demand Valium from the dentist before I go in for my teeth cleanings; why on earth would I want to poke around in the back of my mouth to replace my stuffing?

No vacation for me, thanks. :)

[Young Drachma]

This thread was not a good idea for me to read in anticipation of my extraction tomorrow. I've been having headaches and it's been really painful the past 48 hours or so and that's what prompted me to call and plea to get in. I have to go to Colorado, since in Wyoming I'd have to wait another month (shortage of medical professionals, leads to a huge backu), but....I'll just be glad when it's over.

I am nervous. I had teeth pulled when I got braces, but that was 12 years ago.

[Eaglesfan27]

This thread was not a good idea for me to read in anticipation of my extraction tomorrow. I've been having headaches and it's been really painful the past 48 hours or so and that's what prompted me to call and plea to get in. I have to go to Colorado, since in Wyoming I'd have to wait another month (shortage of medical professionals, leads to a huge backu), but....I'll just be glad when it's over.

I am nervous. I had teeth pulled when I got braces, but that was 12 years ago.

Good luck. As far as my initial post. Everything is almost back to normal. I have a tiny area of decreased sensation but even that isn't completely numb anymore. Also, once the swelling went down, I could smile again just fine. I'm glad I had it done as I was in agony before I had it done. Also, the IV sedation is good stuff. :)

[Mustang]

I need my wisdom teeth out too.. I shouldn't have read this thread.

[PilotMan]

Yeah, you really don't want to hear my story. Let's just say that the docs said mine were the largest that he had ever seen. The nurse said that he was up on the chair for leverage pulling as hard as he could, and just about gave up. I don't even want to go into the vomiting or the trip back to the office a couple of hours after surgury for more painkillers because I was unable to do anything but writhe in pain on the bed.

Yeah, you really don't want to hear it. In spite of that, Good Luck!

[Young Drachma]

Good luck. As far as my initial post. Everything is almost back to normal. I have a tiny area of decreased sensation but even that isn't completely numb anymore. Also, once the swelling went down, I could smile again just fine. I'm glad I had it done as I was in agony before I had it done. Also, the IV sedation is good stuff. :)

Yeah? They said IV and I almost freaked out on the phone. So we'll see.

They guy I'm going to seems like a pro and has said that he's seen people in there in their 90s getting them done. And reading this thread helped me in the sense that I realized that it was more common than I guess I felt like when I was in here dying of pain.

[Neon_Chaos]

I am cringing in horrific simulated pain right now, just from reading this thread.

[Schmidty]

I need my wisdom teeth out too.. I shouldn't have read this thread.

+1

[Eaglesfan27]

Yeah? They said IV and I almost freaked out on the phone. So we'll see.

They guy I'm going to seems like a pro and has said that he's seen people in there in their 90s getting them done. And reading this thread helped me in the sense that I realized that it was more common than I guess I felt like when I was in here dying of pain.

I've had IV and oral sedation for two different dental procedures. Oral sedation had me sleep about 16 hours and left me nauseous, hung over, and not happy. IV sedation resulted in me sleeping about 7 hours after I got home with no nausea or vomiting. When I woke up, I felt great. Good luck.

[Young Drachma]

I've had IV and oral sedation for two different dental procedures. Oral sedation had me sleep about 16 hours and left me nauseous, hung over, and not happy. IV sedation resulted in me sleeping about 7 hours after I got home with no nausea or vomiting. When I woke up, I felt great. Good luck.

That's good news, EF. Thanks for the info.

[Young Drachma]

I went and it was done in an hour and a half or so. He told that mine was the most difficult extraction they'd done in a while, but mostly because my teeth were "so strong". I couldn't get an IV because my veins are too thin or small or whatever. "If you really needed an IV, you'd be in a world of hurt..." is what he said.

But the Novocain was enough that I felt not a thing (and good thing for that...) and I'm home now, I'm tired, but the headaches are gone and so...I'm glad it's over with.

[Lathum]

Just has 2 teeth pulled today. This sucks.

I will be in Vicoden land soon

[Schmidty]

Man, thanks for scaring me. I'm having all 4 of my wisdom teeth scheduled for extraction on May 29th. I've never even had a cavity, so this tooth/gum pain stuff is a new, horrible experience for me.

I will say one thing - It can't be as painful as the two infected wisdom teeth I've had the past month. I had one infection a month ago, and now the other lower one is infected. I can't eat anything solid and I look like a lopsided chipmunk.

[Chief Rum]

Man, thanks for scaring me. I'm having all 4 of my wisdom teeth scheduled for extraction on May 29th. I've never even had a cavity, so this tooth/gum pain stuff is a new, horrible experience for me.

I will say one thing - It can't be as painful as the two infected wisdom teeth I've had the past month. I had one infection a month ago, and now the other lower one is infected. I can't eat anything solid and I look like a lopsided chipmunk.

Nothing I have felt is as painful as an infected wisdom tooth. Even hopped up on drugs, I was in so much pain I couldn't sleep for two days, while I waited for the antibiotics to kick in and kill the infection. I got all four wisdom teeth taken out two days after that, and it was actually a relief, if you can believe it. The pain after the surgery was significantly less than the infection.

[Mota]

I got my wisdom teeth taken out with next to no pain (but a lot of spitting out blood for the first 24 hours).

For about a week it felt like my fang teeth both on the top and bottom were really sore, like I had been grinding them really badly. Supposedly that was due to the nerves being affected from the wisdom teeth. Some people feel like these teeth are extra long, or growing.

My wisdom teeth never ended up hurting at all.

[Lathum]

It appears I have developed dry socket, no fun.

[rkmsuf]

It appears I have developed dry socket, no fun.

guys can get that?

[Lathum]

guys can get that?

afraid so :D

It actualy happens when the blod clot becomes dislodged and the bones/nerves become exposed.

[PurdueBrad]

afraid so :D

It actualy happens when the blod clot becomes dislodged and the bones/nerves become exposed.

Lathum, they talked a lot about this to me but I never had it. Exactly what is it/what does it feel like? My students had said that they had to pack something like coffee in there to cover it. True?

[Lathum]

Lathum, they talked a lot about this to me but I never had it. Exactly what is it/what does it feel like? My students had said that they had to pack something like coffee in there to cover it. True?

that may be a home reamedy, I am going back to the dentist ASAP.

Basicly it is constant pain where the tooth was that has now climbed into my ear. Painkillers help but I currently enjoy my stomach lining.

[PurdueBrad]

Oh man, good luck Lathum, sorry to hear about that!

[Schmidty]

Man. I get more scared every time I check this thread.

[Eaglesfan27]

The best treatment for Dry Socket is to pack a sterile cloth with a solution that numbs it and protects it. That was my biggest fear when I had my wisdom teeth done, fortunately, I never developed it. I didn't use a straw or do any sucking motions for a month after my surgery just to be safe though. I've heard it is excruciating pain.

[thesloppy]

I got my wisdom teeth pulled when I was 16, which was apparently pretty unusual, but I spent an hour in the waiting room beforehand reading 'Highlights Magazine' (don't pretend I'm the only one, you bastards), and I ended up having the most frightening, vivid dream about the Timbertoes, whilst under sedation.

[Lathum]

Lucky for me the dentist can see me tomorrow, which is big because this dentist is always booked for as month in advance.