Having 2 teeth pulled tomorrow. Anesthetic choice?

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#13 and #14 for those who know dentistry. Two adjacent molars.

[billyoc]

1. Nobody ever died from novacaine. n/t

[Richard Steele]

15. Bingo. I've had more dental work than most people ever do, over the years...

...and, although being AWAKE for dentistry isn't always pleasant,
it's much better than "coming to" to the sound of a nurse
saying "it worked, we have a pulse".

Or "coming to" with 3 people holding you down on the floor of
the Recovery Room explaining that you had a "perfectly normal
and ordinary" violent psychotic reaction to General Anesthesia.

That happens sometimes- they just don't mention it in their
Yellow Page ads, as it tends to affect profits.

[AllegroRondo]

18. I'm allergic, it nearly killed me.

Now its nothing but gas for me!

[billyoc]

22. Ah, shit, I didn't think of that.

Good point. The gas is safer than general anesthesia, right? :shrug:

[AllegroRondo]

28. yup, just more painful

the gas doesnt really negate the pain, it just makes you not care.

general anesthesia is definitely more risky, as you are unconscious for it.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. They don't use novacaine, and for that you should be glad.

Novocaine has a short period of effectiveness. Most dentists use lidocaine these days, but there are other related "caines" in their magic tool kits.

My dentist is a prof at the local dental school and is a font of good info like that.

[LeftyMom]

3. Recovering from a general is a bitch

Gas and Novocaine for anything you can get away with it on.

I got some nasty heart palpitations and something rather like a panic attack I think from the gas, but it was transitory. My dentist said I was white as a sheet and he and the nurse decided if I passed out they'd consider it a free general and pull the tooth then wake me up. :D

But it was really fast and I could have driven myself home.

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5. I'm even afraid of the gas.

My Mom's boyfriend's sister went under general anesthesia in a dentist office in 1980 and never woke up. So I'm not interested in that.

[Corgigal]

4. I said other

because I always get Nitrous Oxide and a local with Novocaine. Then a nice RX for a pain killer of your choice. Makes the whole experience about 85 percent better, trust me on this.

[Tyler Durden]

27. My choice exactly.

4 crowns, 3 surfaces and one cavity...a thoroughly pleasant experience.

[texanwitch]

6. I guess it depends on how bad the teeth are and how hard will they be to pull out.

If the teeth come out easy, that is no problem.

If the dentist really needs to work to get the teeth out then you might not want to be awake.

I was out when had my four wisdom teeth out, glad I went that route.

That one wisdom tooth left one big hole.

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7. I had one wisdom tooth taken out about 10 years ago, and it came out very easily

Took about 5 minutes with local only. These are 2 molars which are not salvageable according to my dentist. If it's only a few minutes I don't want to be given anything other than local.

[texanwitch]

8. I had all 4 out at one time, and that one wisdom tooth was a problem.

The dentist sent me to an oral surgeon and it was money well spent.

I was under but I remember the Dr. asking me to open my mouth wider and then the sound of a drill.

My oral surgeon was so good, it was all over in 45 minutes, no pain, no swelling, nothing.

I came home and played on the computer.

[Deep13]

20. I had students do one of my rotted wisdom teeth.

It took them awhile to get it all out. Still, I just had a local and it was completely painless.

[REP]

9. One Premolar, One Molar - Local Only

#13 is just a premolar. Only needs a local unless you're squeamish.

[begin_within]

12. Thanks - that's what I'll ask for

[MrScorpio]

10. Out like a light

Worked for me

[NV Whino]

11. Unless it's impacted wisdom teeth,

local works just fine. Make sure you have some pain meds for after for a couple of days. Also have a couple of ice packs in the freezer. Other than that, piece of cake... and a good reason to clog your arteries with ice cream for a few days.

[begin_within]

14. I'm looking at it as an opportunity to fast!

[Left Is Write]

13. Novocaine. Unless you have a dental phobia, that will be sufficient. You'll be fine.

[madrchsod]

16. morphine drip ....nah,morphine flow

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. I went with novocaine once...Never again.

They thought it'd be a clean extraction; but the roots of the tooth were hooked on the end, and they couldn't see it with the xray. It sucked. It sucked SO bad.

The only pain I've experienced that was worse was dry socket.

[Deep13]

19. Novocaine is the easiest.

It is absolutely painless. The extractions take seconds. Then you can drive yourself home. With a general it will take days to recover.

[EstimatedProphet]

21. A local is fine for the pain, followed by vicodin when it wears off.

[BlueIris]

23. Whatever you do, just don't let them give you generic pain killers for after.

Get brand name. Make the DMD/DDS, whatever s/he is, write "do not substitute" on the Rx, then stay on top of the pharmacy so they don't screw you. Generic pain meds are basically worthless.

[begin_within]

26. Thanks

I don't like narcotics either though. I'm planning to take a lot of Advil

[raccoon]

24. Novacaine and nitreous oxide. It's a real gas. nt

[AngryAmish]

25. All of the above

[DarkTirade]

29. Cast iron skillet to the face.

And if you're lucky, not only will it anesthestise, but it will also knock the teeth loose...

[begin_within]

31. Is that how they do it in China?

[CatholicEdHead]

30. Go under general

Speaking as one who had his wisdom teeth (third molars) impacted and removed in the past.

[begin_within]

32. It was amazingly fast. 5 minutes of actual work. I'm glad I went with just the local.

I was there for 90 minutes, but only 5 minutes was the dentist actually drilling and pulling - to get 2 teeth out. No pain at all, but when the local anesthetic wears off - lookout! He offered me a prescription, but I told him I don't like narcotics. I said I'll use Advil and he said I could take up to 4 at a time, 4 times per day.

[Phoonzang]

33. NM

[Nye Bevan]

34. Definitely Novocaine only

General Anesthetic will make you feel crappy afterwards at best, and in the worst case may kill you.

I had 2 deeply impacted wisdom teeth removed with Novocaine only. The roots were almost 2 inches long, and one of the teeth came out (eventually) mostly as powder, as the oral surgeon could not get a grip. And I was fine- absolutely no pain during the procedure. Afterwards the oral surgeon told me to go home and take 6 Advil, and I felt fine- much better than if I had a general.

Also I think not having a general makes the procedure easier for both parties, as you can help the dentist by opening your mouth wider when necessary, turning to one side and so on.