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Wisdom teeth can be a real pain. Some people are fortunate enough to be born without wisdom teeth and others have enough room in their jaw for the teeth to come in, but the majority of us will have to have them removed. Having them pulled is an unpleasant event no matter how it’s done, so this article is to help those who are facing the same dilemma. Once you’ve made the choice to have them taken out, or the pain has made the choice for you, planning for the procedure can make all the difference. Putting it off will only delay the inevitable, but failing to plan for it will also cause lots of problems. If you’re not in terrible pain, it’s best to plan for a week of healing time. You may still be able to work, but for at least a few day after you may have a swelling problem that will make your face look like a chipmunk. If you can avoid going in public during the first few days, then you won’t have to worry about people staring at you. The rest of the week eating solid food will be a problem, but using common sense with your diet will help avoid getting an infection or worse. Before you go in for your appointment, eat a full meal and brush your teeth because the rest of the day you won’t want to put anything in your mouth. The procedure itself doesn’t take very long if you have a good dentist. After a quick look inside your mouth, maybe some x-rays, they will determine the best way to get them out. If your wisdom teeth are impacted, it will be more difficult to remove them, but certainly not impossible. This will also determine what type of anesthetic they will give you, as some people will have the option to get knocked out and others will get Novocain. Either way, you shouldn’t drive yourself home so make sure you have a ride to get back to your house. I got Novocain and it takes about 10 minutes to kick in; then it took about 5 minutes per tooth to remove. I spent the rest of the day with big pieces of gauss jammed in the back of my mouth to stop the bleeding. After the first 24 hours things get a little easier, but not being able to eat regular food is very hard. A salt water rinse after every meal and once before bedtime will help keep food particles out of the healing areas, and the antibiotics will kill any infections that may occur. If you’re a smoker, it’s best to avoid having a cigarette for the first 48 hours so you don’t get dry socket; a very painful condition in the space where the tooth was. Over the course of the first week, most of the healing will take place and the gums will grow over the holes. The healing process will continue for awhile after this, but things should be back to normal for the most part. The only other thing to take into consideration is the cost. About half of the population of the United States has dental insurance, but the other half is responsible for paying the entire bill. I use Ameriplan; a program that gives me a discount on all dental services, so it cost me just under $100 per tooth. Using insurance is a little more complicated as it depends on what your deductible is and if your policy even covers the procedure. Without a discount plan or insurance, the going rate is around $800 to $1,000 for all four wisdom teeth. I didn’t enjoy anything about having this done, but I am happy it’s over with. Good luck with your extraction and I hope that your good planning will make it as tolerable as possible!
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