Oral Surgery.

[namommy]

I decided to post here to reach a wider range of friends.

I am having oral surgery tomorrow. This tooth has been bad for a long time. It has been slowly breaking. 2 weeks ago it finally broke off at the gum line and I have been having pain ever since.

I have an appointment tomorrow to have it cut out. I like to make people aware of this kind of stuff just in case I need pain meds. I am hoping to get away with just Motrin. I already talked to my sponsor and one of my sponsees about it, and obviously my husband knows. I am sure he will keep an eye on me.

Posting this is just a little added security measure.

[hja1407]

Namommy,
I hope that it goes well tomorrow. If Motrin doesn't work there is something OTC called Orudis KT. It is kinda hard to find, but worth a look. I had a root canal and took this for pain. It is ketoprofen, which our bodies aren't used to and works very well. I hope that this helps you.
Heather

[na4today]

I HATE going to the dentist!!! Good luck tomorrow and I hope it doesn't cause too much pain.

[Don W]

Namommy, you've stuck a sore tooth with your post. Not to long ago I had a number of procedures to repair a long life of alcoholic neglect. I had about 15 teeth removed over a 3 month period. I can only say that as bad as you feel and as painful the surgery might be, the pain won't last forever. Myself, I spent years with what seamed like never ending tooth pain. As far as the medication. I was offered a prescrition for pain killers. Even had the damn thing in my hand. Thankfully, I was open with the dentist from the start. I thought and rethought the need to have the Percocet just incase. Then I thought of the relief that would go with it. Then I wasn't sure the relief from the pain is what the driving force was. We decided to go with the Motrin, if that didn't work, they provided me with a phone number for after hours. The dentist did suggest that I take 3 of the OTC and a 4th if needed. The Motrin also has an anti inflametory in it to reduce swelling. This will help with pain. However, if you are in pain, there is no problem, as far as I'm conerened, with taking prescribed medication as prescribed. However, I decided if I had to do that much thinking --- well you know the rest. I must be honest with you, my decision also involved trying to kill myself with Percocet. It just happened to be in the house for some surgery my wife had. Unused Pecocet, in the house? Not good for me. Like I said, ask doctor about upping OTC dosage. Don W PS, If it helps, having teeth left after this surgey-----it is OK in this case to compare with me removing my FULL set of choppers at night. Also, you know the old saying, If their head wasn't attached they'd leave home without it? Well I would, my teeth are no longer attached and at least 4 times left home and went to work without them. Karl Malden would have been very dissapointed in me.

[Don W]

Thanks namommy, you've given me a great idea. I'm going to put a mirror next to front door. Then everyday, smile at myself going out the door, and do a chopper check.
You see? even with a sore mouth you can smile! Don W

I had one demi-molar extracted the week of Thanksgiving last year. Can I just say ''That Totally Sucked!!'' The tooth broke 40/60 diagonally and it became infected. The infection spread down into my jawbone! I suffered and survived some temporary nerve damage.

The pain & swelling went down after a couple days--strictly Augmentin 500/Pen VK & alternated between Tylenol ES 500 mg & Ibuprofen 200's for a week. The pain was gone entirely after two weeks along with the numbness.

You should be fine even if the tooth must be ''excavated'' as some dentists refer to digging a tooth out. HaHa very funny If you smoke, wait AT LEAST six hours after the operation and take very light drags. Oh, and don't drink out of a glass with a straw. That's even worse...the suction causes the incisions to break open...very messy.

[Time2Surrender]

I hope all goes well Laurie.Keep us posted.

[shyQcodep]

Laurie,

I'll be with you in spirit today and at the dentist's tomorrow. I'm in tomorrow for a crown prep (no root canal needed for this one) - the last of 7 teeth that I've had worked on in the last year. When I began recovery I never thought about my teeth as part of the physical wreckage of the past, but when I had a tooth break (actually an old root canal which fell apart) it got my attention.

When I had the molar which broke removed the dentist gave me two prescriptions - prescription strength ibuprofen and Vicodin. I never got the Vicodin script filled, but I did go directly from the dentist's to a meeting. The hardest part of that extraction wasn't the physical pain - it was the 2 hours of powerlessness. I really put some mileage on the serenity prayer that day.

James

(Grateful recipient of one extraction, two root canals and 4 fillings.)

[namommy]

Thank you everyone.

I am still numb from the novacaine, and I haven't taken anything yet. I did drop the script off at the pharmacy for them to hold. My face is starting to throb a little.

I've had quite a few extractions since I've been clean, and still have alot of work that needs to be done. I am very embarrassed by my teeth, I just haven't had the money to do anything about it.

The worst part of today, was when he was doing it, there was one point that I felt so much pressure and my mouth was opening so wide, I was just waiting for the sound of my jaw to break. This so far has been the worst one.

In the past, I have gotten dry sockets (I always take the gauze out too early and smoke right away). That is the worst. This time, I left the gauze in for the full 20 min. and didn't smoke for about 1/2 hour.

My face is a little swollen, but I will be OK. I'm just glad it is over.

The dentist is also a patient at the office where I work. When he saw me he came in the room and said "Hey, it's GET EVEN time". At least he is really nice.

Thanks again,
Laurie

Glad you're doing OK!!

[angelgirl]

I hope you're feeling better
Please keep us posted, as I also had an old root canal ttooth break, and it's at the gum line. It's like a hole with sides going up to the gum line, it causes pain, and I am forever keeping it clean.. It hurts often, and I need to have surgery,. they have to go down to the bone they said. They told me that they were going to put me into a twilight sleep, instead of just novicaine, but I'm on suboxone, and my sub. doctor told me that I can not be put into that sleep, it has narcotics in it. I have to have just noicaine. I fear a panic attack during the procedure. That happened to me the last time I had dental work. I thought for sure they were going to have to call the ambulance. The dentist told me that novicaine has like adrenaline in it, and that is why my heart went crazy..
So needless to say, I have put the surgery off for about 6 months at least.. I am afraid. But I need to have it done. I had a tooth pulled in the hospital during my last detox, but I was so drugged up from the drugs they give you in detox, that it didn't bother me. But I got dry socket for sure!!! I hope to skip that this time, but I smoke so who knows..
Keep us posted please, hope your well, Love Becky