“Wisdom” teeth extraction

X-ray showing my impacted wisdom teeth


This Friday I’ll have my second surgery in two years. This time, it’s to remove my bottom two impacted wisdom teeth. That’s my X-ray above. I’m a little nervous, but I think I have a pretty good idea what to expect: several days of doped up unpleasantness coinciding with alternating hunger and nausea. And crossed fingers that I don’t do something stupid to cause a dry socket.

What I’m not sure about is how long I should expect that to last. I’ve heard estimates ranging from a day or two all the way to three weeks. I’m pegging the over/under at four days, so place your bets and I’ll let you know how it turns out.

I think I at least ought to be recovered enough by the following Monday night to watch Tennessee play UCLA on TV, which is my main concern.

I have no special insight to add otherwise. But it has been fun to read this thread on Chowhound about what people ate after their respective wisdom tooth surgeries. Here’s my favorite:

speaking from experience myself, I had all four impacted wisdom teeth extracted 20 years or so years ago. My girlfriend (now my wife) made me chocolate pudding and served it to me warm in a big bowl, then made chicken soup. I’m not sure whether it was the after effects of the sedative or the pain medication, but I just about licked out the bowl. It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. The recipe she used was the one on the side of the cornstarch box.
Here’s hoping my pain meds are as good.

I don’t expect this to affect NCAA Picks, as I wouldn’t have likely gotten the results + schedule up until Tuesday night anyway due to the Monday night games. Fret not.

Update Aug. 28, 11:27 a.m. Due to an insurance snafu that can be blamed on both me and my dentist not covering our bases, I’m putting this off until November.

3 Responses to ““Wisdom” teeth extraction”


  1. Rusty, I hope your surgery goes very well. I have been putting mine off for so freaking long, it is unbelievable. Maybe your “after” story will motivate me… expect me to ask you names of surgeons and what not if it goes very well!!!

  2. You know what’s lame is because of a miscommunication about insurance I have to put it off until November now. Just found that out a few minutes ago.

  3. [...] of some sort — I’ll be having my wisdom tooth surgery for real on Monday. More on that my original post about it.Other items:There’s a presidential election in less than a month. I have not written much [...]

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