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Bye Bye Wisdom Teeth
Author: DJ15.12.2007
A week ago was my 6 months routine check up and cleaning. Then I had a discussion about getting braces again with my dentist. Since I will have a total makeover he ordered a couple of X-ray done, one was a panoramic X-ray, which takes a picture of my whole teeth at once. Afterward the dentist said four of my teeth will have to be extracted to make room for orthodontic treatment. He had extracted two of my wisdom teeth a couple of years ago (upper left and lower left) and had mentioned before how the right side wisdom teeth needed to be removed since they serve no purpose and can be a problem in the future.
Then on Thursday (13th December) I had an appointment with the dentist to extract two of my wisdom teeth and also two additional teeth next to them (lower jaw). I went to lunch at Hema with Johan and ordered a hot dog and a cup of hot chocolate with whip cream to treat myself before the possible painful procedures.
After lunch it was time for some pain. Sitting in the waiting room I gazed outside looking at this church for comfort.
The procedure went rather well except for a few complications like me screaming in pain when he was pulling my left lower tooth (next to the wisdom tooth). I didn’t feel a thing when he was pulling the upper right wisdom tooth as the first one he went for. But the second one he went after (the lower left) I felt extreme pain right away. I didn’t think he gave me enough local anesthetic. I felt tears flowing down my cheeks all of sudden. Then the dentist said “let’s give it a try again and if can’t stand the pain, then we stop” but I was screaming in pain for a few second and just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, it was over. The other two teeth on the right I didn’t feel much of anything and when the dentist said he is done I totally forgot about the wisdom tooth on the top right jaw. I was counting three and confused as to the fourth one then I realized the dentist did pull the top one out as the first one and it took him only a few seconds so I didn’t notice anything.
The rest of the day and early into the night was time spending spitting blood for me. The dentist didn’t give me anything for the pain and he said I shouldn’t have a problem and for pain just take paracetamol for comfort. Of course I can’t use mouthwash for a few days. This is the most annoying part because I can smell dead meat in my mouth and can’t just eat anything that I want.
Trying to cheer myself up I went outside to take some pictures of a tree (for Nye aka Ginger) that I saw earlier before all the blossoms are gone. Then walking back I noticed some flowers in a pot. Someone must have planted them not too long ago. Let’s hope they survived the cold weather. It was 3 Celsius degrees on Thursday afternoon with a light wind, cold enough for my face that was made for Lao weather.
Thursday night dinner was thom khao phiak with two chicken eggs, seasoned only with salt and a dash of black pepper.
It’s going to be a long two years if I can’t chew normally.
December 15th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
I had my bottom front pulled before I had my braces. It was a hole there so I couldn’t speak clearly for a few months, especially anything with the ‘s’ sounds. The two years went by quickly and I had the railroad tracks back then, also rubber bands for alignment, it was a sight, luckily I don’t wear glasses, otherwise I’d look like a nerd. (I hope you’re not wearing glasses…hehe) When I first had my braces took off, they gave me a top retainer to wear at night, and a permanent one, wired to the bottom of my teeth on the inside. 1 month later, I went back for a check up and 1 tooth on the bottom shift sorta sticking out, he looked at it and he said it was genetic where when I close my mouth, my tongue sticks at it and that I had 2 choices, one was to wear a retainer on the bottom at night or 2 was to cut off my tongue. It wasn’t much of a choice really. Thanks for the photos, beautiful flowers, I need to find out the name.
December 20th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
[...] Nye: I had my bottom front pulled before I had my braces. It was a hole there so I couldn’t speak clearly for a… [...]
December 21st, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Funny that you mentioned the "s" sound. Johan said sometimes he hears a hissy "s" sound from me since I had my tooth extraction.
I don’t know what kind of braces I will get. I don’t think I have much choice here since this is not the US. At the moment I can hear my teeth hitting each other on the right side at night when I am sleeping. It’s like having your eyes twitching or something and my right side face is contracting on the right side and my upper teeth and lower teeth are dancing with one another. Rather annoying…
I’ll keep you and the others update of my sufferings, lol.
February 16th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
[...] various salads for the last two months, mainly because I was not able to chew real well after my teeth extraction. I had to be creative and found ways to prepare the spinach for dinner. For breakfast and lunch I [...]
May 20th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Hello DJ: I was wondering if you went to see a dentist in Lao for your extraction procedure. If so, where did you go? My wife is in the midst of some terrible tooth pain that will not go away, and we would prefer not to have to travel outside of Laos for any procedures, as our visa is only single entry.
Thanks for your help.
-Matthew Levine (mjl2003 at gmail dot com)
May 20th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hi Matthew Levine,
I didn’t go to Laos to see a dentist. I don’t know where you are in Laos at the moment but in Vientiane there should be a few clinics that you can go to. I don’t have the address or phone numbers for you but some of my relatives went to Laos to have their dental work done because it is cheaper there.
If you are in Vientiane I think you can go to Mahosot Hospital to have the tooth look at. They are expanding the dental facility and while it might not be up to western standards the few dentists there are good people and will be able to help you. You can ask for my uncle Khao (means white color) since he is a dentist at the hospital and also an instructor at the dental school. I will give him a call right now and ask if he knows a clinic you can go to in Vientiane.
If you are near Vang Vieng, you can go to Vang Vieng hospital. It is a pretty modern facility, well more than it used to be and have the work done there.