Current status: ((((-_-))) I no longer have a gauzed mouth since the bleeding already stopped. However, I still have the sensation of chipmunk cheeks, so I need to refill my reusable bag with fresh ice cubes to reduce swelling.

I had dental surgery done today. All four wisdom teeth were removed to prevent future damage to molars as well as to allow for ease of brushing. *Rejoicing* No more stuck food! The bottom two were horizontally/mesially impacted while the top two were fully erupted and angled towards the cheeks. I had an oxygen mask on, received deep intravenous sedation which induced twilight sleep, and had blood pressure and heart rate monitors attached to arms and a finger.

I found out that my blood pressure was higher than my usual approximate 120/80. Although it was my first time to be operated on, I wasn't nervous; however, the surgeon/nurse/tech kept insisting that I was by asking, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how nervous are you?" I was going to respond with "zero, and you're boring me". *Chortle* Is there a connection between the spinach and feta croissants I ate eight hours prior to the operation and the elevated BP result? Hmm...I better ask my GP.

I will mention the fees for prospective T.O. patients for their reference/comparison. Our insurance covered 80% of the costs. Here's the schedule:
1st Visit: Examination and Radiography amounted to CAD $145.
2nd Visit: Removals and Deep Anaesthesia. The operation was quicker and easier than expected which could be attributed to uncomplicated patient condition such as the roots didn't touch the lingual nerves - no nerve damage. The second and last payment of $1,295 not only covered the actual operation, but it will also cover the costs of the next two visits.
3rd Visit: This will be a follow-up examination one week after the operation to see whether there is an infection. The doc will provide a take-home syringe that will be filled up with diluted mouthwash to clean the openings.
4th Visit: This will be the last checkup a month after the 3rd visit.
2 Months After the Surgery: Teeth whitening will be safe to do. The wounds are expected to be healed and closed by this time. Be obedient. Avoid getting bleach into the wounds by refraining from such cosmetic procedure.

Current mood: d(((^_^)))b Feeling better with Amoxicillin (antibiotic) and Codein (painkiller). These drugs were bought separately. They weren't included in the fees mentioned earlier. I can only consume fluids, probiotic yogurt, soft eggs (BTW, are there hard cooked eggs?), boiled potatoes, pasta, soup, meal replacement beverage, and other easy-to-chew soft food (i.e. no nuts, nothing sharp/hard/"crunchy"). Mmm...*Nom*Nom*Nom*

Oh, by the way, dear visitor, did you keep your vestiges a.k.a. "wisdom" teeth? I forgot to ask for mine; however, in restrospect, I remember the surgeon telling me that the bottom two would be destroyed. If all four were fully erupted, then the teeth would remain intact when pulled out. Read this: Sho Sakurai's 4 Teeth in Formalin.

nicely done set of pictures mattmckenna · 2011-02-18: 09:04

Nice serie! Thanks for sharing! davidcardona · 2011-02-19: 07:27

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