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  1. #1
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    Default Exparel injection with wisdom teeth removal

    Update: DS opted for the Exparel and has been really pleased with the results. Literally zero pain at all post surgery. He was told to still take ibuprofen for inflammation, but he had to set reminder alarms as he didn’t feel any pain to remember.

    He says it was not numbing like novacaine at all, he had all normal mouth sensations but just no pain or discomfort at all. We all agree it was worth it, even DH! I would do it again with DD if offered when it is her turn.





    DS (19) is scheduled to have his wisdom teeth out in early December. The oral surgeon is giving us a choice of opioid pain relief prescription post surgery or Exparel injections during the procedure. The injections are new to me, never heard of that before. Paperwork given to us makes it look promising for pain relief lasting several days without further “big” drugs (just ibuprofen if needed) but it isn’t covered by insurance. It’s not a terrible expense, several hundred dollars, but DH is acting like an old man on this one - he isn’t sure he wants to pay extra for some new-fangled thing that he didn’t need when he had his wisdom teeth out 30 years ago...

    I’m wondering if he also walked barefoot uphill in the snow both ways to his appointment back then, but instead of asking him if that were true I’m asking all of you if anyone has had experience with Exparel injections with oral surgery for yourself or a kid. Was it helpful? Did it really make pain meds unnecessary? Worth the expense?

    Knowing DS is pretty reluctant to take any meds at all, I’m inclined to try the Exparel. I like the idea of less exposure to opioids, too. Two of the teeth are going to be pretty tough to get to, so I’m imagining some tough days afterward without either. I remember being up with him in the night after his appendectomy and I know I would have paid anything to make him feel better then!
    Last edited by Thatchermom; 12-17-2020 at 02:36 AM.
    Susan

    Thatcher Bennett 9/01
    Ava Grace 9/07

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Is it the norm to take opioids after wisdom teeth removal? (This is a genuine question!) I had mine taken out when I was 18, so it's been 20 years and I don't remember all of the specifics. But I know that none of them had broken through my gums yet, and I just took a couple of tylenol afterward. I also know I'm stubborn and may well have ignored whatever the oral surgeon recommended
    DS 2/14
    DD 8/17

  3. #3
    SnuggleBuggles is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by gymnbomb View Post
    Is it the norm to take opioids after wisdom teeth removal? (This is a genuine question!) I had mine taken out when I was 18, so it's been 20 years and I don't remember all of the specifics. But I know that none of them had broken through my gums yet, and I just took a couple of tylenol afterward. I also know I'm stubborn and may well have ignored whatever the oral surgeon recommended
    I had Percocet. I was just telling ds1 about that because we need to do his wisdom teeth soon. I liked the Percocet too much so I warned him about that. Luckily I could tell I didn't really need it for pain management and stopped taking it. I'm not sure what they do now though. I'm following along to learn the new ways.

  4. #4
    amyx4 is offline Copper level (50+ posts)
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    I've had two of mine have their wisdom teeth out. They each had 3 impacted wisdom teeth. They both used the percocet after the surgery but just for that single day. So, if they had surgery at 8am they took the percocet according to directions until bedtime. After that I switched them to the Rx tylenol that the oral surgeon prescribed.

    I kept the percocet bottle and used a timer to administer it. (The timer is to show good Rx habits with the absent minded young adults.) I disposed of the remaining bottle asap.

    I've not had experience with the injection, sorry. However, I was surprised that the oral surgeon gave valium for the morning of the surgery. My first, took both pills and had trouble getting his shoes on before we left the house. With my second, I suggested that he take only one. That was a much better dose. I was also surprised at the amount of percocet in the bottle. I questioned the amount with the surgeon's office and they said, "We'd rather the teen have what they need and not need to call us for more." I asked the same question to the pharmacy and they replied, "They see it all the time for oral surgery." They sorta shrugged and sorta implied that it was too much.

  5. #5
    MSWR0319 is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    I had four impacted teeth and didn't take the prescription once. Now, I'm stubborn and don't like to take pills so I think I just took Advil on day 1. I ended up with a dry socket that I walked around with for a week before I went in. She tried to give me another bottle of pain killers and when I told her I didn't use anything from the first bottle she looked at me like I was nuts. I don't think I'd go the shot route just because you don't really know if he'll need that much pain killer.

  6. #6
    JElaineB is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    DS had all 4 wisdom teeth out last year at age 16. At least 2 were impacted and he also had a cyst in one of the sockets that had to be removed. We weren't given the option of Exparel. I might have done it, as DS doesn't like to take any medication, but I would definitely have researched it first like you are doing. We had to force him to learn how to swallow pills before the procedure in order to take the appropriate medications. That said, he did fine and was only on the opioid for a day or two. I don't remember if we gave him any other pain killers after that, but overall he recovered very quickly.

  7. #7
    Kestrel is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Honestly, pills are more flexible and can be adjusted as needed. The pharmacy can give you split dosage, generally - ie take two 5mg vs one 10mg. Then you can take smaller amounts, or take smaller amounts more often. You can also have the pharmacy split the prescription - so only pick up/pay for half, then get the rest later if needed. We do this often on drugs we haven't taken before, in case of reactions. Then, you're not paying for meds you don't want or need. (DH was prescribed Percocet, had a bad reaction and got Vicoden instead.)
    We were told it was the norm to take opioid drugs for the first 24-48 hours if the teeth were not erupted. Getting through the first night can be tough. Then canned pears and Spaghettios.

  8. #8
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    AnnieW625 is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
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    I had mine taken out in 1997 (I was 20) and I think I had some kind of pain medicine but I really don’t recall what it was. My mom probably just told me it was Tylenol. I just remember being really uncomfortable for a few days.

    In regards to the opiates there are so many measures these days to control them and their addictive nature so it doesn’t surprise me that there is an alternative out there. I would probably try the alternative.

    When my sister had hers taken out in 2003 or 2004 (she was 16 or 17) she took a cocktail of vitamins a week to two weeks prior and they stuffed the sockets with cloves. To this day she still doesn’t like the taste of cloves.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Annie
    WOHM to two wonderful little girls born in April
    DD E, 17
    DD L, 13,
    baby 2, 4-2009 (our Tri-18 baby)

  9. #9
    NCGrandma is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    Hopefully one of our BBB dentists can weigh in, but it looks like Exparel is a nerve block (in the "-caine" family) that is injected near the site of the extraction. Not an opioid or similar.

    No personal experience (my wisdom teeth were removed back in the dawn of history...) but after a couple of recent orthopedic surgeries, I was given local nerve blocks that gradually wore off over 24-48 hours and dramatically reduced my need for oral pain meds.


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  10. #10
    pharmjenn is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    Exparel is a long acting bupivicaine (nerve block) that lasts longer than other blocks used for cavities and such. It can last up to 3 days. It is used in surgery around incisions to minimize post-op incision site pain. At my hospital our patients do have significantly lower narcotic use. I had it during a couple surgeries, including a robotic assisted gall bladder removal and had minimal pain. That said, I don't know about it's use in dentistry.
    I had minimal pain after my impacted wisdom tooth (x4) removal over 30 years ago; was eating french fries that night. But I know a lot of people have worse pain, and the Exparel would decrease that. I would probably stick with just oral pain meds for my own family though, knowing our higher pain threshold.
    mom to Billy 12/07

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