Concerns about Wisdom Teeth removal...

**gallantknight** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 12:07am

Today, I went for an evaluation for the condition of my wisdom teeth so I would know what to expect for my operation next month.

I have two that are straight-forward removals, but my bottom two wisdom teeth are growing in sideways. In short, the oral surgeon will have to slice open my gums, and cut the sideways wisdom tooth to pieces to remove it properly.

Anyhow, I asked the specialist how long it would be before I could do any sort of physical activity again.

She said two weeks. Fine, I can deal with that.

Then, I asked how long it would be before I could spar again. She said four months... and I'm having huge trouble dealing with that. I was looking over the brochure that came with the evaluation, and the explanation was that empty area that once housed the tooth needs a lot of time to recover. This not only weakens my jaw, but the recovery process means that the bone that develops back in the jaw will supposedly only fully recover after four full months of rest.

Now, I don't really know what to say about this. Of course, I can still do padwork and the like, along with my regular exercising... But is 4 months REALLY the amount of time I'll have to take off from sparring? Because that would really, really suck.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 12:12am

Uh, I'd go with what your oral surgeon says.

**gallantknight** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 12:16am

Yes, I am aware. However, I noticed in an older thread that also has to do with this issue that the recommendation before sparring was a meager two-three weeks, which is quite at odds with what the oral surgeon explained to me.

While I *am* hoping that the oral surgeon is wrong, in the likely case she is right, then we will have to realize that we cannot give faulty advice on the matter of the training procedures for after the removal of particularly annoying wisdom teeth, because that could be dangerous.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 12:20am

Well, when I got my wisdom teeth removed, it didn't take too long for the sockets to heal, and there was no damage to my jaw that I know of. That said, they came in perfectly, I just didn't have room for them in my mouth.

I suspect that the time one would have to spend without sparring varies greatly with the severity of the operation.

**gallantknight** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 12:24am

You are lucky. I was two off from being that lucky as well. =(

I'm thinking that the impacted wisdom teeth are what's making the wait before sparring so long. After all, I have one pretty much embedded into my jaw, so the bone in my jaw has to redevelop.

Now, I'm no expert, but when I looked at the pretty pictures in the brochure, it showed a rather lengthy procedure for that process.

This topic is slowly making me sad. I'll have to somehow keep up with all the guys that can still spar. I can still work my conditioning and lifting to the max, of course, but eh... I don't know. This is somewhat unsettling for me since I've just recently felt like I had a breakthrough with my sparring. I really don't want what I've got now to go away, even if it might not be a lot.

EDIT: I was even planning on joining a Judo Club or the Wrestling team in University so that I could work on rounding out my game. But how can I join those when hard impact = badddd? This really throws a screw into my plans.

**Mtripp** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 6:20am

First...

You are going to need really good drugs. I mean REALLY good drugs.

Second...

Do Judo. Explain your problem to the coach. If you did that to me I would drill your ass off for 4 months, no randori and you would take no falls. But 4 months later I can assure you, you would know the big 4 cold!

If you can't find a coach that will work with your problem, find another coach.

**Rancid Pantaloons** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 6:35am

I was stupid enough to spare a couple of days after I removed one of mine:(

You will probably not want to spare after you have removed them because this **** FUCKING HURTS!

I suggest that you buy your drugs before you do the removal because you only wants to sleep afterwards. It sucks to run around for drugs when you are in pain. May you not have an infection like I did(because of the sparring) training should not be one of your concerns^^

Good luck.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 3:28pm

My top ones just had to be pulled straight out, no surgery. Went back to bjj a little under 2 weeks.
My bottom ones will require surgery. I'll defer to my purple belt training partner who is a dentist about training time versus what the surgeon says.

**cuatro76** · Posted On: 6/02/2009 3:38pm

Make sure to keep the wounds super clean. The doctor should give you a syringe to irrigate the sockets. I got "dry socket" when I had mine taken out. It sucked.

As for training, maybe there is a really good mouth guard out there that would at least let you roll on the ground some as long as your partner doesn't attempt any chokes or guillotines. But then, a mouth guard might turn into a breeding ground for bacteria, so maybe not.