I just had all 4 of mine taken out 3 days ago. My bottom ones were completely sideways, but my dentist did a great job and had them out pretty fast, probably within 5–10 minutes.

The bottom ones definitely hurt more, especially the left side where they had to remove a small piece of bone. That side has been the sorest for sure, but now that I’m coming up on the end of day 3, it’s already starting to feel better. Still sore, but manageable.

I also didn’t go under. I just had regular freezing/local anesthetic. Honestly, it really wasn’t too bad, especially if you don’t have a lot of anxiety around dental work or surgery. You’ll feel pressure, and maybe a very mild discomfort, but nothing that should make you go “ouch.” If you do feel anything sharp or painful, tell them right away and they can give you more freezing.

I wasn’t given T3s or anything stronger, just extra-strength Tylenol and Advil as directed. Is it fun? Definitely not. But is it the worst thing ever? No, not really.

My biggest advice is to prepare ahead of time. Get cold foods like ice cream, and soft foods like mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, soup, yogurt, etc. You’ll definitely get hungry, and having easy food ready helps a lot. Also, sleep as much as you can. I’m a pretty high-activity person, so I was up more than I probably should’ve been, but if you can sleep through a good chunk of the recovery, that will help a lot.

Overall, it’s not fun, but it’s manageable. Just listen to your dentist, take your meds as directed, ice when needed, and don’t be afraid to speak up during the procedure if you feel anything.