I remember the good ole days of renting giant tanks back home. Probably can’t do that anymore.
I did see Whippets in Taiwan before though.
Well … I’m not talking about the kids who hang out in McDolans to do their homework and think a litre of bubble tea with eight shots of HFCS in it is healthy. I mean the old codgers who think a dessert should be made with beans.
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That was an option here in the old days as well. But not anymore I’m sure.
I do feel pain but not when I had all my fillings replaced or the root canal done (the root was already in state of necrosis). The dentist told me if I feel I needed some anesthetics he’ll do it.
He also gave me a choice of getting rid of the tooth, or he’d try to save and fill it, as an implant would be like 80K NT$.
I’ve had thirteen root canals in Taiwan. The first time, the bloke asked me “Do you need anesthesia?”
I’m like “Are you fucking mad? Do people get it done WITHOUT?”
After that, it was plain sailing. 13 crowns later; nary an iota of pain.
Once I save up enough, I’m going back to get the front teeth done, so I look more like Brad Pitt and less like Shane McGowan used to.
Choose your dentist wisely.
Guy
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A little more background on this: it was my 3rd visit to this clinic and my second with this dentist. I’ve avoided dentists for more than a decade because of ‘the fear’. I was shaking like a leaf the first appointment. A different dentist cleaned the molar and cut away dead parts inorder to get ready for the wisdom tooth removal. Honestly, I was really surprised. Painless and almost pleasent.
It was discussed that I could go under full anesthesic for the wisdom tooth removal (nt$25,000) but I changed my mind and opted to do it awake. I think he was possibly unhappy about that. The wisdom tooth removal went like a charm. No issues. Even when the water got turned up and I had to keep swallowing it inorder not to drown, no panic. All was good.
So, knowing that your patient is just overcoming a great fear of dentists, why take the risk of doing the proceedure with no local. I don’t understand. I really don’t. I’m back to square one, and deathly scared of going back this wednesday.
(I had a friend come with me for the first 2 proceedures I was so nervous. The dentist was very, very aware of my fear.)
Where are you situated? I could introduce you to my dentist. He was trained at some prestigious Ivy league school (if that means anything) and speaks perfect English.
Guy
Wait…what?!? An extraction, as long as it’s deemed necessary, should be covered by NHI, and shouldn’t cost any more than the copay for your visit to the dentist. I’ve had two wisdom teeth removed, and it only cost like NT$200 a pop. Something is very wrong here…
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Under full anesthetic. That would be optional
Why would that be required for an extraction? That makes no sense at all. I’d even say it’s irresponsible. Why introduce the risks of full anesthesia for such a small and routine procedure? And even then, it shouldn’t be that expensive. I think he’s getting railroaded by that clinic.
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It’s not required. It’s an option for people who don’t want to undergo the potential trauma of wisdom tooth removal. I had a couple which took several hours individually and although I always received sufficient local anesthetic I would have approached considering this option in hindsight :). Even a knockout shot at the hospital is a 4k I think, so I’m not sure the price is outrageous for full anesthesia. You would get them all removed in this scenario I believe.
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This is also dangerous and unlikely something that a good dentist would advise. People have died from having multiple teeth extracted in one go. There are plenty of unscrupulous dentists in Taiwan though. I was once quoted NT$30,000 by a clinic, and I went to a hospital and had the same thing done with two visits for a total cost of less than NT$1,000…
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It seems to be pretty routine here. But yeah, it strikes me as unpleasant at best, dangerous in the worst case.
It’s pretty standard for wisdom teeth I believe. Maybe different elsewhere, but I know little about that 
My dad had all four wisdom teeth removed under a general and woke up with a knee shaped bruise in the middle of his chest.
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Geez. Seems excessive. I think they would use kneepads here.
If you pay extra, yeah.
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Huh. Now I’m wondering what standard practice was a few decades back … we had a choice between expensive removal of four wisdom teeth, with local anesthetic, at the dentist; or cheaper with full anesthetic at the hospital. To me at the time, the second choice was a no-brainer, and the procedure itself was fine. (This was Canada’s health care system.)
Being unable to sleep for four or five days afterwards, however, due to blood constantly seeping from my gums and needing to change the dressings every hour or two, ranks as one of the most horrible experiences of my life.
wow! I didn’t know it could be like that. The guy who didn’t use an LA on the last root canal visit actually took out my impacted wisdom tooth. I had to clench down on gauze for 30 or 40 minutes (or less, don’t remember) and told not to gargle or eat hot/…etc, etc. Given panadol for the pain. No bleeding. What little pain there was, ended by the second day.
The wisdom tooth was sliced and diced into a few pieces and I spent about an hour on the chair. I have to be honest, he did a great job. Zero pain and no complications.
And I almost forgot, two of the biggest needles I’ve ever seen in my life. Used one after the other.