(Review King) Supernumerary Tooth

I've never heard of an extra tooth in my life.

If it hadn't been for my son, I would have lived my whole life unaware.

I found out after going for orthodontic treatment and getting an X-ray.

It doesn't show up on a regular X-ray. To correct it, they take hundreds of pictures. The examination took an hour. They kept taking pictures, one after another. It seems like an X-ray similar to an MRI, haha.

After the examination, I called the doctor and sat down, but I was told to start with removing the supernumerary tooth. Since it's located in the philtrum area, orthodontic treatment can't proceed without removing it.ㅠㅠ

So, I quickly made a reservation at the university hospital.

I had to get tested again there. I took the test results with me, but I was told I need to do it again... I sat down after the test, and it turns out I have two supernumerary teeth, not just one. 😢

The first examination showed it was in the philtrum, and the second found an additional one under the eye and cheekbone. This is considered risky. If it doesn't grow, it's okay, but if it grows, it will move upward toward the eye, so it needs to be removed.

I scheduled the surgery date and came home, but how can I be this anxious? Why does my mom think the child's pain is my fault? I wish the surgery wasn't necessary... I just kept worrying. The day before the surgery, I went to the hospital after school early because admission was on Friday, December 3rd. To be admitted, I had to get a COVID test, so I took the test and was placed in a single room... It's hard for me, so I insisted on a single room. After completing the admission process, I was told to go down to the outpatient clinic for a test. When I went down, they made something that looked like a hole in the roof of the mouth, which was supposed to be needed after the surgery. On the first day, there was nothing special besides that. After dinner, we fasted from 9 PM because the surgery was scheduled for 9 AM the next day. We just watched TV and waited. When 9 AM the next morning came and I wasn't called, I asked and was told to wait a little longer. They said they didn't know how long, but they would call us immediately when the operating room was ready. The waiting time was so nerve-wracking. The child asked for water because he was thirsty, so I gave him some. I was shocked... He took a sip after I gave it to him, but it was a fast during fasting, and he drank it. How did he forget that? Water isn't allowed. When I asked the nurse, she said she would ask the OR staff and let me know. But no matter how long I waited, there was no answer. When I went back to ask, she said it was okay. Still, I was worried. Then, suddenly, they came to take him for surgery. I was about to follow without thinking, but my mom said I should stay in the room. I said I would follow to the entrance of the surgery, and I left the room. The operating room was right next to the room, and since the door was closed, I couldn't tell what was inside. There was no sign saying "Operating Room." I saw my son walking straight into the OR and told him to do well. They took him to the OR without any warning or preparation, so I guess he didn't have a chance to be nervous. The surgery was supposed to take an hour, but it took about an hour and a half. When I saw my son come out after the surgery, I was overwhelmed with emotion.

It was a surgery to excise and remove the upper gum tissue, so I only thought about the inside of the mouth, but my face swelled up and I had a bandage on my philtrum, and it was so thick... I was told it was an intraoral incision, but they called it a front tooth incision and pressed it down. They said to leave it until morning. Seeing my son in pain, my heart also ached... Fortunately, he fell asleep quickly. When he woke up and said he was okay, I was overwhelmed again... I was grateful that my son endured the pain well. For dinner, he was given porridge, but he didn't want to eat it. He's the type of kid who doesn't eat porridge even when he has enteritis and is in pain... I thought I should feed him, so I scooped some porridge, mixed it lightly with egg, and mashed some rice cakes, and he ate a little. On the day of discharge on Sunday, I fed him like this and discharged him. His digestion is fine, but since he can't chew, he said he should eat porridge for a week. Before the discharge procedures, I went to the outpatient clinic, and they fitted him with the orthodontic device that was prepared on the day of admission. It's just a thin plastic piece that fits on the roof of the mouth, and he’s told to wear it for a week. It’s to prevent touching the area that was stitched. They also gave me a bottle of mouthwash. The next day after discharge, he had to go to school, but lunch was a problem. He needs to eat porridge, but he can't eat school meals, and since he’s wearing a device inside his mouth, he doesn't want to be seen by other kids and refuses to go to the cafeteria... When I called the teacher, they said he has to eat in the cafeteria... Because of COVID-19, he can't take off his mask, and I was at a loss... I apologized to the teacher and asked if he could eat alone in the classroom. My son refused to eat lunch, and there was nothing I could do. The teacher also agreed to open the window for ventilation after meals.

I packed a lunchbox for a week. After a week, the swelling went down significantly and my face became more visible. The orthodontics are no longer needed. It was so difficult to undergo surgery that later I asked if I could skip it, but I decided to proceed. Even now, I am concerned about my teeth every time I see them, but I am satisfied because I had the supernumerary tooth removed and eliminated the risk factors.