Posted on Aug 14, 2022
Can I defer my orders for an emergency wisdom tooth surgery?
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My friend is on orders to report on September 10th overseas, he just recently had a dental appointment because he’s been having pain and they said it’s because of his wisdom tooth, but they have no dates for him to get it pulled until after his report date so he just said he will wait until he is overseas. A week later he is having so bad of pain and jaw is swollen so he goes to the hospital and they let him know that the tooth has an infection so they give him some pain meds and some antibiotics and send him home. He follows with his dental clinic and they let him know they still won’t be able to get him a date until after his report date and the doctor is willing to right a letter supporting him to defer his orders for 30 days, he wants to know is the doctor letter good enough to submit with the 4187 for deferment of orders or does he need to obtain more documents and include them? He doesn’t want to be focus on trying to clear and putting in a 4187 that will probably get kicked back since the surgery isn’t major but the tooth is preventing him from doing daily functions and he is not trying to travel all the way across the world with an tooth infection and in pain.
HRC
PCS
Overseas
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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You have your friend request to be referred to a dentist off post. There is no reason a person should have to wait a month to have an abscess tooth pulled. If the dental clinic gives any pushback, have them contact the patient advocate immediately.
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SSG Bill McCoy
SGT (Join to see) - Few dentists will put anyone, "to sleep." Some use the same med used for colonoscopy; but most use nitrous oxide (laughing gas). For most people, lidocaine is sufficient and typically a person is pain free until the numbness ends.
The first two wisdom teeth I had pulled was when I made an appointment for pain. The dentist immediately pulled it and the one above or below it. A week later, the other two were pulled to prevent any further impaction. Both times, it was lidocaine. Normally, it's classified as, "minor surgery."
The first two wisdom teeth I had pulled was when I made an appointment for pain. The dentist immediately pulled it and the one above or below it. A week later, the other two were pulled to prevent any further impaction. Both times, it was lidocaine. Normally, it's classified as, "minor surgery."
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
SGT (Join to see) -
Not everyone gets put under for a wisdom tooth removal either. I did but I had all four removed and had to go to Madigan to do it because there is a nerve that ran near one of them and the dental clinic said they couldn't do that in the clinic. But other people have told me that they just got numbed when they had one or two pulled out.
But even if he had two appointments that's better than waiting months to get in on post.
Not everyone gets put under for a wisdom tooth removal either. I did but I had all four removed and had to go to Madigan to do it because there is a nerve that ran near one of them and the dental clinic said they couldn't do that in the clinic. But other people have told me that they just got numbed when they had one or two pulled out.
But even if he had two appointments that's better than waiting months to get in on post.
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SGT (Join to see)
I think the same for him he has a tooth that’s right under the nerve or I believe touching it and they don’t want to mess with it on postSFC Kelly Fuerhoff
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
SGT (Join to see) - I had mine done on post - last time I was at Lewis. I just had to go to the hospital. I got two days of quarters after I think.
If they can't get him in on post, he needs to ask for a referral off post. It will be a lot quicker. It's not bad getting put under either. Last thing I remember is counting backward and looking at the clock. Next thing I know the nurse is there waking me up and I had the gauze with strings in my mouth. Friend took me home, I slept the rest of the day. I wasn't even in pain or anything. I had a dental appointment and they saw my Xrays and said the bottom two needed to come out and said "while we're in there, we can just take all 4." I said ok.
Soldiers need to learn to advocate for themselves when it comes to medical. I really wish I had learned that earlier in my career. If he's in a lot of pain and it's infected, the quickest and easiest route is try to get it done off post. Then there's no trying to defer anything.
If they can't get him in on post, he needs to ask for a referral off post. It will be a lot quicker. It's not bad getting put under either. Last thing I remember is counting backward and looking at the clock. Next thing I know the nurse is there waking me up and I had the gauze with strings in my mouth. Friend took me home, I slept the rest of the day. I wasn't even in pain or anything. I had a dental appointment and they saw my Xrays and said the bottom two needed to come out and said "while we're in there, we can just take all 4." I said ok.
Soldiers need to learn to advocate for themselves when it comes to medical. I really wish I had learned that earlier in my career. If he's in a lot of pain and it's infected, the quickest and easiest route is try to get it done off post. Then there's no trying to defer anything.
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The friend could do all that hoops and hurdles mess with deferring orders or they could opt for a civilian place off post because it's causing issues and traveling with that is a non starter. I would go the off post route. It would be easier and faster.
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SSG Bill McCoy
Agreed. Dental pain is VERY distracting ... real pain. Hard to believe any dentist would make anyone wait as long as the subject soldier. The pain after extraction is far less in any case; at least for impacted wisdom teeth. I'd get to the nearest civilian dentist, cost be damned.
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There is also a health/safeth issue, flying with a tooth as such. This should be taken up by the doc. I know it is a problem because I faced it once while deployed to Kosovo. Has a tooth problem, went to Bondsteel to get it checked. Was asked how soon I was flying back, wasn't for a while, so the doc drilled it out and fixed it. He told me if it was in a certain time period I couldn't fly. Can't rmember the time frame.
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