Impacted Wisdom Tooth Removal at UP PGH

I suffered from wisdom toothache for about 7 years before this procedure. The last straw that made me finally decide on getting a dental surgery was when I couldn't eat and speak for a couple of weeks due to toothache and infections. It was hell in real life.

Sorry for grossing you out. See that small one behind my 2nd molar? That's an impacted wisdom tooth. It's painful.

So I asked my bestfriend's mom, Tita Gelyn (a dentist) if she has some recommendations and she said I should go to UP Manila College of Dentistry since many students there are looking for practice patients. I then asked my highschool friend, Josephine, who studies dental med in UP Manila, if she performs wisdom tooth extraction but she said she wasn't at that time so she gave me a number of one of the resident dentists/clinicians at the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

I'm not sure if I can post Dra. Elaine's number here. I have to ask her first. She's super nice. I can't think of any other nicer dentist. I'm so lucky she was recommended to me. Anyway, please read below the specific steps on how I got my wisdom teeth removed at a very affordable (actually waaaaay cheap) price than going to private practitioners. I will also enumerate the steps on how you can schedule for an appointment at UP-PGH Dentistry department. Read carefully because there are some important documents you need to obtain.

How I got my four wisdom teeth removed:

1. I took the full name of the UP-PGH dentist (Dra. Elaine dela Cruz) and her contact number from my friend.
2. I texted Dra. Elaine my condition and we scheduled an appointment for her to diagnose me and do lab testings.
3. During my appointment, she studied my condition and had me get both panoramic dental xray of my whole teeth and pericapical xrays for each of the wisdom teeth.

This was my panoramic xray. As you can see, the upper left and lower left and right teeth were all misaligned. The upper right was ok but since the lower right will be removed, it has to be pulled out too since there will be an irregular bite if it weren't removed.

4. We scheduled my 1st odontectomy (see this Youtube video on how odontectomy is done) session for March 21, 2013 at around 11am. Dra Elaine gave me a list of surgery materials I must buy and bring during my operation.

I bought everything in Paterno St., Quiapo (just beside Quiapo Church) except for #10 (I got in PGH Pharmacy). Approximate total cost for all materials is Php 2000.

5. I went to PGH early on March 21 to get my Blue Card. Click here on how to get a Blue Card and schedule for an appointment at UP-PGH Hospital Dentistry department.
6. The procedure was done in 5hrs (removal of 1 tooth only) and I had to come back on April 11 for the next session (removal of the last 3 teeth).
7. After the surgery, I was prescribed some meds I had to strictly take while recovering.
8. Recovery period was about a week for me. Swelling disappeared after 5-7 days.

That's all. I actually left some things I experienced but not really necessary for this post (e.g. I had to go to Dra. Elaine's dorm just to finish our diagnosis since the PGH Hospital Dentistry clinic closed at 6pm.) Anyway, it was a painful but effective surgery and I'm so thankful for Dra. Elaine's awesome work. Thank goodness we have cost-effective yet outstanding service at Philippine General Hospital.

Here's an approximation of my expenses:
Php 2000 - surgical materials
Php 800 - medicine
Php 700 - lab and extraction fees
Php 500 - misc (transpo, food, ice, etc)
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Total: Php 4000

That's way cheaper, about 10% of what private practitioners would charge you if you have 4 wisdom teeth removed with them. I asked my dentist at my homecity and she quoted me Php 8,000-10,000 per tooth (with friends and family discount already!) So yeah, better have it done at PGH. :)

Here are my pre- and post-op photos. Hihi.





Sorry for the face. Anyway, if you need assistance on affordable dental procedures at PGH and UP College of Dentistry, please contact the following people:

CRISZEL (for referrals on available clinicians) cfbuenaventura@gmail.com
ANGEL (for procedure inquiries and fees) 0942-274-2833

Good luck! You can do it!

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35 comments

  1. Hi that's very cheap. can you email me her contact number because I am also looking for a cheap procedure.thank you.

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  2. Hi thank you for a very informative blog. can you give me the contact number of your dentist?

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    1. Hi! I already posted the contact numbers of people who can assist you with your procedure. :)

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    2. Sobrang sakit talaga? Natatakot ako hehe. I have two impacted wisdom teeth. Pero di naman sumasakit.aling part ng procedure masakit?

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    3. Hindi masakit DURING the surgery. Kasi naka-anesthesia. Sobrang sakit a few hours after the surgery kasi dun na magffade 'yung numbing effect ng Lidocaine. Parang nabugbog/binubugbog ka ng isang dosenang sanggano. Haha. Kaya kelangan talaga ready na 'yung yelo at prescribed meds mo after the procedure. Kering keri mo yan! Natakot din ako nung una. But it shall pass. :)

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    4. Sana di din masakit yung injection haha. Mababa kasi tolerance ko sa pain. Thank you. Super helpful talaga ng blog mo :)

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  3. Hi can i get your dentist's contact number? I need to have my 4 impacted teeth removed as well. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Hi! I already posted the contact numbers of people who can assist you with your procedure. :)

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  4. Hello everyone! I'm afraid I can't give out my dentist's number. She hasn't replied to my message yet. I don't want to be giving away personal information without the owner's consent. For now, please read this post about how to have an appointment for your dental surgery:

    http://thezuniest.blogspot.com/2013/09/getting-blue-card-and-hospital.html

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    Replies
    1. Hi! 4 tooth extraction cost 700 all in all or that is 700 per tooth? thanks!

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    2. It's actually 3500-4000 pesos for all 4 teeth so that's about 900-1000 pesos per tooth.

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  5. Replies
    1. Hi! It took my dentist 5hrs to remove just one of my wisdom teeth cos she forgot to bring a special device that would make my mouth wider when opened. She had a hard time manoeuvring through my mouth. X_X I dont know what the device is called but imagine a jack used to elevate cars when the tires are changed - like that. :)

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  6. are all the doctors from the up-pgh are certified doctors? takot ako sa mga
    dentist na pagprapraktisan lang yung
    teeth ko

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    Replies
    1. Of course they are. I guess you are talking about dent students who accept practice patients, right? I think they do that at dent schools, not at the hospitals.

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  7. I have updated this blog post. :) Here are the contact details of the persons who can assist you at UP College of Dentistry and UP-PGH:

    CRISZEL (for referrals on available clinicians) cfbuenaventura@gmail.com
    ANGEL (for procedure inquiries and fees) 0942-274-2833

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  8. hi gud afternoon, buti na lang may blog na ganito, kasi need q tlga un info, magpapabunot din kc aq ng wisdom tooth q, mblis lang ba ang process?, halimbawa pumunta ako ng isang araw lang pagkakuha q ng blue card mabubunutan nba agad ako ng ngipin o i.sched pa nila?, tnx :)

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    Replies
    1. hello! mabuti naman at nakakatulong ako kahit papano :)

      regarding scheduling, please expect po na by appointment ang susundin nila. government facility kasi ang PGH - it's a national entity. syempre, nation-wide ang mga pasyenteng dumarating kaya napakarami talaga.

      sa madaling sabi, ganito ang proseso:
      Day 1: ittext mo ang numbers na nilagay ko sa taas para mabigyan ka ng pangalan ng clinician na magbubunot sayo. kung magreply sila agad, ok. kung hinde, maeextend ang day 1 mo.
      Day 2: pupunta ka sa PGH sa schedule na sinet sayo ng mga taong kausap mo nung Day 1. sa araw na ito aaralin nila yung kondisyon/kaso ng ngipin mo. hindi lahat ng impacted wisdom tooth ay pare-pareho. minsan may vein na umikot sa ngipin mo kaya hindi pwede bunutin nang biglaan. kaya sa araw na 'to gagawin yung XRay ng ngipin mo.
      Day 3: ito yung araw na kukuha ka ng Blue Card at bibilhin mo yung mga pinapabiling gamit at gamot. sa quiapo ito.
      Day 4: ang surgery day mo. pwedeng matapos nila sa isang araw lahat, pwedeng iextend at pabalikin ka sa ibang araw.

      as you can see, hindi sya kaya ng isang araw, imposible. mageexert ka talaga ng extra effort. ito ang kapalit ng mura at kalidad na serbisyong makukuha mo sa PGH. kaunting tiis at tyaga at matatapos din yan. GOODLUCK! :)

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  9. hello po i both contacted the people you inserted in your blog. Sadly, hindi naman po sila related sa PGH? criszel is professor in some universities also angel is from UPCD? wala daw na silang clinic ngaun dahil bakasyon na. Ms. Zeng i need help po sana, please refer ninyo naman ako kay Dra. Elaine or kahit sino sa UPGH dentistry department. I add you po in fb. :) thanks for response. Godbless
    09122453599 Michael

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    1. Hi Zeng, can you also please give my no. to your friend? need ko din kasi magpa check and extract ng wisdom tooth. Thank you very much, here's my no. 09295587116

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  10. Hi Ms. Zeng. :) Pwede niyo rin ba ako i recommend sa kakilala mo? Ngtext narin kasi ako sa nos.n bngy mo at ganun din yung sinabi sa akin. 09176049687-ericka yan po nos. Ko. Thank you so much :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello! Pasensya na, hindi po ako nagrerefer e. Pakisunod na lang yung post ko tungkol sa pagkuha ng Blue Card para makakuha kayo ng appointment at mabigyan ng clinician.

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  11. Hi Miss Zeng, can you refer me to Dra. Elaine as well. I need to have a root canal done on my lower premolar. Thanks!
    09329174635-Alain Bellare

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello! Pasensya na, hindi po ako nagrerefer e. Pakisunod na lang yung post ko tungkol sa pagkuha ng Blue Card para makakuha kayo ng appointment at mabigyan ng clinician.

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  12. hello. may bayad ba ang consulta?

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    Replies
    1. Hi! Sa pagkakaalam ko, wala. Basta meron ka na nung Blue Card.

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  13. Hi. Pwede bang tulog mag pa opera?

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  14. Hi Miss Zeng. I sent an email to Miss Criszel (and an fb friend request, too hihi). Hopefully she'll respond. Thanks for writing this blog. Such great help :* :)

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  15. Pwede po straighy na kumuha ng blue card kahit walang referal

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  16. may binbgay b silang medcert as a proof ng procedure nila para mapresent sa office

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  17. Same contact number pa rin po sa mga referral na binigay niyo? thank you

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    1. Hi! Not sure e. But if you follow the process, you can get an appointment even without directly contacting those numbers I gave. Blue card - Go to Hospital Dent at UP PGH - Get an appointment. That's it. :) If you really want to make a call, I found this number on PGH's website. You can try.

      Hospital Dentistry
      Ma. Cristina L. Estrada, DMD
      Trunkline: 5548400 Local No: 5220/5230
      PGH – OPD Building 3/F Rm. 229 – 230, Department of Hospital Dentistry

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  18. Replies
    1. Hi! Sorry I'm not sure. You can inquire from that clinic if she's the same dentist as the one heading PGH Dent. But you'll probably get higher rates there (which I'm sure you already know).

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