Cameron Y Lee, DMD

Had all 4 wisdom teeth removed, was put under, went really well. When I woke up from the surgery I didn’t even realize they had finished. Friendly staff. No puffy cheeks, or sever pain in my jaw! I’d definitely recommend to a friend.

Prepare yourself for the longest Unilocal review ever. I was already mentally writing this Unilocal review as I was in the operating chair (which was just a few hours ago).
Getting your wisdoms removed is never going to be a pleasant experience. Ever. My 5-​star rating is more in reference to the quality of services and care received.
I was referred to Dr. Lee by my dentist. At age 24, I learned that you should DEFINITELY get them out when you’re still a teenager. Around 15 – 16 would be ideal. Hindsight is an unpleasant friend. There are many more complications (nerve injury, a hole leading into your sinus, longer healing time, etc.) that occur as your jaw bone develops and your wisdom teeth get larger. Basically, get them out while your jaw bone is more forgiving and while your wisdom teeth are still small.
My wisdom teeth were GINORMOUS. If wisdom teeth are a sign of wisdom/​genius, mine were the Stephen Hawking of wisdom teeth. My two top wisdom teeth were growing outward, and one of my bottom wisdom teeth was literally growing at a perpendicular/​90 degree angle. Dr. Lee fully explained this to me when he showed me my x-​ray. Before my appointment, I really did not feel getting my wisdom teeth removed was necessary, as they have never caused me any pain to this point. After my consultation at the beginning of the appointment, I definitely realized I really better get them out now before they got even bigger.
Scheduling: If you are a student like me, book your appointment during one of your school breaks, if at all possible. DO book your appointments well in advance, especially if you’re booking during a time such as winter break when all the students are off of school, which is when everybody will also be wanting to make appointments. Also, if you’re a female, I had read that during the first 22 days of your menstrual cycle (day 1 is the beginning of your period) you are more likely to get dry socket. So try to schedule your appointment during days 23 – 28 of your cycle.
Location: Dr. Lee has both a town and Aiea location available for appointments. I went to the town location (from Ewa side). The building is a relatively small, 3-​story dark brown building. It is directly behind the McDonald’s on S. Beretania St. There are several guest parking stalls directly underneath the building, and an additional two stalls that are facing McDonald’s.
People: The front desk workers were very nice. Dr. Lee is SMART. He has a MD, DDS, MBA, MS, and PhD. Think about that. That is an absurd amount of schooling.
Procedure: I opted for local anesthesia and got all 4 teeth out at once. Dr. Lee was very accommodating with explaining the procedure and why it was necessary. I never felt rushed throughout my appointment, even though I believe it did end up running over time because my teeth were that difficult to get out. I really liked that he talks you through the procedure to let you know what he’s doing. He lets you know as each tooth is pulled and it gets really exciting once you get down to the last two, knowing it’s almost over.
Pain: Getting shot up with local anesthesia wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be; however, it did hurt a lot more getting shot in the top gums. Dr. Lee is VERY generous with the local anesthesia, which is a very good thing. The bottom teeth were supposed to be more painful to get out, but for me the top teeth were way more painful. It didn’t have to do with the grinding/​cutting of the gums/​teeth themselves, but rather the stretching feeling. He also shoots you up with a long-​acting anesthetic right before you leave. The pain will vary with every person.
Post-​Op: I left with a bag of gauze and a small care sheet, as well as a prescription for prophylactic antibiotics and Percocet. Don’t expect to be talking much when you leave because your mouth will be so numb.
Payment: They do require you to pay before you leave. My insurance covered a majority of the fee, but not everything. They accept Visa and Mastercard. I did find it weird that they had TWO signs for American Express on their desk, but when I handed them my American Express card they said they don’t accept AMEX.
**QUICK TIPS**
— DRIVING: General anesthesia: you will need someone to drive you. Local anesthesia: you will technically be able to drive but I am so glad I had someone to take me and pick me up because I just wanted to rest.
— ICE PACKS: Get those freezer cooler packs before hand (Longs has them for $ 1.29) and have a bunch frozen and ready to go. They help SO much. Bring one with you to your appointment for the ride home. I much prefer the freezer cooler packs over ice in a Ziploc.
— COMFORT: Bring a stuffed animal or blanket or something comforting from home to hold/​grab onto. This helped me a LOT during the procedure.
— LIPS: USE CHAPSTICK the few days prior to/​the day of your procedure. If your lips are dry and cracked it will NOT be a pleasant experience.
— NO STRAWS!