Out of curiosity, was the wisdom teeth removal an especially complex operation? My last wisdom tooth removal took 20 minutes for the whole visit, after which the dentist neither prescribed any painkillers whatsoever nor did I get a day off from work.
Many wisdom teeth removals involve "digging them out" where the gums need to be cut open and stitched back together. I was put under general anesthesia and given Oxycodone for a few days, and was very glad to have it because it hurt like hell.
If the teeth have come in enough though, they can be treated like regular extractions. They are still painful, but generally much less invasive / potentially complicated.
