Hufty, I had my two lower (impacted) wisdom teeth surgically removed, the last one done 5 months ago.
I had a local anesthetic, and had both of them removed in hospital. My specialist used similar language to yours...he also mentioned the possibility of a broken jaw
Apart from feeling pressure on my lower jaw as he drilled/hacked/chipped/sawed away...the only discomfort I felt was for a day or two as my stitches started to dissolve.
The secret is to keep your mouth clean (post Op) by rinsing with lightly salted warm water..and allow the wound to heal.
Its a bit worrying, but not as bad as you probably think it is.....oh and I was on antibiotics for 7 days..and pain killers for 2 days
