Cat dentistry: The solution to my woes?

I adopted a cat in August, and she is responsible for most of my questions on Fluther. She’s such an enigma.

She displays a range of undesirable behaviors: she eliminates in inappropriate places, she howls and drags towels around the house, and she smells absolutely dreadful.

Now, I’ve made an appointment for her to get a cleaning and 4 extractions, which were recommended by the vet, at no small cost. This brings me to my question: how much of a change in behavior should I expect to see after she undergoes such a radical procedure? And yes, cat dentistry is extreme.

I’m guessing that her breath/saliva being less gross will make her coat smell better, and maybe she’ll stop gnawing on towels—maybe it’s like teething to soothe the pain. How stressful can having bad teeth be on a cat, and how does that stress influence the cat’s demeanor and behavior?