Today was my favorite day of the year. I got to visit Doctor C., she is my dentist. In January when I had the first of my bi-yearly cleanings I got this news from my dentist. Basically, I needed three or four new crowns in my mouth. She wanted me to do the work right away but I hesitated because I knew I didn't have the money for that amount of extensive work.
After some thought I decided to wait until May when I could renew my flexible spending benefits at work. I decided to flex $3700. This amount seamed astronomical for me because most people who flex this amount have families or medical problems or have to pay for child care. It is just me! I knew that I didn't want to charge this expense so it appeared to be the best long term solution.
I was originally going to go in today and get all four teeth worked on. But, I had some second thoughts. I was worried that in addition to the crowns I would also need some root canals. This always happens to me. The dentist says that I only need crowns and then BAM, I have tooth pain and they need to remove the nerves and root. When I arrived there this afternoon I changed my treatment plan and requested that they only work on the two worst teeth to ensure I had enough money to cover any unexpected root canals.
This was a good decision. The dentist decided to work on tooth #12 and #13 (I go so often that I have now picked up on the lingo). These are the two teeth on the top left side of my mouth in front of my molars. She starts by giving my the shot with the exceptionally long steel needle. I grimace but take the pain as I know if will wade quickly. Doctor C. then states that she thinks she needs to give me a shot in the roof of my mouth. She said that she knows that I don't like it, but I will probably need it as she will be drilling close to the gums. I blurt out "What if I start to cry?". I don't know why that came out of my mouth except that I have horrible memories of this particular mouth shot. I told her to do it because I knew that it was the smartest move, but I was scared.
She prepped the needle and it looked like small metal clamps the stick into my gums. It was horrible but not as horrible as my previous memory of it. I didn't actually cry but there were a couple tears that squeezed out of the corners of my eyes. It was over quickly and my mouth became numb.
The dentist began working on my teeth and I sat there trying to be relaxed, but clenching the arms of the chair with my hands. I often use self talk techniques during this process in order to relax. I was envisioning a relaxing bike ride with my friends. I am not sure if it really helps but it does let my mind focus on something else.
About fifteen minutes after she began drilling she stops and tells me that I need a root canal on both of these teeth. Wow, I must have had a premonition because I sure called that.
The end result today was that I had two root canals and crown preps. I was in the office for three hours and I was exhausted when I was done. I have been going to this particular dentist for the last four years and I feel that this is the best relationship with a dentist that I have ever had. Ok...I haven't had very many but still. I was impressed today that she remember my phobia of the roof mouth needle. I was also impressed that she remembered how much I don't like the plastic sheet they put in your mouth to isolate the tooth during the procedure. I often find it difficult to breathe and I get a bit claustrophobic during the process. I liked that she talked me through it and tried to make me as comfortable as possible. Could there be more stuff in my mouth at once? A plastic sheet, metal clamps, a rubber thing to hold my mouth open, a cotton thing in my cheek, a drill, and two hands. I don't think that my mouth is that big.
Your mouth starts out with 32 teeth. I now have 9 crowns and 6 root canals. So the percentage of crowns to actual teeth is 28.1% and the percentage of root canals are 18.7%. I wonder how close to 100% I will get. I guess that is called dentures.
3 comments:
Interesting, I was just thinking to myself about how people frequently misuse "bi" when they mean "semi". (At least I hope you go to the dentist twice a year and not once every two years.)
If it makes you feel any better, I have 24 teeth. The other 8 have been pulled. (Space reasons: two as a teenager, all four wisdom teeth, and two as an adult for braces.) Getting teeth pulled is easy when you can't feel anything.
this sounds awful and a little scary. be glad you are doing it now i suppose. I'm going to brush my teeth now:)
CH
After some research and thought...Damm you are right. I get a cleaning twice a year and not every two years. Although, the way my teeth behave you would think that I get them checked out bi-yearly.
When I did my calculations I gave you the assumption that I actually have 32 teeth, I don't. I have had three of my four wisdom teeth pulled. I also don't think that I I had 32 to begin with. I am going to check with the dentist when I get my new crowns delivered.
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