You dental students/dental wives are going to love this. I hope some of you are still my friends given the story I am about to tell. I am not perfect, but I really do brush at least twice a day, I floss, I use the rubber pick every day. In short I TRY to take care of my teeth. Back in November I went to the dentist and he told me I had a cracked filling and that it needed urgent attention. About a week later I had a gall bladder attack and subsequent surgery and then it was Christmas and then I went on the road with Jerry to St. Louis and then it was my birthday and then I started teaching Sunday School and then it was tax preparation time and then I got a toothache which sent me to the dentist. As soon as I pointed to the ouchy tooth he said, "Remember I told you that was receding gums?" Oh yeah, I forgot.
Well, he wanted to know if I would like to take care of my tooth with the cracked filling. What cracked filling? I had absolute amnesia about that tooth since I usually instantly forget what the dentist says to me. I can remember the birthdate for a girl I knew in first grade because I went to her birthday party, but I have to take notes otherwise I forget everything the dentist says.
Anyway, he removed the filling and gasped in horror. Under the filling, which I got 33 years ago was a pink pulpy mess. I have the pictures if anyone wants to see. They should make a horror movie and use pictures like that. As he was drilling and scraping the entire side of my tooth collapsed. I was freaking out. He cleared out two of the roots fairly quickly, but it took nearly an hour to find and remove the third root which had calcified. Two hours and fifteen minutes later I was minus my roots and half my tooth. It will take three more visits to correct this mess.
My dentist has this video system which allows him to show me the inside of my mouth on a screen. I asked if I could have pictures, but he had no way of making pictures, so in the spirit of AB I ran home and grabbed my camera in order to photograph the video monitor. I would post the pictures, but I don't want to be responsible for anyone fainting.
5 comments:
My husband is a dentist (almost)and I have amnesia about many things he says (j/k it is actually him with amnesia!!!)
Oh please post the picture! That's crazy your tooth had decayed so much underneath the filling. I have nightmares about that kind of stuff...seriously!Ever since I got my first cavity last year I have had several dreams about my teeth crumbling and falling out. Hope your tooth gets fixed up okay.
You got your first cavity last year? I had seven at my first dental visit in the first grade.
Annie J.
I am cracking up. So I am not the only one with amnesia? Good to know.
Wish I could say I just got my first filling last year! I've had way too many to count. One things for sure: pregnancy does me under real bad! 11 restorations while I was pregnant with Jas. 9 after the twin's pregnancy. I'm finally decay-free! YEAH!!!
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