•9:51 PM
November 16, 2010 9:51 p.m.
Another thing took place this week.
I had to get a root canal today. Last Thursday, I was innocently eating a bagel with jelly and half of my tooth came off. It cracked down the middle so that the front was intact but the back side of it came off. There was a big hole in the back of my tooth, and it felt like a razor edge on my tongue. I called our dental office, and they said they could take a look at it that afternoon. I was so thankful that something like this could happen and I could be in a dentist chair the same day working on a resolution.
That afternoon, after an evaluation, it was decided that the tooth needed a root canal and a crown. They didn’t fill it in, instead opting to leave it open in case of an abscess. Fortunately for me, I have a dental retainer, so I wore that 24/7 all weekend to protect my tongue.
This morning I went in for the root canal, complete with two children all set up with Calvert books to do some independent work, and library books for when their academics were over. I was of the impression that this appointment would last between 1-1/2 and 2 hours.
In the past, my previous dentist would have sent me to an endodontic specialist in a larger city nearby. You know the type: does a dozen root canals every day, comes to work at 10, goes home at 3, takes off half of Friday, and still makes tons of money. But he was good at what he did. With him, a root canal took between 20 and 30 minutes and you were out the door starting your car. No kidding. Well, two years ago (before this blog) was my last root canal, with that specialist, and I unfortunately experienced a flare-up afterwards. Beginning two days after the procedure, my tooth started to ache and the pain built in intensity until I wanted to just slam my head into the wall to give myself something else to think about. I am talking five full days of intense pain that barely budged when mixed with pain killers. That kind of pain. I certainly hope not to repeat that experience.
Well, this new dentist who worked on me today (he looks like he is 20, but I know he has to be about 30) insisted that he could do the root canal himself and that there was no need to go elsewhere. My root canals would be in good hands with him. He did beautiful root canals, just look at these X-rays, yada yada, so he said.
This morning I sat in the dental chair for over 3 hours. He said that my canals (there were two) had “shrunk away” before his very eyes – disappeared – and he couldn’t find them again. Kept poking around with an “endo explore” trying to find them. Kept spraying “EDTA”, whatever that is, probably an antiseptic. Eventually found them both and finished the job. Reported two-thirds of the way through the procedure that my tooth was among his top three most difficult root canal teeth ever. Wow, was I ever proud! Wrote me a strong painkiller prescription and told me to expect some soreness for a few days.
So here I am, hoping and praying with all my might that I don’t get another flare-up, and feeling that if ever there were an occasion to have one, this would be it. Please pray for me, bloggy friends. Lesson learned: insist on going to the endodontic specialist next time.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, though, the children were total angels. For three hours (and I had told them it would be two hours tops) they sat in their own private waiting room, did their lesson work, read their library books, quietly pretended they were camping on the floor, got toys from the toy drawer and played with them, and enjoyed cookie snacks provided for them by my hygienist. All the while, everybody commented on how well-behaved they were for such a long wait time. I was pleased with this, and very proud of them, and I told them so, and I took them to Mickey-D’s for lunch (because they consider that a reward).
But I will not relax this week for a couple of days until I know that I am out of the woods with this root canal. Don’t forget those prayers, friends. And thanks!
Another thing took place this week.
I had to get a root canal today. Last Thursday, I was innocently eating a bagel with jelly and half of my tooth came off. It cracked down the middle so that the front was intact but the back side of it came off. There was a big hole in the back of my tooth, and it felt like a razor edge on my tongue. I called our dental office, and they said they could take a look at it that afternoon. I was so thankful that something like this could happen and I could be in a dentist chair the same day working on a resolution.
That afternoon, after an evaluation, it was decided that the tooth needed a root canal and a crown. They didn’t fill it in, instead opting to leave it open in case of an abscess. Fortunately for me, I have a dental retainer, so I wore that 24/7 all weekend to protect my tongue.
This morning I went in for the root canal, complete with two children all set up with Calvert books to do some independent work, and library books for when their academics were over. I was of the impression that this appointment would last between 1-1/2 and 2 hours.
In the past, my previous dentist would have sent me to an endodontic specialist in a larger city nearby. You know the type: does a dozen root canals every day, comes to work at 10, goes home at 3, takes off half of Friday, and still makes tons of money. But he was good at what he did. With him, a root canal took between 20 and 30 minutes and you were out the door starting your car. No kidding. Well, two years ago (before this blog) was my last root canal, with that specialist, and I unfortunately experienced a flare-up afterwards. Beginning two days after the procedure, my tooth started to ache and the pain built in intensity until I wanted to just slam my head into the wall to give myself something else to think about. I am talking five full days of intense pain that barely budged when mixed with pain killers. That kind of pain. I certainly hope not to repeat that experience.
Well, this new dentist who worked on me today (he looks like he is 20, but I know he has to be about 30) insisted that he could do the root canal himself and that there was no need to go elsewhere. My root canals would be in good hands with him. He did beautiful root canals, just look at these X-rays, yada yada, so he said.
This morning I sat in the dental chair for over 3 hours. He said that my canals (there were two) had “shrunk away” before his very eyes – disappeared – and he couldn’t find them again. Kept poking around with an “endo explore” trying to find them. Kept spraying “EDTA”, whatever that is, probably an antiseptic. Eventually found them both and finished the job. Reported two-thirds of the way through the procedure that my tooth was among his top three most difficult root canal teeth ever. Wow, was I ever proud! Wrote me a strong painkiller prescription and told me to expect some soreness for a few days.
So here I am, hoping and praying with all my might that I don’t get another flare-up, and feeling that if ever there were an occasion to have one, this would be it. Please pray for me, bloggy friends. Lesson learned: insist on going to the endodontic specialist next time.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, though, the children were total angels. For three hours (and I had told them it would be two hours tops) they sat in their own private waiting room, did their lesson work, read their library books, quietly pretended they were camping on the floor, got toys from the toy drawer and played with them, and enjoyed cookie snacks provided for them by my hygienist. All the while, everybody commented on how well-behaved they were for such a long wait time. I was pleased with this, and very proud of them, and I told them so, and I took them to Mickey-D’s for lunch (because they consider that a reward).
But I will not relax this week for a couple of days until I know that I am out of the woods with this root canal. Don’t forget those prayers, friends. And thanks!
2 comments:
Wow--sounds like quite the experience! I will be praying that you will heal up well. I am very proud of your kids too--what great kids they are!!
Oh I am thinking about you, with fellow feeling. The worst pain I have ever experienced was a root flare up. The root canal was okay in itself, but led to more pain, which eventually led to an apesectomy. The anaesthetic didn't work during it - I was in shock with the pain. Since then a root canal on another tooth, followed by redoing the same root canal. If this doesn't work the option is referral to a specialist, at a cost of £700, or to have the tooth out. (we have private dental treatment and I wish we had stuck with the National Health Service for teeth). I will be at a conference in France for the next 3 days and will send thoughts your way from there!