In case you missed it: last Thursday on the way to the B-52’s concert, I broke yet another tooth. This time a molar. On a fried cheese stick.
As a result, I had my first official root canal on Monday. And I have to say it was two hours of suck.
Suckage #1: I didn’t get to see my regular hot-dentist-man as he was already booked that day, so I had to see one of his associates. Who wasn’t pretty on the eyes to me: he was a tall, lanky, ginger man. But he was pleasant enough and managed to work me into his schedule.
Suckage #2: After X-rays were taken, it was decided that the tooth itself couldn’t be repaired directly. Which left my options at either have the tooth pulled, or have a root canal and shape and fill the tooth in preparation for an *upcoming* procedure. Because this is the same side I had the previous tooth pulled on, and I’m already missing the back molar, hot-dentist-man’s plan was to use this now-broken molar as an anchor for a partial. So I really needed to keep what I could of it. Damn. There goes $1300 I didn’t have to play with.
Suckage #3 and #4: I’ve mentioned it before, but I’m not a fan of needles. (I wonder if anyone really is?) So when Ginger Dentista started jabbing needles into my gums and injecting whatever he injected to deaden the area, I was slightly unnerved. The nitrous really wasn’t doing anything for me other than making me feel tired, but it was making me feel anxious. Actually, I think I was more unnerved because Ginger Dentista had his finger in between by teeth and my lips and was doing this weird shaking thing to it while he was doing the injections. Which made me think I was being fishhooked.
After which I was left sit for about 5 minutes for the numb to kick in. This was the view I had while I waited:
Suckage #I-Lost-Count: Then Tooth Assistant Lady put this rubber door opener thingy into my mouth to wedge it open. Not happy about that I was. And then she started attaching this rubber sheet dam thing around my tooth and attached some scaffolding to it on the outside of my face. From my viewpoint, I thought I looked like a Predator. Not Chris Hansen Predator, but the Predator from those Ah-nold movies. I wanted to snap a picture, but I couldn’t.
So now I’m laying there with my mouth wedged open, half my face numb, and a nasty-tasting rubber sheet touching my tongue. Saliva city! Of which I had a difficult time swallowing thanks to the numb. I thought for sure I was going to choke a few times.
And they haven’t even started the procedure yet!
But when they do start the procedure, whatever Dremel attachment Ginger Dentista was using made the loudest noise in my head I have ever heard. And not a good noise either. I can’t even begin to describe it. But I shall attempt to. Imagine golf cleats grinding down a chalkboard, amplified 1000 times. While river dancing. Yep. That’s pretty close to what it sounded like. With a little reverberation to boot. Kind of like listening to Yoko Ono having an orgasm. Underwater. While being humped by a whale. Or listening to Ke$ha.
That lasted a good hour. Or it felt like an hour. I think I was internally deaf by the time they were finished.
Ginger Dentista got the tooth root out, and made whatever changes he had to make to the tooth to pack it with some substance that will stay put until I go back for an “upgrade” at some point down the road.
Then sent me home with instructions to take ibuprofen every 6 hours until my face stops hurting.
Which it hasn’t. Yet. For the most part.
Until next time...
You went through my worst nightmare…
It was pretty unpleasant to say the least. I don’t remember the last time I actually had a pleasant time at the dentist. I wonder if that’s possible.
Although I think I have other worst nightmares.
I’m happy to see you have survived. I don’t like going to the dentist either. It’s probably due to the fact I have had been going to them regularly since I was a kid. The earliest dentist I can remember who did the most damage was named, Dr. Grill. Yes, it is true.
He gave me my fear of dentists, needles and an allergic reaction to novocaine, which thankfully, is no longer used. Dr. Grill would insert the needle in the wrong place and say; “Oh, I missed!” He would then proceed to inject me in various locations about 6 or 7 times!
So yeah, I don’t like dentists. I have been here in exile now entering my 4th year and still have not bothered to find a new dentist. I should, but can not bring myself to do it. I keep telling myself I’ll going home to Savannah if I need anything done, but I never do.
I need to work on this fear. Fear is the mind killer…
Fear is a mind killer, but I think sadistic dentists are a real killer.
Yikes! So sorry about your painful tooth. Why are your teeth breaking? Too few protein shakes? And what is that bulge under your t-shirt? It’s not shaped like a normal manly part…
I’ve had well water all my life, so no fluoride in the water to make my teeth stronger like city folks get. Add to that a few years of poor dental hygiene during college added to the cumulative damage, which I’m now paying for. Literally.
I know the bulge on the left side is my wallet, but I’m not sure what that bulge in the middle was. I think it was just the way the button and zipper happened to lay on my shorts.
I’ve had two root canals. Braces in my late 30’s. Tooth extraction from a botched root canal. I hate, hate, hate needles. But for some strange reason I don’t mind the Dentist.
The first root canal took three visits. The second one which they never fully took the nerve out of the tooth took two visits. I kept telling them that the tooth hurt, they insisted that it didn’t. Until they ran electric current through the tooth and I reacted violently to the pain. Then they believed me. But they wouldn’t pay for the tooth extraction. I ended up moving and never did anything about it until the tooth broke in two and started to wear away my jaw bone. The new Dentist that extracted my tooth and put in a bone graft was the most dreamest Doctor I’ve ever had….I wish I had more teeth to extract, just to be near him….
The regular Dentist I have now I hate him and his staff. They are very unfriendly and he looks just like Mr Magoo, in every way. I have to get a new Dentist but keep putting it off.
On another note…I keep my wallet in my front left pocket too!
Oy! That’s a lot of grill work too! And that stinks that your current dentist is unfriendly and fuggly. I think the only reason I keep going is because hot-dentist-man is at least… hot! I typically don’t mind the dentist. I think my apprehension has become the huge dent it creates in my wallet just to be able to keep my teeth in my mouth.
And keeping the wallet up front is so much easier on the backside. 😉
UGH! I hate being in a dental chair, but it is so important to maintain our teeth. It’s unbelievable how much dental care costs now. I have a crown in front that needed to be redone at a nifty cost of $2,000. The most difficult part was going back over and over to match shading with the other teeth. I am happy with the results though!
I definitely understand the importance now… that it’s a little late in the game. And the cost is definitely prohibitive of maintaining a happy and healthy smile. I guess it *is* possible to put a price on happiness!
That was indeed a lot of suck but I’m glad you are better.
On a funny note, “Ginger Dentista” sounds like a name from a Bond film or a Batman comic. 😉
-Joel
Or a punk rock band!
Yeah– I’m not so bothered by the needle, ad I am by the “pop” it makes when it drives into the roof of your mouth. An the cold, wet feeling of the novocaine flooding behind your skin… *shudder*
I didn’t hear or feel a pop, just a short stabbing feeling. And I didn’t feel the wet feeling of anything behind my skin either.
Although I’ve had other shots at the doctor that felt like that.
I think the big thing that I don’t like is the grinding and scratching noises I hear in my head when they start doing the dental work.
Yes, Dentists and needles are not a good combination. At least he didn’t start drilling only to have you scream in pain because the novocaine wasn’t working. I had that happen the last time, and the dentist had to use the needle two more times after that because the numbness wore off.
My teeth ache just thinking about what you went through . . . .
Oy. Not being numb would have been MAJOR suckage! My sympathies!
I’m going through the same thing, although yesterday I had to gently remind the Dentist that he was numbing up the wrong tooth.
The wrong tooth? Please tell me you slapped him.
I have to go to dentist today myself. Oh fun.
Hopefully your experience today was a lot more fun than mine.
3 fillings, two in molars and one in a front tooth.
That SUCKS big time, and not in a good way. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
I still can’t chew on the left side of my mouth, and my jaw is still a little sore. But I’m not as cranky as I was.
On the plus side, I won’t cut anyone now with my jagged tooth….
I’m so sorry… I’ve had too many root canals to even count. I feel your pain.
There are a few more in “the plan”. I’m not looking forward to them. 🙁
I join the chorus of condolences ; no fun in this.
Good Lord what a nightmare! Reason #3,428 why I hate going to the dentist. The anxiety, the pain, the feeling like you’re strapped in a torture device. Ugh! I’m way overdo to see a dentist but i’m so anxious about it I keep putting it off. Hell, if I put it off long enough maybe my teeth will go bad and fall out and then I won’t need to see one after all, haha!
On a side note, I heart your Converse and your checkered shorts. Very cool man!
Which is precisely why I don’t like going myself!
And thank you. That’s pretty much what I wear every day.