The Dental Diaries:#1 with a 'tude

Teeth are like diabetes complications.You
can only slow down/prevent more damage from being done,you can't fix what has been done.

Routine 6 month cleaning,my teeth get the equivelent of a "5.0"(if it were an a1c) I have been a fanatic about oral hygeine,trying desperatly to stave off the impending root canal that my dentist has been informing me for the past year that I'd be needing,at some point.

To no avail. I'd gotten it drained in July,and again in September,buying me a few months but it was time to face the post-tonsectomy music,the durn thing was collecting crud again & hurting up a storm.No amount of brushing/flossing changes the damage done.

So after the cleaning,off I go to the procedure room and the dentist comes in.(new to the practice)

He shoves needle #1 into my gum and I wince,I didn't recall the last time being so painful. Needles 2 & 3 hit bone,and the tears come,spilling down my cheeks like a frigging spigget, he leaves the room.Returns,with his assistant in tow. I'm semi-numb,so he goes in with the drill and HITS NERVE.
I scream,and propel off the chair halfway to the ceiling,promptly bursting into a fresh torrent of waterworks.I am not good at toughing things out,not that this was even on the same page as anything minor,this was more like having one's arm half amputated.The assistant looks on,silently,as the dentist says he'll give me a minute and leaves the room.

This guy is a real JERK.Not only does he wield needles like a toddler toting a semi-automatic,his bedside manner also leaves much to be desired.I can accept the fact that some dentists are more compassionate then others, but apparently the doctor (deity)complex also affects dentists too. 1.5 hours later,bg at 275,I vow never to go back to him,my jaw is a swollen,throbbing mess and I've mortified myself enough for one day.(adequate pain control,what's that?) To top it all off, he insinuated that this happens whenever I have any sort of procedure done(it doesn't,this is a first) and he just isn't getting that it's all due to his lovely tecnique.For the crown,I am getting the senior partner to do it.JERK.


-- Posted from my iPhone