I Hate the Dentist

            

Just wanted to say sorry in advance for how wordy this post is. I apparently had a lot more to say then I thought I would and not enough pictures to match. 

 Ever since I can remember I have always had problems with my teeth. Every time I sit in a dentist's chair he starts listing off things that need work done. I have some filling throughout my mouth, however, one tooth in particular has given me the most problems. It started with a cavity that needed a filling, then that filling needed a crown, and finally that crown turned into a root canal. I had thought and hoped that would be the end of my dental work on that tooth, but alas I was wrong. This past December I went in for a cleaning and check up and got the exciting news that my tooth was completely dead and to prevent it from spreading into my bone they needed to take the tooth out. I just sat there, not so much surprised, just an "are you kidding me" type thought. The dentist then went on to tell me different procedures that I could do in putting a fake tooth in its place. The tooth behind the dead one also needed to have a filling redone, like I said I never go to the dentist without a tooth needing something done.

One procedure the dentist recommended and said has been the most affective in patients is an implant. An implant is where, after the tooth is taken out, they drill a screw into your gums and then basically screw on a fake tooth. Sounds delightful doesn't it? Well the thought of a drill drilling into my gums and having a screw in my mouth didn't sound very fun to me, but Lance and I decided that it would be the best most effective procedure. 

I put off having this whole thing done (tooth pulled and implant put in) for quite some time after I found out I needed to have all that done. Partly because I went and got a second opinion from another dentist and also to check around and see which dental office would be cheaper because I don't have dental insurance and implants are not cheap! Plus have I mentioned I hate the dentist so I was nervous and scared to have this procedure done. Come the end of March I had gotten the second opinion and checked around and found a dental office that had reasonable prices on this procedure, but I was still nervous to call and set up an appointment to get this tooth taken care of. Until about the second week in April I noticed this growth under the gums by the tooth, which come to find out was an infection in my gums. It was painful to eat on that side of my mouth and this infection was pretty big. It touched and rubbed against the side of my mouth, not pretty. I dealt with that infection for about a week and a half until finally I realized (with the help of my sweet husband :) ) that I can't wait any longer to have this procedure done. So I called and set up an appointment but the dental office had to order the implant so I had to wait a week until I could have the procedure done. They prescribed some amoxicillin to help make the infection go away.

Finally the day came to have this tooth taken out of my mouth and be gone forever. I also had a midterm that day to take for an online class I'm trying to finish, so this day was somewhat of a stressful one. The midterm went better then I had planned so I had high hopes that the dental procedure would go better then I had planned as well. I had already decided the second I heard I needed a tooth pulled and implant put in that I wanted to be drugged for all that or just knocked out completely. Unfortunately they don't put you under for this type of procedure but they do offer nitric oxide if requested. When I set up the dental appointment I told the lady on the phone that I would most definitely want that, so I had assumed she marked it in big red letters in my chart.

I sat nervously in my chair waiting for this procedure to start, it helped that they had a tv on the ceiling and the dental assistant turned the station to one of my favorite tv shows FRIENDS. The dentist soon came in and began the process of numbing the whole left side of my face. I have never been a fan of the whole numbing process; I would actually suffer through a little pain during a procedure just so I wouldn't have to get stuck with another needle in my mouth, weird I know but true. However, with this procedure I'd probably ask for more numbing stuff instead of suffering through any pain. After the numbing kicked in the dentist started working on the little filling that needed fixed first.  I thought they would give me the nitric oxide but they didn't so I figured they would wait to give it to me when they started taking out my tooth. After the filling they started taking out the dead tooth, again no nitric oxide. I wasn't having any pain and my anxiety and nervousness of the whole thing had gone down so I didn't say anything. I again thought maybe they are waiting to give it to me when I get the screw drilled in my gums. 

It was an interesting thing getting that tooth pulled. Just seeing the type of instruments they were using to pull my tooth out looked like they were going in to work on a car engine. I swear one of the tools they used was a screw driver. All in all it didn't hurt to have it pulled thanks to how numb I was, it was just a lot of pressure on my mouth and jaw.  My mouth and jaw sure felt it later. 

After they got the tooth out they started drilling into my gums, and thats when I really felt the pressure. The sound of the drill sounded just like if you were drilling a screw into the wall, not a sound you want to hear coming from in your mouth. I again was grateful for the numbing stuff they stuck in my gums but knew I would be feeling the pain after the numbness wore off. Also no sight or talk of nitric oxide at this point either, but I was in no pain so I just decided I wouldn't need it after all. It was an interesting feeling having them drill into my gums. For some reason I thought that when they drilled into my gums it would be a soft, squishy type feeling but it was actually a hard, firm feeling like the dentist had to put his back into it. Then I realized it was bone he was really having to drill into for most of it. There was a point during the process that the dentist had another patient to look at real quick and asked if I needed a bathroom break, and after laying in that chair for about and hour and a half thus far I nodded my head that I needed to. The dental assistant had warned me before I went to the bathroom that there was a big whole in my mouth where the tooth used to be and where they had been drilling, just so I wouldn't freak out. So of course I was curious to see what this whole looked like and she was right it was kind of freaky to look at, no tooth and a deep whole in my gums. I wish I had taken a picture of it.

The dentist soon went back to work  on drilling in the implant and after laying in the dental chair for over 2 hours the dentist sewed up the hole and we were finally done. They gave me a list of instructions on what to do and what not to do for the next couple days to a week, and prescribed me amoxicillin and Lortab and said to be back in a week to have the stitches taken out.

I had taken a Lortab because the numbness had worn off, but there is no way I would be able to pull
my cheek back like that if I hadn't taken it

Part of the dentist orders was for the first 24 hours no strenuous or rigorous activity, no sucking through a straw, and eating only soft foods or liquids. I thought I would be able to go to work the next day at least for half of the day but Lance reassured me that was not a good idea and he was right. I'm glad I didn't go in because the second day was worse, and luckily I had the following day off as well. So I had two and a half days to just relax around the apartment and let that area heal.

It's been an experience with this tooth, it's now been 10 days since I had the procedure and I still can only eat on one side of my mouth but if food travels to the other side it doesn't get stuck or hurt now. I've been able to get back to exercising which has been nice, but the hole will start to hurt a little sometimes after a while of exercising. My tongue is still getting used to the fact that a tooth is missing and likes to wander to the empty space. One of the worst things that's happened since having this done is the awful taste in my mouth and the bad breath. The dentist said it's because the gums and tissue are trying to heal so it gives off a taste and bad odor, but thats going away finally.

That's the top part of the screw, I wish I had taken a picture of the tooth after they had pulled it out,
but I  wasn't thinking about that as they were yanking it out. Also I didn't realize how gross and yellow my
teeth were back there, I'm a little embarrassed by that.

The next part of the implant process wont take place for another 4 and a half months. The tissue and bone need to continue to heal and form around the screw. In the next part they'll check and make sure the bone and tissue has formed around it and then make a fake tooth to screw into my mouth. 

Funny side note, I told a patient (who's in his 80's) at my work that I had to get a tooth pulled and he said to just have them all pulled and put in dentures. That's what he did and now he has no worries of cavities, fillings or root canals. He just takes his teeth out every night, sticks them in some disinfectant stuff and he's good to go. I have since given that some thought, and though it would be nice to never have to go to the dentist again, I think my husband would prefer my actual teeth, no matter how many fillings, root canals, implants I have to get, over teeth in a jar on our nightstand.

For the next 4 and a half months I'll have a nice gap in between my teeth, luckily it's far enough back that when I smile you can't see it. In the end I'm glad I did this, that tooth is gone and can't give me anymore problems (I hope).