So, TODAY, I have 3 different Doctor's appointments. Yes, 3 in one day. Neurologist, followed by the Dentist, and finished up with a Pain Specialist appointment.
This blog post is only about one of them.
This is a typical week for me. Most weeks I try to stick to 2, but I've let my self ignore "regular check-ups", and Primary Care Physicians, due to the fact that I already see so many doctors. But, when you see so many specialists, a "regular check-up" is actually kind of exciting for me! Hence, the reason for this post!
Not making regular dental check-ups has become habit for me.
Now, I have to pay the price for that. I have been ignoring my nagging wisdom teeth for well over 3 years. When they first started to bother me, I went to a friend of the family, who was an oral surgeon, and WASN'T treated like a friend at all. I was given a $3,500 estimate, and sent on my way.
I learned that "impacted" was much more expensive to remove, than if they just grew in. So, I let them grow in. Hindsight sure is 20/20.
Now, after years of neglect, they have grown in, and both have cracked, and broken. I have actual pulp showing in one, and severe nerve pain in the other. I'm a dental hygiene freak. I brush 2 or 3 times a day, I floss regularly, and I own my own dental mirror and plaque remover. Yup, I'm weird. BUT, I still found an excuse to never go to the dentist.
I really don't like them. Every time I have ever gone, it's always been a different one, because I haven't found one YET, that has made me comfortable in the chair. They are all inconsistent too! One will offer nitrous for just a simple cleaning, and others will rip your teeth out with just local anesthesia. I don't get it.
So, my crazy reasoning behind avoiding the chair; my insurance covers normal check-ups, for preventative maintenance, and EMERGENCY extractions, or SIMPLE extractions. I figured if they were above the gum line, that counted as a simple extraction.
Well, it ended up being an Emergency extraction. (well, 2 emergency extractions!)
I can very honestly say, I was impressed by the dentist. His office staff on the other hand left a lot to be desired in the professionalism department, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?
*NOTE*- I may have taken a Valium or two (yes, I have a prescription) on the way there, so maybe that's why I wasn't so mad about the FaceBook "let me practice my duck-face" girls behind the desk. I can't STAND incompetent medical assistants!
No exaggeration, I was called back the moment I got there, tools were laid out on the table, a short speech from the tech explaining what I should expect during and after the procedure, and signed a form with an "understanding" that my insurance did NOT cover any form of anesthesia, (other than local) WHATSOEVER.
The doctor walked in on cue, didn't say much, other than, "Open, Please." and numbed the back of my mouth. Since they were wisdom teeth, naturally, it was the very back of my mouth that had to be numbed. It was INCREDIBLY weird, due to the fact that my uvula, roof of my mouth, and part of my jaw went numb.
He walked out for a moment to let the local set in, while I started to wring my hands in anticipation of the impending pressure and noise I was warned about by the tech. I honestly did NOT want to hear cracking and crunching noises, so my anxiety level was through the roof.
Much to my surprise, the Dentist came back in the room, introduced himself to me, (don't ask me what his name was, my anxiety ATE any information I collected that day), and got to work.
All of my anxiety, worry, and nausea took more effort than extracting my teeth did.
He reached in, asked if I could feel anything, and upon my "NO" signal, he pulled. He moved over to the other side of my mouth, and pulled. He laid something on the tool tray, got up and shook my hand. The tech asked me to bite down on some gauze, and I waited for him to come back and finish.
But, then I realized, he WAS finished!!!! It took longer for the numbing agent to take effect than to pull my teeth!
Again, no exaggeration, 2 minutes, TOPS. I was back in the chair for 20 minutes total. Unbelievable. I wasn't in any pain, and was surprised, and incredibly happy that a double tooth extraction took less time than me putting on make-up in the morning!
So, needless to say, I will actually go back to the dentist the next time I actually need to!
Check back for the other 2 doctor's appointments after I finish them!
This blog post is only about one of them.
This is a typical week for me. Most weeks I try to stick to 2, but I've let my self ignore "regular check-ups", and Primary Care Physicians, due to the fact that I already see so many doctors. But, when you see so many specialists, a "regular check-up" is actually kind of exciting for me! Hence, the reason for this post!
Not making regular dental check-ups has become habit for me.
Now, I have to pay the price for that. I have been ignoring my nagging wisdom teeth for well over 3 years. When they first started to bother me, I went to a friend of the family, who was an oral surgeon, and WASN'T treated like a friend at all. I was given a $3,500 estimate, and sent on my way.
I learned that "impacted" was much more expensive to remove, than if they just grew in. So, I let them grow in. Hindsight sure is 20/20.
Now, after years of neglect, they have grown in, and both have cracked, and broken. I have actual pulp showing in one, and severe nerve pain in the other. I'm a dental hygiene freak. I brush 2 or 3 times a day, I floss regularly, and I own my own dental mirror and plaque remover. Yup, I'm weird. BUT, I still found an excuse to never go to the dentist.
I really don't like them. Every time I have ever gone, it's always been a different one, because I haven't found one YET, that has made me comfortable in the chair. They are all inconsistent too! One will offer nitrous for just a simple cleaning, and others will rip your teeth out with just local anesthesia. I don't get it.
So, my crazy reasoning behind avoiding the chair; my insurance covers normal check-ups, for preventative maintenance, and EMERGENCY extractions, or SIMPLE extractions. I figured if they were above the gum line, that counted as a simple extraction.
Well, it ended up being an Emergency extraction. (well, 2 emergency extractions!)
I can very honestly say, I was impressed by the dentist. His office staff on the other hand left a lot to be desired in the professionalism department, but hey, beggars can't be choosers, right?
*NOTE*- I may have taken a Valium or two (yes, I have a prescription) on the way there, so maybe that's why I wasn't so mad about the FaceBook "let me practice my duck-face" girls behind the desk. I can't STAND incompetent medical assistants!
No exaggeration, I was called back the moment I got there, tools were laid out on the table, a short speech from the tech explaining what I should expect during and after the procedure, and signed a form with an "understanding" that my insurance did NOT cover any form of anesthesia, (other than local) WHATSOEVER.
The doctor walked in on cue, didn't say much, other than, "Open, Please." and numbed the back of my mouth. Since they were wisdom teeth, naturally, it was the very back of my mouth that had to be numbed. It was INCREDIBLY weird, due to the fact that my uvula, roof of my mouth, and part of my jaw went numb.
He walked out for a moment to let the local set in, while I started to wring my hands in anticipation of the impending pressure and noise I was warned about by the tech. I honestly did NOT want to hear cracking and crunching noises, so my anxiety level was through the roof.
Much to my surprise, the Dentist came back in the room, introduced himself to me, (don't ask me what his name was, my anxiety ATE any information I collected that day), and got to work.
All of my anxiety, worry, and nausea took more effort than extracting my teeth did.
He reached in, asked if I could feel anything, and upon my "NO" signal, he pulled. He moved over to the other side of my mouth, and pulled. He laid something on the tool tray, got up and shook my hand. The tech asked me to bite down on some gauze, and I waited for him to come back and finish.
But, then I realized, he WAS finished!!!! It took longer for the numbing agent to take effect than to pull my teeth!
Again, no exaggeration, 2 minutes, TOPS. I was back in the chair for 20 minutes total. Unbelievable. I wasn't in any pain, and was surprised, and incredibly happy that a double tooth extraction took less time than me putting on make-up in the morning!
So, needless to say, I will actually go back to the dentist the next time I actually need to!
Check back for the other 2 doctor's appointments after I finish them!
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