Dental EMERGENCY
Whoa. I've been telling my dentist for a year that this tooth needed to be crowned. I always like to save on a root canal by having it crowned before the nerve goes south. WELL...this one remained a bit of a mystery to him and I clearly wasn't forceful enough to make him undertstand (Mah bad. Lacking assertiveness). There wasn't an obvious problem with the tooth and we'd been treating it with many other approaches: the patches at the top of the teeth where gums had receded (he doesn't like me to call them patches but I can't remember what they're called) and brushing with "sensitive" pastes. Finally, I decided that I was tired of pain radiating up into my head when I ate anything warm. So I scheduled an appointment for today. He decided he would remove the filling on that tooth and replace it with a medicated filling, barring the discovery of anything else amiss. Well, he discovered that "amiss" part when half of the tooth broke off at the crack that's likely been there for years.
So, he announced that this tooth needed a root canal, a post, and a crown. Whoa.
He canceled appointments and went right to work on it. After the first hour, I asked "With a post in it, how can a root canal be done?" He said "The root canal is all finished. That's what I just did." Geez. Last time I had a root canal -- about 23 years ago -- it required several visits to an endodontist (and rubber dams which likely triggered my latex allergies). I didn't know that a root canal could be done in a dentist's office. Cool.
He put the post in and I'm pain-free. FINALLY! After probably more than a year! I feel good. Yeah! I get my temporary crown next Thursday.
4 Comments:
OMG, we must be "connected?" I, too am suffering from a hot/cold sensitive tooth and actively trying to find a good dentist on the coast (oxymoron?). Sheldon saw a dentist locally (only one in the area). She saw patients one day a week here and full-time in Portland. She just decided to stop practicing here. Funny that you mention the "patches" of receding gums you also suffer from....MEE TOO! I have had them floride treated, sealants placed on them, and yes, I am using sensitive toothpaste. I have four spots of recession in my gums, most likely caused from pressure of my "bite." Remember, I was once a dental assistant? General dentists often perform root canals when they are simple procedures (teeth without many roots or difficult canals). I, personally like root canals done by specialists- "Endodontists." It's all they do! Good to hear you will soon have a new crown and be pain free! I hope my sensitive tooth just needs a repair? Wish me luck!
Cheryl
OMG, we must be "connected?" I, too am suffering from a hot/cold sensitive tooth and actively trying to find a good dentist on the coast (oxymoron?). Sheldon saw a dentist locally (only one in the area). She saw patients one day a week here and full-time in Portland. She just decided to stop practicing here. Funny that you mention the "patches" of receding gums you also suffer from....MEE TOO! I have had them floride treated, sealants placed on them, and yes, I am using sensitive toothpaste. I have four spots of recession in my gums, most likely caused from pressure of my "bite." Remember, I was once a dental assistant? General dentists often perform root canals when they are simple procedures (teeth without many roots or difficult canals). I, personally like root canals done by specialists- "Endodontists." It's all they do! Good to hear you will soon have a new crown and be pain free! I hope my sensitive tooth just needs a repair? Wish me luck!
P.S. Christy, are you part of the "receding crowd?" : )
Cheryl
okay, so this posting takes patience? : ) I did not think the first one was accepted....am I repeating myself? oh, well, it looks like lots of comments this way?
sorry,
Cheryl
I LIKE the fact that there are some comments on my BLOG! hey! Makes me feel noticed.
Love,
sista Cindy
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