Wisdom tooth-1, Genea-0

Hello friends!

I had hoped I would be down for the count today after visiting the dentist this afternoon, but alas I am not.  So here is what happened. I worried myself sick until my appointment at 1pm. Upon arriving I did my new patient paper work and waited to be seen. I was a wuss and asked if I could bring my husband in the room with me, to my surprise they agreed. 

I sat in the chair for my x-ray where they used the small film to only capture 3 teeth(one of which was the bothersome one). The dentist came in and introduced himself and told me he was going to tell me what he saw in the x-ray. On a flat panel screen that hung from the ceiling  my back 3 teeth were displayed. My widsom tooth was indeed at a very crookedy angle with a dark spot on the inside corner. 

The dentist explained to me that the tooth had a cavity almost to the nerve and that each part of the root curved inwards making it a PITA to get out. He said that he could still pull the tooth, but that it would take him much longer since he would have to break it into a few pieces to get it out. They took 2 more x-rays and then began giving me the nitrous that finally began to calm my nerves. I was a total wreck the more and more he told me how complicated the tooth would be to remove. I put on my headphones and cranked them to the loudest volume I could get. I didn't want to hear the awful noises that would soon be coming from the inside of my head!

After a few minutes I could feel my feet tingle, and the nitrous in my nostrils felt cool. I began to feel relaxed(what is that feeling? I pretty much NEVER relax). The dentist returned to the room and began talking with Ricky. I could hear what they were saying. It didn't sound positive. I told myself to ignore it at first, and then fished my headphones off of one ear. I ended up getting it caught on my orbital piercing(this is a large hoop that goes from the inside cartilage of the top part of my ear to the middle cartilage of my ear). The assistant helped me take the ear piece out. My motor skills were all jelloy from the nitrous.

The dentist began explaining to me that he didn't feel comfortable doing the extraction after further examining the x-rays. He said he didn't want to send me out of the office traumatized. He said that I would have to go to an oral surgeon. He explained how he would have to do the extraction and how when he was wiggling on the tooth to pull it out it was VERY close to the nerve. His fear is that he would hit the nerve and cause numbness in the lower portion of my face that might not come back for a long time if at all. 

He had also told me that I had an infection pocket right by the root of the tooth and that my pain was coming from the root hitting the pocket when I hit my teeth together. He said that the cavity in the wisdom tooth would cause it to break and that that tooth had also given the molar in front of it a cavity as well. He told me that after I got the wisdom tooth pulled, that I should get the molar filled soon after.

I appreciated his honesty. He filled me a prescription for Percocet for the pain and Amoxicillin for the infection and gave me a few referrals for oral surgeons.  I called around and one office was closed until Monday and the other was booked until Wednesday. I also found out I was short a bit of money and would now have to get some things figured out to make a few more bucks to cover it. Unfortunately they can't give you an exact estimate for the tooth. I guess pulling them ranges from $117-$220(which mine in the condition it is sounds like it may be the higher end), then they want to take a panoramic x-ray that is $92, and then $107 for the office visit and other stuff. I did find out that nitrous was included, and that they are experts and it really only takes them a few moments to get teeth out.

So back to the drawing board for me.... Wish me luck.

Much love,

Genea