Dying, One Part at a Time

I had scheduled a dental appointment today, for a re-crowning of an existing crown. This was a tooth that had a root canal already and a crown, and now had decay underneath. My dental insurance does not cover crowns but it was needed, and more are coming.

I went this morning at 8:00 a.m. and the doctor started. It was hard work removing the existing crown, and after 45 minutes, he took off his glasses, took off his gloves and turned to me and said, “There’s no reason to continue, there’s nothing more I can do”.

In a Doctor drama this would be the defining moment of the movie when they open the patient up on the operating table and look inside and declare, “There’s no reason to continue, there’s nothing more I can do”.

After a few awkward moments of discussion, it became clear that no matter what the solution, the first step was removing the tooth. The stub that was left was not to stay, even though I suggested solutions with plaster or chewing gum or perhaps a “flipper”, this tooth was going out.

With a phone call they were able to arrange a visit to the dental surgeon at 11:00 a.m., which gave me time to go to work, deal with a few people and some email, pick up my daughter and a friend from high school exams, drop them at home and get back to the new dentist.

I filled in forms and signed my life away, and was ushered into the room. The tooth next to the offending stub had just added a filling and this new dentist was given instructions not to use that tooth as a fulcrum for removal of the leftover stub. This created additional problems as the removal now had to use many tools. These tools came out and went into my mouth like the tool section of Canadian Tire. He used knives and drills and levers and pliers and finally the pieces came out and I was through.

I was sewn up, given gauze and instructions and sent packing. I was given Tylenol 3, which I’m on as I write this story, although I asked (at both dental offices) for medical marijuana, but to no avail.

I will get an implant or a bridge or a piece of chewing gum, or plaster or a flipper eventually, but for now let the healing begin! It’s back on the lower right and the filling and probably the extraction should be covered by insurance. I have another crown scheduled in a few weeks, a Valentines Day present, and let us hope that this part has not yet died!

Getting old sucks! We all know that, but I expected to be hit by the bus or shot by the jealous husband, not to die one part at a time!