I had a checkup at the dentist this week. Recall that I'd scheduled it for about a month ago, but got a call that the substitute hygienist broke her shoulder. No cleaning for me.
Regular hygienist is still away on vacation, sub hygienist is still recovering, so it was the good dentist himself who cleaned my teeth. Seemed a bit strange to have the big chief doing the scraping, but he's actually very personable and humble. He did a good jack-of-all-trades job.
The office recently got a 3D scanner, so the thing spun around my head a bit. After my cleaning, the good doctor summoned me to see my scans. It was like being asked to report to the principal's office.
"Do you have trouble with your sinus?"
Ohmigosh yes.
"Yeah, cuz you don't have any bone there", pointing to the image of the obvious hole in my head. There is a tunnel between my mouth and my left maxillary sinus, from where a tooth used to be.
Honestly, it wasn't anything I didn't already know. Flashback to 2019 when I battled with a bum tooth - #14 for those in the know.
It ended with a gruesome extraction after a failed attempt to save it.
I didn't even care to try to save it, and was ultimately glad to just be rid of the thing. And it continues to haunt me from the grave. When the oral surgeon extracted the tooth, he had to go up into my sinus to get all of it, thus forming the aforementioned "tunnel". I recall it feeling so weird, like my whole face was open to the air.
9 comments:
Holy cow that is some wicked tooth stuff right there. I would get the bone graft while you are still young enough to handle the surgery and healing- Your old lady self will thank you! Believe me- age is not a friend!
Linda Sue, your advice is kinda what the dentist said - do it while I'm not an old lady. Clock's ticking.
We take our teeth for granted until there is a problem in one - it can be really rough.
So, what are you going to do - I read Linda Sue's answer and I kind of agree.
Chatty, the dentist referred me to an oral surgeon with whom I'll probably eventually consult. Meanwhile, I'm consulting with Dr. Google.
Yikes, that does not sound pleasant!! Are you doing the bone graft?
As for the heat index telling you it feels like 106. Why do they do that? When I lived up north they did it for cold. Yes, its 12 degrees I don't need to know how cold it feels I feel it. Now I'm in the south where every day it's in the 100s. I don't need to hear that 106 feels like 112. I know, my body doesn't like it. My grass is brown. Is it winter yet? Ok jumping off my soap box now.
Peggy, I'll probably do the bone graft, but want to see what the oral surgeon says, and I need to find out how much it'll cost out of pocket. Fun times.
Oh my golly gosh! I am shuddering just imagining that treatment!
Liz, me too a little bit. It's why I'm wondering if I can just "let it ride".
That is a Dental Horror Story! I had a Tooth I didn't Wish to Save either, came up during Pandemic and by the time they were seeing Patients again I felt it not worth the expense or anxiety to Save it and just had it extracted. Later I had a Bridge made to put over it, less invasive and cheaper than a Transplant, which, I've heard sometimes go badly so didn't wanna have my own Dental Horror Story. Glad your Cleaning went well, just had mine done too and now have Six Months hiatus before needed to visit again. I don't know how many of us fear Dental visits? I just don't like going even tho' I typically don't have major issues... it's just Scary.
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