Yesterday was the big day. I had to go back to the dentist to get my root canal finished.
It all started back in January. The day my parents arrived for a two week visit, I noticed pretty major pain in one of my molars. After a few days I went to a Lebanese dentist in our city, who was reported to be the best in the city, cleanest, most reliable. So we went. It was terrible, and we left after the initial consultation because he refused to work on me while I was crying. (I had gone in thinking I just needed a cavity filled, and he abruptly informed me it was quite possibly a root canal.) I was also about 8 weeks pregnant at the time.
Thinking he was the only real option for a dentist here, we finally went back a few days later to have him work on my tooth. Well, he was less gracious the second time, and at one point we almost walked out - while I had an open nerve in my mouth. I was so stressed and scared, and was crying, then he would yell at me to stop crying, which of course made me cry more. Then he would tell me that he could not work on me while I was crying, because he was too sensitive! Then, he would tell Stewart that he should have better prepared his wife!!
Phew. Eventually he put a temporary cap on the tooth and let us go. (We had decided against the necessary x-ray at that point, because of my pregnancy, so the best he could do was cap it.) I was supposed to return after a month to have a new temporary cap put on it. Fat chance!
Thankfully a friend told me about a local dentist who did a very good job, and was very gentle and friendly. Still, I couldn't work up the courage to go until a few days ago when the cap came off my tooth. It was time.
I am soooo thankful that my friend was right about the dentist! He was very nice and gentle. He encouraged me to relax as he investigated the situation. Probably thanks to the fact that I had left the temporary cap in place for 2.5 months, instead of one month, one of the roots has become infected. He prescribed an antibiotic, and now I go back next week to have the root canal done. The only problem? The antibiotics may as well be horse pills. Ug.
I'll keep you posted about the root canal next week... until then, please don't tell me your root canal horror stories!
Ok I'll do my best not to tell a horror story, but I kid you not in January...I HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN and I kid you not, I was in the exact same boat.(Pain, drill, nerve, infection, temporary cap etc.)
ReplyDeleteIm sure the denists ARE differen't where you are, but I expirienced the same things. (The crying, the anxiety, the dentist telling me I needed to be heavily sedated for him to even work on me yadda yadda)
I switched over to someone I trusted more and had the procedure done. Honestly, it sounds worse then it actually is. If you are frozen enough...and just ask for LOTS of freezing and wait till it all sets in, you will be FINE! It's just a longer and more involved procedure than say, a filling.
Also, the antibiotics WILL calm the nerve and it wont be so "hot" or painful when they go in there next time.
I was just at the dentist yesterday, as they were prepping that tooth for the crown, and was totally thinking about how big of a deal I made it.
I understand completley how you feel, but trust me...you'll be ok! I'll be praying for peace, and a quick and painless appointment next week.
Oh Honey, I love you so much. My heart goes out to you, as I, too, dread going to the dentist. But, I found a dentist who has helped me overcome my fear, as she is so very kind. With a kind dentist and no infection, this next procedure should be much easier than the first. Praying.
ReplyDeleteCharisa, I can so relate to your "love of dentists" as I have that same issue. However we thankfully have a wonderful dentist who is kind and gentle and even loves fishing!! I will pray that this will go well for you. Thankfully God cares about our dental experiences and I believe there will even be a few dentists in heaven:) Love, Auntie Coke
ReplyDeleteI had to do the root canal thing a few years back. I went in for a consultation, and left frozen and with the process half done. She was GREAT...They aren't all scary.
ReplyDeleteAndrea
I have to get a root canal next Monday and am currently taking antibiotics ( probably that same horse pill). I am incredibly nervous too even though I have no reason to be since I am without dental horror stories. Good luck with it !
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