I posted this on another forum yesterday & thought I should share it here..:
" Not the way to start off a new week.".
I couldn't wait to get up this morning..why ? After a restless night, I needed to see if I can get in to see my dentist, for an emergency appt. What ? ? ?
Yesterday it started.. felt like I had a pimple breaking out beneath my nose. Area beneath my nostril was sore to touch.
Thought it might be my tooth..but exploring further, found it was my gum line above my front tooth. UH..OH.
As Sunday progressed, the dull ache intensified, and became a headache. Tylenol was all I had for pain, & it didn't provide much, if any relief.
I've had 2 root canals done in the past,..years ago & decided I wouldn't have another. Why ? Had a couple done more than 20 yrs.ago.
After spending > $1 K having a painful; procedure done, I lost the tooth anyway. ! st time, tooth broke before the crown was finished, & could be installed.
2nd time, a few years later, had another done, painful too, & cost even more. This tooth lasted less than a year, before it broke..
Decided that was it for me & root canals.
Dentist schedule was full, said they'd squeeze me in @ 10:30, after explaining my discomfort. Dental tech took an x-ray, Dentist told me I have an abscess,& need a root canal. She explains what needs to be done & why. By now, I just want it to stop the increasing pain. She called an endodontist..( Dentist that specializes in root canals)..they have a 1:30 appt.. & I take it, hoping that the procedure has improved in the past 20+ years.
Parking lot @ endodontist is mostly empty, a guy is leaving the office as I go in..soon as I get checked in another guy shows up. Busier office than it seemed. Tech takes some complicated images with fancy machine/ camera swirling around my head, repeatedly.Dentist introduces himself, explains what he's gonna do, gives me 2 shots @ my gum line & 1 in roof of my mouth..That one smarts...soon, my nose is numb, along with 1/2 my face. A few min. later, he's getting started, "you'll feel grinding, but shouldn't feel any pain" he says. It's true..until he's almost finished. Starts packing the tooth & pushes upward, to pack the tooth.. & I about jump out of the chair..that really hurt. "Sorry" he says.. I thought I'd feel immediate relief after the procedure..I didn't.
I wonder if it's actually hurting worse..not a good sign, IMO. I go to desk and pay my co-pay, almost $500.00 ! Total cost for the procedure is almost exactly what I paid for my 1st brand new car! Well, that was back in 1971.. Instructed to apply heat, no cold to the area..& RX for antibiotic was called in for me. I'd ridden my bike to the dentist, so that distracted me, & was a warm sunny day for the short ride home.
Home, wife's trying to get me to feel better ( good wife)..applying heat goes seem to help,another dose of Tylenol & I feel a little better.
Keep reapplying heating pad to area & a few hrs later, most the pain is gone, or greatly diminished. Whew !
Not back to normal, but can rub my nose w/o jumping from pain, & headache mostly gone. Wife picked up RX & started taking antibiotic. have to return to endodontist in 2 wks., then my regular dentist for finishing the work done started by endodontist.
9:15 pm & Just got a call from the endodontist, asking how I was doing Much better I said, & told him I'm taking back all the negative thoughts I had about him. (He laughed) Told me "they can can be painful.." Really ?
Not the best way I can think of, to start off a new week, but I'm hopeful it's going to get better..
added today : ... I'm feeling much better ,amazing how quickly things can change.
Antibiotics, warm compresses after an "uncomfortable " procedure & I feel mostly back to normal. ( .almost )