So this started out to be a normal but painful day, as I had struggled with the crowned tooth all night.... Seems like each night has become more painful...
I took some tylenol and talked to my son for a while on the phone... But it still was hurting.... So I called the dentist.... They said come on over but before noon because we close then.... It was already 11 AM... So after a really quick shower and driving like crazy on the superstition freeway I made it..
The dentist came in and tapped on my newly crowned tooth with a heavy handled tool and sent me to the moon..................! And then broke the news to me that I needed a root canal.... Oh, eww....
He had made an appointment for me at 4:15 at an Endo dentist..... Ya like this afternoon at 4:15...
So without much time to dwell on it, I came home and let biscuit out and was back at the Superstition Mall area again where the Endo Doc was located....
They drilled right thru the new crown like it wasn't there...... The procedure took over 2 hours and it was almost 7 when I was back at Wal Mart getting the really strong pain meds filled....
The novacane has now worn off as I type this, and sleep will require those strong pills...
I will have to go back to the dentist and have the crown repaired again... This is getting expensive... But this afternoon I learned that I do have some dental coverage, and should not have paid so much for the first crown..
I guess I can apply for some money to replace part of what I spent... Today would have been twice as much without the delta dental coverage from AARP..
But then I have made the payments every month for the last year, so that makes it about even...
They keep talking about us freezing here in the next few hours and for the next few days.... So this cold weather is here at the desert as well... I covered the hibiscus bushes again tonight, as I did last night.... I have heavy plastic grill covers that go over them... It worked last year, so I hope it will again... The trees and stuff will all loose their leaves and look bad, but eventually come back ok...
For those that have palm trees, they are usually mostly dead at 25 degrees... There was a lot of that last winter, so I hope we won't get there again....
Retired Rod
I THINK WE HAVE ALL FALLEN INTO THAT ONE BEFORE
8 hours ago
i feel for you with all the dental stuff :( hope you get some relief...take care feel better soon
ReplyDeleteI have debated getting Delta Dental, but worried that the preferred providers for me would be in South Dakota, my official address. My Blue Cross covers a tiny portion of dental work and are going to cover more in the next year. Unfortunately they don't send out booklets that a person can study anymore - you have to create an account to read the stuff online and of course, it never recognizes your password. I hope the pain meds work quickly and well for you. There is no worse pain than dental pain.
ReplyDeleteWow. With all my crowns and root canals I had in Honduras I never really had any pain. Well, now that I think about it, a little for a day or so each time, but with no access to anything other than Alieve, I don't remember any real issue. Then again, time tends to blur all that. :)
ReplyDeleteAwe that is terrible Rod. Hope the pain meds kick in and you can get some relief. I will have to keep watching for your posts. I want you to be able to eat and enjoy when you come for lunch when I make it back to DPS
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ReplyDeleteHey Rod, I deleted first post to fix spelling--I hate when there is a typo! :-) So let's try this again: We're so sorry for your dental adventures. We've had plenty as well including many failed root canals done both in Mexico and the USA--that's the hard part about root canals, there is no guarantee. Now we go to a fantastic dental surgeon in Mesa at Arizona Maxillofacial--his name is Dr. Brinks Austin and I highly recommend him. They have offices both at Brown Road and Superstition Springs (close to the 60). Their phone number is 480-830-5866 and they offer free consultations. They have been voted "best in Phoenix" for a number of years now, and it is well deserved. I now go the dental implant route, rather than any more root canals--it has proven to be a good decision and I have better looking teeth now than I have had in years. Also, Dr. Austin (and all the surgeons there) use IV sedation, so it is completely pain free (I'm a dental phobic, so this is very helpful to me!) I have never had any pain worthy of note after a procedure--have never used more than maybe one dose of Aleve or some Tylenol after dental surgery that involved extraction, placement of bone graft material as well as placement of the dental implant. It does take longer to have all this done as you have to wait for the implant to heal before you get the crown on it, but that also helps spread out the cost of the procedure as well. I can't say enough about Dr. Austin--he is a fantastic person, as well as being trained both as a physician AND a dental surgeon. He is very gifted and the kind of caring professional who is available if there is ever an issue afterwards. I just felt this might be helpful information for you as you continue your dental journey. And by the way, he also has some really skilled colleagues in the same building at Superstition Springs he refers to, a dentist as well as an amazing endodontist who saved one of my husband's Mexican dental implants through a complex cooperative effort with Dr. Austin--nobody thought they could save it but they did.
ReplyDeleteOkay - enough with the pain. I feel so bad for you. I've had many root canals done and I've been lucky. Not much pain. Which is good since I can't take most pain pills. I want to plan a luncheon out with Gordon and Juanita but I'm waiting until you can enjoy it. So would you hurry up - lol. I'm sure you want it to quit hurting a whole lot more than I do.
ReplyDeleteJumpin! I've had ONE root canal in my life. And even though it wasn't THAT bad, I think one was enough.
ReplyDeleteGood thing it happened when it did though, as we were going to Vegas for New Years and it would have been really unfortunate if it had flared up when we were away. As it was, the whole time we were there I had this little nub to distract me, since the crown wasn't ready to be put on yet. Sometimes I still get some "mystery pain" from that area, even though the X-rays show nothing is wrong. I think it's all in my head.
Hopefully getting the crown fixed up will be your last visit for a while.
Sorry for all your dental issues. The one time I had a tooth bad enough to need a root canal I had it pulled. Problem solved for $85.
ReplyDeleteUgh. Hate dentists. Don't even like to hear about these procedures as it brings back painful memories. Too bad the dentist didn't figure out the root canal issue prior to the crown work.
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