Dental Dramas: The Complete Chronicles, Part 1
I've promised this run-down to a few people who are curious, so I figured I'd might as well post it here. Right now, my life it totally revolving around going to the dentist. I hate going to the dentist. I'm going to tell this story in pieces, for the sake of clarity and also because it will need to be continued a little bit at a time.
1) On May 15th, I cracked a tooth (a rear molar, specifically). I remember the date because it was the day before my Teachers College graduation. I panicked at the time but it didn't really hurt because the nerve wasn't exposed. At the time, I didn't have any dental insurance, so I figured I'd wait until after graduation and then try to figure something out. Of course, since I wasn't in any pain I kept putting that off until I figured I'd might as well wait until I started the job at NYCA, and got insurance.
2) I started the job at NYCA and did *not* get dental insurance.
3) I put off figuring something out until last week, when suddenly a bit more of the tooth crumbled, exposing the nerve. I still wasn't really in pain but it seemed like I would be soon if I didn't get it taken care of ASAP. So:
4) I took Friday off from work and went to the clinic at the Columbia dental school, which has emergency care for not too much money (see point #2, above). I arrived at about 8:45 in the morning. At 9:45 after filling out a bunch of papers and waiting a bunch, I got a very brief examination and was told that I probably needed a root canal. Dentist #1 sent me upstairs to Endodontics, where I was placed in a chair and informed by Endodontist #1 that he would give me an emergency pulpectomy.
Note A: A pulpectomy is a partial root canal, in which they remove just the top, exposed part of the root, which is where most of the pain is felt, followed by a temporary filling.
Note B: The miracle of novocaine is such that I felt NO pain at any time during the entire process. It was actually kind of amazing, and the dentist was super-cool and gave me the option (which I took) of having him explain everything he was doing.
Note C: If anyone is curious, feel free to ask for the anecdotes about how wonderful Isaiah was during the whole experience.
5) Endodontist #1 told me that I was going to need a crown, but in order to set that process in motion I would have to first get myself assigned to a
general dentist for a treatment plan. So I went back down to Registration to do so, and was granted an appointment for 1:00 that afternoon. I returned at 1:00 as expected.
6) At *2:00*, after a series of phone calls from Registration to Endodontics to get my file back, I was called in. I met with Dentist #1 and some other dentist for about 3 minutes, whereupon I was told that I should go back out to the waiting room until someone called me in to Radiology. Half an hour later, the finally called me in.
7) I sat for a series of 18 x-rays. Then I made an appointment with Dentist #2 to do an exam and treatment plan. Because the clinic doesn't have many evening hours, I had to make an appointment for Monday afternoon, requiring me to leave work early. Since I'm limited to this place that will give me discounted treatment (again, see point the second, above), I had to take it. Then, exhausted and practically hysterical at the thought of all the moeny and time off from work I'd have to take, I finally got to go home.
8) Monday afternoon: I returned to the clinic for my appointment with Dentist #2. During this appointment she did a procedure called a probe, in which a sharp metal thing with measurement marks is pushed into the gumline in order to measure how deep the space is, apparently an indicator of periodontal (gum) health. It's not so bad at first, but this measurement has to be taken in *six* place on *every* tooth in the mouth. She also looked at my x-rays, asked questions, looked at teeth, and called for consultations (remember, she's a student) with Attendings #1 and #2. Finally, she gave me a list of procedures I'm going to need done.
That's the end thus far, but here's the complete list of procedures from beginning to end, because I'm horrified and need to share it:
1) Emergency pulpectomy (done)
2) X-Rays (done)
3) Treatment plan (done)
4) Complete root canal (scheduled for November 8th)
5) Crown-lengthening procedure (they're going to remove a piece of my bone to make space)
6) Post-core construction (they're going to build a gold structure on which to build a crown)
7) Crown
8) Cleaning
9-?) Fillings for various cavities I apparently had no idea I had
Keep in mind the following equation: Each of these procedures requires a separate visit to the clinic + My appointments have to be during working hours + I'm only allowed a paltry *7* paid days off from work ALL YEAR + I'm paying for almost everything out of pocket = MAJOR STRESS.
Updates to come, as the saga continues.
1) On May 15th, I cracked a tooth (a rear molar, specifically). I remember the date because it was the day before my Teachers College graduation. I panicked at the time but it didn't really hurt because the nerve wasn't exposed. At the time, I didn't have any dental insurance, so I figured I'd wait until after graduation and then try to figure something out. Of course, since I wasn't in any pain I kept putting that off until I figured I'd might as well wait until I started the job at NYCA, and got insurance.
2) I started the job at NYCA and did *not* get dental insurance.
3) I put off figuring something out until last week, when suddenly a bit more of the tooth crumbled, exposing the nerve. I still wasn't really in pain but it seemed like I would be soon if I didn't get it taken care of ASAP. So:
4) I took Friday off from work and went to the clinic at the Columbia dental school, which has emergency care for not too much money (see point #2, above). I arrived at about 8:45 in the morning. At 9:45 after filling out a bunch of papers and waiting a bunch, I got a very brief examination and was told that I probably needed a root canal. Dentist #1 sent me upstairs to Endodontics, where I was placed in a chair and informed by Endodontist #1 that he would give me an emergency pulpectomy.
Note A: A pulpectomy is a partial root canal, in which they remove just the top, exposed part of the root, which is where most of the pain is felt, followed by a temporary filling.
Note B: The miracle of novocaine is such that I felt NO pain at any time during the entire process. It was actually kind of amazing, and the dentist was super-cool and gave me the option (which I took) of having him explain everything he was doing.
Note C: If anyone is curious, feel free to ask for the anecdotes about how wonderful Isaiah was during the whole experience.
5) Endodontist #1 told me that I was going to need a crown, but in order to set that process in motion I would have to first get myself assigned to a
general dentist for a treatment plan. So I went back down to Registration to do so, and was granted an appointment for 1:00 that afternoon. I returned at 1:00 as expected.
6) At *2:00*, after a series of phone calls from Registration to Endodontics to get my file back, I was called in. I met with Dentist #1 and some other dentist for about 3 minutes, whereupon I was told that I should go back out to the waiting room until someone called me in to Radiology. Half an hour later, the finally called me in.
7) I sat for a series of 18 x-rays. Then I made an appointment with Dentist #2 to do an exam and treatment plan. Because the clinic doesn't have many evening hours, I had to make an appointment for Monday afternoon, requiring me to leave work early. Since I'm limited to this place that will give me discounted treatment (again, see point the second, above), I had to take it. Then, exhausted and practically hysterical at the thought of all the moeny and time off from work I'd have to take, I finally got to go home.
8) Monday afternoon: I returned to the clinic for my appointment with Dentist #2. During this appointment she did a procedure called a probe, in which a sharp metal thing with measurement marks is pushed into the gumline in order to measure how deep the space is, apparently an indicator of periodontal (gum) health. It's not so bad at first, but this measurement has to be taken in *six* place on *every* tooth in the mouth. She also looked at my x-rays, asked questions, looked at teeth, and called for consultations (remember, she's a student) with Attendings #1 and #2. Finally, she gave me a list of procedures I'm going to need done.
That's the end thus far, but here's the complete list of procedures from beginning to end, because I'm horrified and need to share it:
1) Emergency pulpectomy (done)
2) X-Rays (done)
3) Treatment plan (done)
4) Complete root canal (scheduled for November 8th)
5) Crown-lengthening procedure (they're going to remove a piece of my bone to make space)
6) Post-core construction (they're going to build a gold structure on which to build a crown)
7) Crown
8) Cleaning
9-?) Fillings for various cavities I apparently had no idea I had
Keep in mind the following equation: Each of these procedures requires a separate visit to the clinic + My appointments have to be during working hours + I'm only allowed a paltry *7* paid days off from work ALL YEAR + I'm paying for almost everything out of pocket = MAJOR STRESS.
Updates to come, as the saga continues.