It's almost over ... x2!

I am 10 questions and 8 participation posts away from summer break! I’m not certain anything else needs to be said about that.

Today was a return trip to one of my least favorite places to go, the dentist. My first visit was a little over a week ago where I had one new cavity filled and three existing fillings replaced/repaired. Painful I know, but better to do all four at once than break it up into two separate appointments. Trust me, I wouldn’t have gone back to get the last two fixed after the way my jaw has felt for the past week. I have been trying to tough out the severe pain and constant throbbing on the left side of my face where much of the work was done. Last Sunday I decided I couldn’t stand it any more, had waited long enough for the nerve to repair itself naturally, and it was time to go back to the dentist. Monday morning I also discovered the root of the pain, pun very much intended. I got something stuck on my tooth and was not able to get it off with my tongue, so I slid my finger back there to clean the side of my tooth and discovered that a tiny little crack on the back side of the tooth hadn’t been filled in when the filling was repaired a week earlier. YEOUCH! I called the office for an emergency appointment and took a few more Advil to stop the pain created when I slid my fingernail into that tiny crevice accidentally.

Today I stopped at the dentist office on my way into work and dug my finger tips into the arm rests of the chair while she slid the mirror back to take a look. Metal just millimeters from an open channel to an irritated nerve is certainly enough to make me want to spring from the chair and cling to the ceiling. However, I sat as still as I could and was relieved when she told me she could see the crack, there was no drilling required, and she could fill it with no shot of Novocain. In fact, she didn’t even need the topical numbing jelly either.

Have you ever had a tooth filled without being numb? It was certainly a different experience, and I am not certain I would choose to have my teeth drilled without being numb, but it was relatively quick and, except for the already painful tooth and gum, was painless. There were times when my jaw ached from being held open too far, and my cheek didn’t stretch far enough a few times to get the required tools far enough in the back of my mouth, but it wasn’t bad. When she was all done, she slid the mirror back there to check the work, and I didn’t feel a thing!

Hopefully this is the last I have to deal with this and the ache in my jaw will subside in a day or two. If not, I have a prescription for an anti-biotic and a follow-up appointment in two weeks to check on this tooth and discuss options, including removal of the dang thing since I am under no circumstances having a root canal on a molar I hardly ever use and no one ever sees! Not that I want to lose the tooth, but it’s on the top jaw and the last tooth, really when do you use it other than crushing nuts which could be done on the right side of my jaw instead?

Sometimes I think just pulling all of them and getting a full set I can take out nightly might be easier, but I doubt Jen would appreciate kissing me with no teeth!