Dental Fun: A Maggie's Summertime Scientific Survey

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Saturday, July 16. 2016

Dental Fun: A Maggie's Summertime Scientific Survey

I spent 4 hours in dental chairs yesterday, three with oral surgeon and one with the prosthodontist in the adjacent office.This was not a pleasant experience despite the fact that my oral surgeon and his young gal assistants are like stand-up comics and as anti-PC as can be imagined. Highly-entertaining repartee which would get anyone fired in three minutes in a corporate setting.

I just wish they would quit asking me questions with a mouth full of steel tools. Doc tells me they teach them to to ask questions when you can't answer, when they are in dental school. Says he'd like those sorts of one-sided chats with his wife.

They give me a valium first so I do not jump up and run out of there because dental torture is just not my thing. I tell the doc that what he is doing is against the Geneva Convention and that I intend to report him to the UN.

My teeth have sucked since I was young, despite not being a sweets addict. Also lost a couple playing hockey in high school. Now the fun is about some extractions, implants, bridges. This is needed to be able to eat steak and lobster, and so as not to look like I am from England or West Virginia. It's just a shame that Oxycodone does not make me feel good because I have lots of it.

My dental work is insanely expensive, requires a payment plan. If Obama really cared, he'd pay the bill for me. Sharks have it good. They keep growing new ones.

What are your worst and most expensive dental experiences?

Posted by Bird Dog in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 11:36 | Comments (17) | Trackbacks (0)

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Worst was in my first week in USAF. Had problem teeth with the uppers and the dentist figured it was in the military's best interest just to pull them all out. Not a choice on my part.

#1 ron snyder on 2016-07-16 13:03 (Reply)

I have two retained "baby" teeth. The adult ones are present but hiding and now solidly encased in bone. The fix is to remove the adult teeth, fill the holes with donor bone (cadaver or bovine) and let my body regenerate solid bone so that the implants can get properly anchored. In the meantime the baby teeth will have been removed, so I will have an ugly gap for 6 months before the implant and cover prosthetic are in place.

And no, not covered by insurance. Supposed to run to 5 digits. I am saving now and will start the process once one of the baby teeth decide to fall out or I discover a really good timeline to follow. (I am hoping for some new process or magic)

#2 ama on 2016-07-16 13:33 (Reply)

I'm surprised they didn't go after the adult teeth and pull them down when you were young. Our son had both eye teeth that wouldn't come down and they advised us the situation could lead to cancer later in life. Maybe they were just trying to drum up business for the specialists. The first guy was awful and even took a smack at our son who was younger than ten at the time. Our son had an adverse reaction to "laughing gas" and the whole thing was a disaster after they tried digging the teeth out. The next time I took him to a specialists that had assistants that could help with anesthesia and it made so much difference. They hooked small chains in the teeth and over time ratcheted the teeth into position. That worked until he was in his early thirties and had to have implants put in to replace his own teeth and I think added bone to keep the implants in place.
Good luck.

#2.1 JC on 2016-07-16 17:06 (Reply)

Have a kid with the same problem. The reason you don't pull the baby teeth is that you will end up with moving teeth and horrible bite problems. My kid had his baby tooth pulled and a spacer put in until he gets older and then he will get a post-type tooth put in. But must wait until an adult and all teeth are done including any wisdom teeth.

#2.1.1 MissT on 2016-07-18 14:40 (Reply)

yikes, y'all must be british! (originally:)
my dentist lets us pay a monthly fee ($29) which gets you certain free things twice a year & 15% off any big ticket items - i like that set up - it's way less criminal & less shrouded in mystery than insurance!
i had all 4 wisdom teeth pulled 40 years ago in boot camp - navy dentists were great.
good luck with the teeth.

#3 schweinerei on 2016-07-16 14:24 (Reply)

When I was young and significantly stupider than I am now, I was working on a must-complete project at work and deferred seeing a dentist. Finally, when I had lost hearing in one of my ears due to swelling, I folded up my tent & headed to the dentist. He took one look and said he was sending me to the oral surgeon NOW. Turns out I had four impacted wisdom teeth, which were removed. Two of them were bone impacted. I don't recall the whole procedure, but I distinctly remember the oral surgeon putting his knee on my chest to get better leverage.

Fortunately I quickly learned about deferring healthcare for the benefit of an employer.

To add insult to injury, my boss picked up the work I had laid aside for surgery and munged it up real good. So I came back to a real mess.

#4 JJ Schmidt on 2016-07-16 14:37 (Reply)

Due to severe gum recession my dentist recommended a skin graft, these days they use cadaver tissue. The oral surgeon cut gum tissue from the roof of my mouth to be attached by stitches to the recessed area. Plus, he had to stitch the area where the tissue was removed. The surgeon also needed to etch the tooth bone to help the tissue adhere, this was more painful than the graft. They gave me codeine for pain, but it made me sick. I spent the second half of that day vomiting the blood I swallowed from the procedure, all with a mouth full of stitches.

#5 L.B on 2016-07-16 15:19 (Reply)

Some friends have reported excellent results in having this type of work done in Mexico, often by American-trained dentists, at a price that's much, much more affordable (80% less??) than here in the States. You could take a two-week vacation, pay for flights and lodging, and still probably spend less than half. You've already embarked on a treatment plan, but perhaps others would be interested.

From an American-born realtor I know in Ajijic, Jalisco (where there are thousands of expats):

Dr. [Edgard] Macias is my first choice! I use him and so does all of my family. I just had a very successful and inexpensive root canal there.

Interestingly, my dad goes to Dr. Macias' office every time he visits and this pays for his trip every time...

I have no problem referring him and am happy to do so.

Talented, great English, knowledgeable (often goes to Texas for continuing education), inexpensive, clean, organized, etc.

Hope your friends enjoy their visit here and hope to see you back sometime...

#6 Dan on 2016-07-16 15:54 (Reply)

I recently spent a few days just across the border from McAllen Texas (Progreso is the town) having some dental work done. It was my first experience as a "dental tourist" but I would not hesitate to do it again. My long time dentist wanted about $7k for a root canal, three crowns and a few replacement fillings. My total bill for the work in Progreso, including travel, lodging and a rent car for two one day visits was about $1,800, the dental portion was $1100. Google "dental tourism" - not for everyone (helps if you've visited and enjoy Mexico, not necessarily the Cancun beachfront 5 star resort Mexico iykwim)

#6.1 John Marshall on 2016-07-16 22:58 (Reply)

I needed a wisdom tooth extracted, but it was partially underneath one of my molars. My dentist did not believe in sedation. Rather, he preferred brute force. And so it was that he had his nurse hold my arms back, braced a knee in the center of my chest and said "This is REALLY gonna hurt" as he swung the hammer up against the chisel in my mouth.

And he was right.

#7 Andrew B on 2016-07-16 16:02 (Reply)

My dentist did not believe in sedation. Rather, he preferred brute force.

Malpractice. At the very least he could have administered some benzodiazepine, although that is definitely not a painkiller.

Sorry that happened to ya.

chuck

#7.1 dhmosquito on 2016-07-16 19:33 (Reply)

Holy shite, this started out on a bad note and ended with me swearing so loudly I woke the dog.

That last tale by Andrew B is the stuff of nightmares (( shudder )).

Bird Dog, you a bad man for opening up this can of worms!!!

#8 Browndog on 2016-07-16 17:53 (Reply)

Getting my wisdom teeth out in high school along with neighboring molars which had been deformed by the wisdom teeth growing under them. Eight teeth altogether is my memory. Made the mistake of choosing the local rather than the general anesthetic.

Knew I was in trouble when the dentist said to his dental assistants on either side of me, "Now hold him down!"

Managed to fracture both my upper and lower jaws in the process of getting the wisdom teeth out. Yes they were badly impacted. After, my whole face swelled up and I looked like a chipmunk, started out bright purple and then over the next couple of weeks went through various shades of blues, greens and yellows. Mouth full of gauze because it was still bleeding. They gave me painkiller pills after but they made me throw up, which would also start the bleeding again. I was out of school at least a week I felt so badly.

I also had little pieces of bone working their way out of my gums for 30 years thereafter. Hurts like hell when one of those sharp little bone slivers is trying to migrate out of your gum. A couple I pulled out myself once the end broke through the gum, one I had to go to the dentist to get taken out.

The lesson learned though was to take care of my teeth because I never wanted to go through an experience like that again. I still am very good about getting my teeth checked and cleaned regularly (that's where I'm going this afternoon).

#9 Jim on 2016-07-16 19:35 (Reply)

I'm 65, and still have all my wisdom teeth, though every dentist I ever met wanted them. Mom said we had good teeth because of the hard water when we were young. I think my older brother has never had a cavity.

#10 Randy on 2016-07-17 08:34 (Reply)

Ditto. 68 and have all my wisdom teeth. Above comment resonates...in my hometown in the north country--UP of Michigan--the dentist did not use a local for fillings or anything else. All my cavities until college were done with none. When I finally went to the dentist in college he looked at me like I was from another planet. Only the "rich" in my hometown had braces as kids...I waited until I was in my 40's to get mine straight--took three years.

#10.1 rocdoctom on 2016-07-17 14:11 (Reply)

I had my wisdom teeth pulled in the Navy. One on the lower left was growing in at an angle. The dentist said that it had to be broken up rather than pulled. 14 shots of novocain later, I still felt every minute of it. The Dentist insisted that I couldn't possibly be feeling anything. Ten days later, my jaw was still swollen and gums were still bleeding. Two years later, the lower right tooth was extracted the same way with just one shot with no swelling or bleeding.

#11 jdgjtr on 2016-07-17 15:01 (Reply)

Back in the olden days in Prague, Czechoslovakia, about 1958 or so. Had a loose front tooth that would have come out anyway. It was fun to push at it with my tongue. But Mom dragged me to the dentist who stuck his fingers inside my mouth, grabbed, and yanked until he nearly pulled me out of the chair. I screamed so loud that they might've heard me at the KGB headquarters in Moscow. Haven't been able to love dentists since.

#12 Michael Kubat on 2016-07-17 18:33 (Reply)

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Saturday, July 16. 2016

Dental Fun: A Maggie's Summertime Scientific Survey