Monday, June 20, 2011

New Smile


The past few weeks have been the most scary weeks I ever remember. I have been horribly afraid of dentists since I was a child. Mother seemed to feel this was not a good place to spend money so she would always send us to the cheapest dentist she could find. That meant no novacaine and so on when we would go. As the years went on the fear overrode common sense and I never took proper care of my teeth. The end result was a 4 week train wreck of fear.
I was able to obtain dental coverage and swallowed my fear almost 5 weeks ago. I called the dentist office and while hardly able to get the words out because of my fear told them my story and asked for help. Thanks to a really sweet gal on the other end of the phone I took the first step and went in for the checkup and x-rays. Then the dreaded dentist came in and sat down next to me. There is a sweetness in her smile and eyes and a calmness about her that is catching. She asked me what my hope was. I said I wanted to smile pretty. She asked how I felt about dentures. I said she was the boss. She told me that judging by my x-rays that was my only choice. Paperwork was submitted to the insurance for approval to do this. Now comes the four week wait! Want to improve the unemployment situation? Hire more people to review and decide these things so people like me don't have to wait so long. I got the call on a Monday that it was approved. I went in for a briefing on the procedures. Then, we made the appointment for two days later.
On Wednesday I went in after taking two valium to help calm me down. They then crushed three little pills (I forget the name) and placed them under my tongue. I sat there waiting for something to happen. Nothing was. Oh nuts!! Am I not going to be able to do the gentle dentistry thing?? The dentist comes by putting her hand on my shoulder and simply says to relax and close my eyes. I finally did. Then horror of horrors I came to enough to feel her doing the shots!! Oh Lordy I hate those shots!! I cried. Then I fell asleep again. I did become mind conscious at one point as she was yanking the teeth out of my head and remember crying. Then I was out again. Didn't wake up until sometime later when Leah was there urging me to take some yogurt and juice. I went to sleep again and have no remembrance of coming home. I woke up about 10 that evening.
The sheet they had me read before all this told of what I was not to do afterwards. Well, apparently I didn't pay attention. At some point after I got home I went down stairs to get my Motrin. Apparently I was in some pain. When the people taking care of me found I went down the stairs and back up again they got pretty upset with me. I got grounded for 2 weeks!! Yikes!! Two whole weeks!!
The first day post-op I was a tad sore, but if I stayed on schedule with the Motrin I did just fine. I avoided the mirror that day. I did not want to see myself. The next day I felt better and did look in the mirror. Horror of horrors!!! My lips are gone!!! What the heck?? I wasn't supposed to lose my lips!! I am told I will get them back when I get my new teeth. They better be right!! Oh! And that hollow mouth!! Yikes! Not good. I wont go out in public until I have my teeth!! Bad enough I have to put up with people coming by for the weekend. I did find I could eat. If I mashed certain things good I could get them down. Of course that means I wont lose the weight I thought I would. So far I have lost only four pounds. Darn :( As the weekend went on my mouth felt better and I was sleeping better. Thankfully the people I was in contact with all weekend didn't make jokes, didn't shy away and made like it was all like it was before the extractions. Thank you one and all for making it less self conscious for me.
Today was the day for the impressions. Now there is an experience!! I go in, sit in the chair and start to shake as I hear the sounds of metal rattling around behind me. Now comes some of that fear!! I don't like loud noises like that in a dentist's office! The very nice tech comes around my chair and comes at me with a bedpan to shove in my mouth!! What the heck is this??? Of course I tense up expecting pain and who knows what. This heavy metal bedpan is for what?? Well, that one didn't go in and I nearly choked to death. Ok, lets do another one! By the third one I realized I wasn't having the pain I anticipated, but the third one jabbed me in the gum really hard. Ooops!! Pain there! Ok-wrong size! She tries another and it is larger and didn't hurt, but I do have a small mouth. Lets figure out how to fit this sucker in. Finally we get one that works. Ok. Top done. Here comes the bedpan for the bottom! Ah! That goes a tad easier, but it sure feels big and heavy. Mind you, no one told me what getting impressions was like or all about! Then she comes back with the bedpan and this time it is full! I mean super full with this pink stuff with a slight hint of peppermint. Now that gets pushed into my mouth and pressed hard for about 1-2 minutes. Now, there is a trick that has to be performed at this point. Figure out how to breath through your nose, not move your tongue and not gag. I did it though. Not the breathing through the nose part though. Can't do that. Then came the bottom bedpan again full of goop. She had to press down to hard I had to put my hand under what chin I have and push back up or my chin would have been on the floor. Mind you, she was not being cruel or harsh. This has to be done, but wow! You don't want bedpans in your mouth and they be full of pink goop. I have an appointment to go back tomorrow afternoon for the soft wax fitting. This should be interesting. They said there will be teeth in it and I will get my first look at how I will look with pretty teeth. Now I am excited.
My big point to this writing is to help people see what happens when you don't take care of your teeth. Go to your dentist. Just brushing and flossing isn't enough. If something happens to a tooth get it taken care of. You don't want bedpans full of pink goop shoved in your mouth!! More to come after tomorrow's adventure.

No comments: