Dentist

I just got back from the dentist for the third time in as many weeks.

When I looked into finding a dentist that was covered by my insurance, there was only one in Carlisle. Good enough. I spent like a month trying to get in but the women that answered the phone were always so nice and accommodating.

My first trip was just for a cleaning. You have certain expectations when you go for a cleaning. I left feeling like these weren’t exactly met. My teeth were hand scaled and polished. I was told to set up an appointment for the next week for some fillings. Nothing was really explained beyond that. Okay, I thought, I have two cavities. Not a big deal. Not a big deal that x-rays weren’t taken. I figured they would be before the fillings were done.

I went back the next week and had two cavities filled. Wow, it hurt to get my teeth blocked. They numbed the area with gel and then used the novicaine needle thing. Wow did it hurt! Mostly when they did the tooth next to my implant. I think it was because of the metal rod of the implant. No x-rays were taken. I had to argue with the dentist about putting in a white filling in one of my front teeth. He was like, ‘it doesn’t last as long.’ And I wanted to be like, ‘So? I’m 27 and getting married in one year.’

Today, I went back to get another cavity filled. Apparently, after my last visit, I had earned a reputation of being a ‘jumper’.  I can’t help that it hurts to have a needle inserted into your gums no matter how small it is! Of course, the cavity that I thought was going to get filled didn’t. And I have to go back in two weeks and get another two cavities filled.

My multiple visits to the dentist have made me think about several things.

If I can, I should keep my appointments to the morning because this afternoon, they weren’t very careful with the instruments. At one point, I know the sucky thing was attached to the tissue underneath my tongue. And I’m pretty convinced that the dentist was trying to break through my jaw with his mirror!

I’m glad that my animals are under anesthesia when I do dentals on them.

I also wonder if I’m as clear to my clients in the afternoon as I am in the morning when I see appointments. I hope so. And in general, I hope I tell my clients everything because I don’t feel like I was told that I have five cavities. Like every week, they keep telling me I have another one and have to go back and get it filled.

I’m not letting Joe go to this dentist because I don’t think he’s very good. He’s nice, but not very through in telling his patients what is going on.