Adventures at the dentist

Friday when I went to the dentist I was referred to an endodontist. Now, I had no idea what an endodontist was and was too embarrassed to ask and figured I probably didn't want to know right at that second.

Here is a definition found at Answers.com

n. (used with a sing. verb)

The branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of the tooth root, dental pulp, and surrounding tissue.

[ENDO– + (ORTHO)DONTICS.]

endodontic en'do·don'tic adj.

endodontist en'do·don'tist n.

So... basically a specialist in root canals. I have only had two cavities my entire life and the largest amount of work done in my mouth was braces when I was 12 and 13, which was a nightmare alone for me. I was petrified.

Technically, my appointment was supposed to be tomorrow morning but in the wee early morning hours today my tooth took a turn for the worse and I basically thought I was going to die. I have never felt pain like that before. It was continuous, throbbing, aggravating pain. I was going through bags of ice and I think it was making it worse, yet the only thing making it feel better. If that makes any sense at all. Which, I am aware it doesn't.

I called one of my assistants and she immediately told me not to worry about work and go back to bed. (By the way, this is the assistant I was having troubles with awhile back, she's doing amazingly better. I'm so proud of her). Then I called the endodontist to see if I could get squeezed in today. I think the receptionist could tell I was in quite a bit of pain by my, uhhhh, pathetic teary voice and she got another doctor to agree to see me over the lunch hour. Thank gooooodness!

So, at 12:15 I was sitting in the lobby waiting with my big glass of ice, ice pack pressed against my face, pajamas's (I at least changed my shirt), no makeup and greasy hair. I'm sure I was a sight, but you know what? I didn't care. You just don't care about that stuff when you're feeling some of the worst pain of your life.

The dentist immediately seemed to know what was wrong and guess what! I didn't need a root canal! Although, I think what I got done was pretty similar or maybe I'm just giving myself too much credit!

When I had a bad cavity last year (that I let go for waaaay too long) I had to get a crown to cover it. When they put the crown on I guess they didn't get all the bacteria out of the tooth. How that happens? I have no idea. Don't they basically drill that tooth down to practically nothing and then cover it? Anyway, moving on. They did a filling through the crown! I was so relieved that they didn't need to remove the entire crown and start over. That would have been awful and expensive!

I'm so grateful he could get me in today, I'm sure I would be feeling like death warmed over right about now if I hadn't gone in today. I'm so lucky my staff took care of things for me and I don't have a thing to worry about! Also, since I haven't used any of my 40 hours of paid sick leave I'm taking tomorrow too. So tomorrow will be my fourth day in a row of laying around doing nothing. Ha! I'm so lazy. :)

Thank you to everyone that has sent me messages asking how I was or hoping my tooth gets better soon! You made me smile! :)

So, I'm curious. Are you afraid of the dentist? Have you had an major work done?