Unexpected Visit to the Dentist

January 24, 2018

If you've ever had a bad experience at the dentist--I mean a horror movie torture device kind of bad experience, not your run-of-the-mill dentist experience--then you probably have an aversion to the dentist's office.  If you've had more than one excruciating, heart-pounding, sweat-inducing, nightmarish dental procedures, then you're like me, and a dental emergency can send you into a frightening emotional tailspin.  (Okay, no lie--my heart rate has gone up just typing these words!)

So I'm having a late night snack last night. (Don't judge--yes, I know that's not especially in keeping with my goal of losing weight, but just wait. Karma got me for it, so I guess that will teach me!)  I take a bite of a potato chip and CRACK! As I bit down I heard and felt my crown on one of my front teeth crack and break off.  Like it broke off a third of the crown.  It wasn't one of my very front top two, but it was one right next to those, so, you know, it's pretty prominent.  Luckily I didn't feel any pain, but I didn't want to stand up in front of my classes and teach all day with a third of one of my very visible teeth missing.  Knowing I'd have to go to the dentist to get it fixed pretty immediately sent me into the aforementioned tailspin, and I slept terribly all night.

As soon as I got to work this morning, I called my dentist VOLUNTARILY and asked to come in, and they said they could squeeze me in for an evaluation right after I got out of school.  (I was self-conscious about my tooth all day in class.)  The evaluation part was important, because I usually need to steel myself for a few days before an actual dental procedure, so I felt okay about going in. Once I got there and they examined the tooth and took x-rays, they said they'd need to take off the remainder of the crown, reset it, and order a new one.  They said they had the ability to do it right then, since I was there and they had had a cancellation.  No prep time, no steeling myself.  Spinning, spinning, heart rate running out of control...but it had to be done.  There was no escaping. I gave her the okay, but she asked me several times if I was sure I was okay.  These folks there know me.  I'm sure they've got warning signs all over my chart, so they're extra watchful of my body language.  It belies everything.  I try to pretend to be calm and collected, but they all know better.  I was going to need numbing shots with no preparedness ahead of time (I'm seriously needle-phobic, y'all), but they treated me with kid gloves and were generous with the numbing gel before the shots, so that I wouldn't go haywire.  One I got through that, then came the incredibly loud, super high pitched and obnoxious sound of the drill grinding out my tooth and setting my nerves on edge, making me tense every muscle in my body.  It's really one of the very worst sounds in the world.  I imagine these drills are in pretty plentiful supply in the torture chambers of hell, if only for the sound alone!  (I really should allow time for a massage any time I have to go to the dentist, by the way.  I always am in need of something to unknot my knots after the dentist.)  I dug my nails into the skin on the palms of my hands every time the grinding started up again, trying to concentrate on maintaining a regular and slow breathing pattern until it stopped.

Do I sound like a baby?  Like a whiner?  I don't care.  That's what my experience is whenever I go to the dentist.  They finally finished drilling and got the imprints for my new crown.  The rest of the process was easy, and the heart and breathing returned somewhat to normal.  They set me up an appointment for two weeks from now (I have to come back!) to replace the temporary with the new and permanent crown.  God willing, there will be no drills involved, so that's good.  So that's how I spent my afternoon today--at one of my least favorite places in the world.  And believe it or not, today was one of the easier days I've had at that office.  I'm sure they just love me there and can't wait until my return in two weeks.