Fill ‘er Up!
Friday night, while flossing my teeth, I managed to pop out a filling from an old cavity. I started freaking out (that I wouldn’t be able to get it filled again until Monday and that the pain would be unbearable) but Randy calmed me down and said not to worry.
For the rest of my weekend I kept my tongue over the hole to prevent air from hitting the nerve…and because it felt neat. Fortunately, it was an unseasonably warm weekend and there was never any pain.
Yesterday morning I went in to have it replaced. There was no pain – and he replaced it with one of those white fillings. Why aren’t all fillings done this way? The dentist said, material wise, it only costs about $10 more (yet insurance companies charge $50 – $100 more). I guess it’s a little loop hole the insurance companies use by considering it “cosmetic” if you use white.
Anyway, I was numb the rest of the morning. Then once the Novocain wore off, I could feel the “bruise” caused by where the needle went in. Fun. Oh, and because I was so tense while the dentist was drilling (cleaning out the hole to prep it for the new one) I managed to end up with a sore neck. Man, I must have really been stiff. I do recall him reminding me to breathe, though.
Still, I got together with Jen and Randy last night for dinner in the North End (at Jen’s favorite place, Mother Anna’s). mmmm – and now I have left-overs for lunch today.
Life is good.
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“For the rest of my weekend I kept my tongue over the hole to prevent air from hitting the nerve…and because it felt neat.”
LOL you are such a geek!
Glad you had no pain Karl, and yea those clear fillings are amazing, you can’t even tell there is a cavity!
*hugs*
Hmmm…first off, you like your dentist/where is he? He sounds cool – as someone having congenitally English teeth (remember the dentist on “The Simpsons” threatening Bart & Lisa with “The Big Book of British Smiles”?!), I’m desperately looking for a talented-craftsman-type, pleasant dentist who’s roughly my own age (30s-40s) and here in the city or nearby, not out in the godawful exurbs or such…so, all recommendations on that basis most welcome…(I’ve heard of plenty who are someplace inconvenient, or 65+ and either not accepting new patients or about to retire – no good – I need someone I like for the long haul…had a hot S. African guy when I was in college, but he left that practice…and would probably be quite a bit older now, anyway…).
ANYway – actually commenting to note, as a guy with lots of old fillings & problem teeth – if this happens again, where you have a weekend or a few days to get through w/o access to dentistry – get a bottle of clove oil (any naturefoods section – like the health/beauty aids part of Whole Foods – will have it) – it’s a natural, quite powerful local dental anesthetic. Yeah, your mouth will taste like a slightly numb cooked ham all the time, but it beats screaming pain (I was stuck in Britain – on a long vacation/tour – right after college, there for about six weeks, and a cap failed internally – they shoulda done a root canal and didn’t – this is how I got by in the land of hot tea, daily, etc.).
Oh, my – in retrospect, I guess my “kept my tongue over the hole” line sounds rather dirty.
And Fred – though this dentist was good, it was my first time with him. I go to Mass General Dental Group. I’ve had the same hygienist for the past 6 years…but I’ve never had the same dentist more than twice (they get promoted a lot in that place).
So, if you’re looking for an actual dentist you’ll have forever, this may not be the place. It’s not as big of a deal to me since my I rarely see the dentist…it’s he hygienist I have the “relationship” with.
Yes, it DID sound rather dirty–in a good way. 🙂
Just a quick note as to why Dentists don’t routinely use the composite fillings (obvious insurance reasons aside)…when you have a filling done in the back of your mouth, like on a molar, the amalgams have a much better track record as far as how long they last and not to mention they are not as sensitive. I had a composite done on a molar (with the fleeting thought that since I worked for a dentist, I could get ALL my silver fillings replaced and have a PERFECT smile). Well…5 months after getting that white filling, I had it replaced because it was just so sensitve. It was torture while it was in. Aside from the fact that it was a small filling, I can’t even imagine the discomfort of having it done on a sizeable one! OUCH!!
So, that is why they generally don’t do them on rear teeth, and save them for the front!
Glad it all worked out for you!