I now wear my crown daily; why dentists are not so bad after all.
My ten-o-clock appointment at this new dentist began quite normal; completing personal data forms, signing disclosure agreements, submitting to blood pressure tests and intraoral x-rays (the x-ray film is inside the mouth). The dental assistant then walked me over to the ‘work room’ where the dentist started on his work with anesthetic of course. Light, camera, action. Having replaced a silver filling on number 12 which I had forever it seems, the dentist proceeded to remove the crown on number 13 which needed replacing. I wondered myself about those numbers and was told that the numbering starts with number 1, which is upper right third molar and continues along the upper teeth toward the front and across to the last molar tooth back on the top left side (number 16) then descending to the lower left third molar (number 17) and follows the lower jaw up to the tooth farthest back on the bottom right side of the mouth (number 32). All teeth that should be there are numbered, including those teeth that have been removed for any reason or have not erupted yet (e.g. wisdom teeth).He took pictures at every stage using a camera which closely resembled a thermometer. Then came the news I did not want to hear. The seal of the crown was broken, and the root canal was probably compromised. He suggested that I retreat, (redo) the root canal before placing a crown on it. While he cleaned and disinfected number 13 and prepared a temporary crown, the office manager made an appointment at an endodontist nearby.
I left the first office at around 12:30 and then went home to rest and eat until my 3:30 appointment. I drove for just about 10 minutes and arrived in time to check in again; complete information forms and disclosures. In addition to the intraoral x-ray I also did a 3D scan with my bullet proof vest on, sorry x-ray lead apron. After this my endodontist made a quiet but professional and calm appearance. He explained, with the use of the x-rays what he saw and informed me that the plan was to remove the old root canal filling, clean the canal and then fill it with new filling. I was again anesthetized, but this time the inner gum as well, which hurt tremendously. He was composed as he looked through a microscope using his hands robotically while making requests of his dental assistant. My anxiety which is customary for me at any dental visit quickly turned to joy. I was so comfortable I felt I was at the beach, sunglasses on, reclining on my beach chair. I relaxed to the point of using my phone to take photos of the happenings.
Following this retreatment, I then drove back to the original dentist, got in my chair again and waited for the finish line. Another round of anesthetic was followed by building a post upon which the new crown was to be placed. This is where it got even more interesting. The dentist then used the camera along the surfaces of my upper and lower teeth. This information was then uploaded to a computer programme which showed what my normal bite was. The red areas represented where I placed more pressure when I bite. He used this to build a 3D picture of the crown and once he was satisfied, the printer milled it. It is like a 3D printer but instead of building from the ground up, it starts with a square shaped substance and then removes the pieces until the finished product is formed. This technology is called CEREC and takes about two hours to prepare the tooth area, design and mill the crown, as well as take x-rays. There are no gooey impressions as with traditional crowns and does not require multiple visits. With a new number 12 and number 13, I proceeded to the pharmacy nearby to collect my antibiotics, and pain and inflammation reducer for which the prescription was sent beforehand. I literally opened and closed the dental office that day.
I woke up the following day looking like a chipmunk. I am now fully recovered and totally amazed at the advances in technology I experienced. My dislike for dental procedures was instrumental in the ultimate decision to do filling, root canal and crown all in one day, which I hope to not repeat. I am no doubt queen of dental patients, wearing my crown every day.
Covid19: April 1st tomfoolery
My brother’s best friend who now lives in Boston was flying to his native country Grenada, the Spice Island to get married. The wedding was planned for Easter Monday 2020 to the bride to be who resides in Grenada. In early November 2019 tickets were purchased for eleven passengers to depart April 1st from Seattle to Grenada via New York and life continued at the usual pace until the time was nigh.
Then boom, Mr. Covid19 made history in Seattle by registering the first deaths in the United States. Seattle, Washington seated on the northwestern coast of the US is home to many Asians and maybe it should not have come as a surprise that the state would be hit first. Even though the very first case in the US was in Seattle on January 21st, 2020, it was not taken seriously until February 29th when the first death was widely reported. Despite this, we still planned on going even with all this happening. I told myself “we have to take precautions, but WE MUST LIVE”.
One death quickly led to sixteen, albeit the majority were linked to the nursing home at the Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington. About a week, with a cruise ship quarantined off the California coast, senior citizens especially those with compromised immune systems were advised not travel for long distances, not use public transportation and to not cruise. Our party included two members in their seventies, one who has had or presently has every possible ailment including diabetes, and cancer. Another member suffers from lupus, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue. There were also three children aged three years and below in the group. My mom who is in Grenada discouraged us from coming because she did not trust that we could remain safe since we would have to be cooped in an aircraft for over ten hours in total. Also, there was the possibility that we may be quarantined at the isolation ward of the general hospital upon arrival since we were flying from the coronavirus epicenter in the United States. A hospital quarantine was unlikely given the large group size and the relatively limited beds available. Home quarantine was more probably but it meant having fourteen days of ‘quarantine vacation’.
So, despite the planning, the prospects of enjoying a Grenadian wedding, the desire for a vacation, the excitement of seeing grandma and Lucy grandma Ann (my three-year-old niece’s reference to her grandma and great grandmother) we let better judgement prevail. What has probably topped off all of this is the Superstar of it all, JETBLUE. We purchased the tickets in early November 2019 but JETBLUE cancelled all our tickets without penalty nor fees and gave us a year to use the credit of about US$7000 for future trips. Now I understand what they meant when they talked about peace of mind in this season of Coronavirus. Meanwhile we have prepared by stocking food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and medications. Work from home has become the order of the day as major companies, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft have instructed employees to telecommute. Universities including the University of Washington and some school districts have closed with the former conducting online classes. Covid-19 has truly changed the way we live but at this point the horse is already out of the stable and it will have to run its course. Then and only then will we resume some sort of normalcy and take a most deserved post Covid-19 vacation for real, no tomfoolery this time.
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