Results

Continuing on from the post yesterday, and the results of the appointment...

“You know, they’re not really in bad shape,” he said.

He could have said a lot of things, things which would not have surprised me as greatly as that did. Even the ones with the significant visible decay were not as beyond hope as I had feared.

“I’d like to do a few fillings after the extractions,” he told me, “there’s enough of those teeth left that I think they can still be saved if we get the decay out and get a good, solid filling in there. Maybe some crowns if that doesn't work."

Apparently, teeth really are more resilient than I had been led to believe by prior dentists.

 And apparently, my home care of my teeth in recent years has made a difference. The dentek might not have been so bad a decision as I thought: it kept the teeth intact and the exposed roots covered up, helping to prevent major infections. Those teeth would have been much worse by now if I hadn’t done that. (It’s apparently not a bad option if you are without insurance or need to wait for a long while to get care—it’s better than nothing and I am not the first person to have realized that and used that product this way.)  Mine are somewhat infected right now, but not infected enough to be dangerous. As long as I keep doing what I’ve been doing until the extraction can be done—keeping on with the dentek and daily brushing, advil for pain—I should be fine.

They are going to take all three of the broken wisdom teeth at once. There’s a chance that one or two may shatter during the process and have to be pulled out piece by piece, but he’s hopeful they will stay intact. The fillings will be done later when I have had a chance to heal up a bit. They will put me under for the extractions and will consider nitrous oxide or minor pill form sedation for the fillings so I can avoid panic attacks in their office. They may be able to do the same for future cleanings. There was an abundance of kindness and gentleness among the staff, and a complete absence of shaming. The dentist actually seemed a bit bewildered about how much I had been lectured and harassed before by others in his profession.

“You teeth are really not that bad,” he said, “I’d imagine those back ones are giving you some trouble, but this is far from unmanageable.”

I know it may be just a matter of relativity. He’s seen much worse: there was a man in line in front of me, a kind old farmer, who was seated in the next room over; I had seen his teeth when he talked to the receptionist and it looked like he only had a few of them left. The consequences of chew tobacco—a very common habit in these parts. I overheard the dentist offering options to the man, discussing the pros and cons of dental implants over dentures. It’s amazing what they can do now. Synthetic implants that look and function like real teeth. Just a few visits and his mouth could be relatively normal again—as long as he kept away from the chew.

I have learned that, despite what the internet, media, and big city dentists will tell you, in many parts of the country (especially rural ones like here), routine dental care is still uncommon for a lot of the population. These “country” dentists are accustomed to far worse cases than mine. They know their patients are independent, private people who get anxious and fearful in the presence of medical authorities. And while there are a lot of things they could do with that power--because when patients like that are finally in enough pain to be forced into a dentist’s office, they are typically desperate enough to put up with almost anything for the sake of stopping that pain--this office doesn’t wield that blade the way some others do. They didn’t react to me with disdain or judgments of any kind. They didn't assume I was just lazy about brushing my teeth. They didn’t lecture. They smiled and offered help. They make a point of putting patient comfort above what would probably be easiest to do. They reassure without covering up the risks, and help people make informed decisions. And they are proud of that. 

Why is this not the standard? 

I’ve talked with enough people in town to know it isn’t: other offices chastise and shame and decide what’s best for their clients often with little or no input from the patient. Differing philosophies, I am told. The other way is older and more familiar to dentists of the previous generation. This office, I am shown, is very high-tech. They have fancy machines, recent degrees, national board certifications, locally conducted research, and grant money. They are with the times instead of behind them. They pride themselves on offering the latest in care options and being a forward thinking clinic that fully embraces the compassionate care movement.

And why are they so much more advanced than other local offices? They have one of the state’s premier dental surgeons (who is also a part time medical researcher) on their staff. This is the same man who will be doing my extraction surgery. Everyone assures me I am in good hands and after seeing some of the work he’s done to further progressive dental care in our state, I believe them.

I suppose it’s no surprise that I ended up in shrine after my appointment to thank my Beloved.

Dua Sekhmet!