Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Worst Case Scenario

Okay, the worst cast scenario is I won't have a front tooth for a while.

Now to explain. When I was young I passed out and fell down a flight of stairs. In the process I knocked my front right tooth pretty hard, and needed a root canal. Since that time I've periodically had the tooth whitened from the inside out. Three years ago I had it whitened, and a few weeks later an infection surfaced. The infection has been draining on its own (disgusting, I know -- sorry) so I've never been in any real pain. I just kind of hoped it would go away on its own. Then I got preggers with Tralee and didn't want to go to the dentist because they probably couldn't do anything for me anyways. After having Tralee, I was the kind of mom who didn't want to leave her first child for very long, so I put off the dentist some more. It's been three years of living with an infection, and frankly, I've had enough. I pushed my fears aside and went to the dentist today. I pretty much knew what he would tell me.

1. I could keep living with this infection, and have it eat away at my bone -- thus allowing the tooth to fall out, and leaving no hope for an implant/veneer. (Not gonna happen.)

2. I could go to an endodontics (spl?) and have him check it out. I will probably need another root canal to clean out the infection, and then go back to the dentist and have a veneer put over the remaining amount of tooth I have left.

3. I could go to the endodontics have him check me out and decide there's no hope for my tooth. Thus leaving me with the option of getting an implant. If I need an implant I would have a temporary tooth on a retainer while they wait for my bone to grow around the implant. When my bone is ready, they would screw in a porcelain tooth. I'm assuming the retainer could be removed -- thus leaving me with a huge toothless gap for a few weeks until I can get the porcelain tooth put in place. I'll be white trash! This is the worst case scenario, and I'm hoping it doesn't come to this. However, if it does I promised my brother I would post a picture of "White Trash Leslie" on my blog. He thought this was funny, I think otherwise.

Other than the possibility of being toothless -- in my front upper tooth no less -- the dentist and tech said my teeth looked great for not having gone to the dentist in three years. I was afraid they would yell at me, but they were very nice, and even let me watch TV (it was in the ceiling) while they worked on me. I also scheduled a cleaning appointment six months from now, and vowed (to myself) to keep up with my dental appointments, regardless how scarred I am.

I think once I get this whole front tooth fiasco over with, I won't be afraid to visit the dentist. I just have to make it past this hurtle. I called to schedule an appointment with the endodontic dude, but he's out of the office until the 22nd. The sooner I can get this over with the better. I go in to get my cavities filled on Tuesday.

Wish me luck!

7 comments:

Mary Ann Carlile said...

Oh yuck! Good luck! If you look all white trash, sorry, I just may not want to be your friend anymore;)

Boom said...

Who is Mary Ann Carlile that would not want to be your friend! I will be your friend even if you are toothless!

Necha said...

You know when someone loves you so much that they wouldn't care if you were missing your front tooth, but they would probably laugh at you anyway-in a loving way of course...Well that is me. I think I would laugh in the same way Jim would laugh...BUT I STILL LOVE YOU! (But I do want to see the pictures, and YOU KNOW you wouldn't post the pictures if you weren't laughing too!) :)

Mary Ann Carlile said...

Nope, still would't be your friend, even with all of those mean remarks about me;)

Croslands said...

I second your brother. I'd laugh at a good old picture of tuthless Leslie. So for your sake I hope everything works out.

The Shaffer's said...

Best of Luck! Tooth or no tooth...you are beautiful!

Meagan said...

Oh no! I have't been to the dentist for a long time either. Since we now have insurance we should probably go soon. I hate the dentist. You were always good at taking care of your teeth though. Good luck!