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!