I went in to get my Root Canal last Friday morning because that's how I like to start my weekend.
First, let me say: I signed up for Medicaid right after I found out in needed a root canal. Fresh off my dad's insurance plan, at the age of 26, I didn't have health insurance and I had no income.
Yeah, I'm living the life. That adult responsible life.
I know.
Anyway, on Friday, they had to numb me three times before they could start. Not only could I not feel anything around that tooth, but I couldn't feel anything on the whole left side of my face either. Including my left eye.
I became one of those awkward one-eye-and-then-the-other blinker for the procedure and then some hours afterward. Thank God I don't know anyone yet.
When I was finally all numbed up, Dentist brings out the buzz saw and, I swear, I could see little white tooth bits flying through the air. And this machine screamed with the worst, metal on chalkboard screeching sound.
Apparently, I started shaking because the dentist asked if he needed to stop and to schedule me at an office where they can put me fully under anesthesia. You could tell he was so done with me. Like that weary "Are you fucking kidding me?" look is just painted on his face.
So, I roughed it out because I'm an adult. A root canal, by the way, feels nothing like getting a cavity filled. After sawing into the tooth, this wriggly drill is pushed in and it pulls out all of your tooth root.
Then, Dentist said he had to take measurements and grabs this string looking thing, but--MAN--it felt like a screw was pushed into my tooth where the root was. He tugged on it too and honestly I thought he was trying to pull my tooth out.
Fast forward from there, he takes out the screw-things and stuffs something different into my rootless tooth, puts putty stuff on top, and then leaves so that the lady dentist can add the filling.
After she finishes, I'm done! (Kind of)
P.S. your tooth will still hurt for about a week afterward and you can't eat anything hard on that side of your mouth until you get a crown put on otherwise your newly sawed-in-half tooth might crack.
Also, I'm not sure how to end this post, but I do know that I switched between past and present tenses. I'm tired so suck it.
You make a good point; without getting a crown after a root canal, the tooth won't last long. I made the mistake of waiting over a year, since the pain stopped and I really didn't have the money. I also know how you feel, your mouth might be numb, but you can still hear the drill and see it coming toward your mouth.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading! I used to like the dentist but lately it has been terrible.
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