S
SensedEight
Junior member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2018
- Messages
- 15
I’m not even sure how to start this or what to really say. I’ve always been terrible with this, but I’m finally at a point in my life where fixing my teeth is an actual, viable option.
I’d been to the dentist twice before. Once for an impacted wisdom tooth in 2008 and once for a tooth infection in 2013. Neither times were particularly positive but either were they terribly neutral. The doctor I saw for the tooth infection didn’t listen to me at all. At the time I didn’t know why I couldn’t take opiates and other medications without getting incredibly sick, just that the pain relief had never been worth the illness I got when taken them. I tried explaining this to him and he shooed me off with a script for Tylenol #3. Needless to say, I never got it filled.
In 2015, I learned that my liver function has been compromised genetically. I’m incapable of metabolizing certain medications that use specific liver enzyme to break them down and work. As a result, more of the drug stays in my system for longer at higher concentrations than a person my size with complete liver function would. I have to take half, quarter, or in the case of opiates and over the counter cough medication, none. So finding doctors who are aware of the situation or actually believe me are few and far inbetween. Knowing the amount of dental work I needed though, I was hesitant to attempt to find a doctor and staff who would care. Seemed like a tall order, right? A dental clinic with staff who care and listen while simultaneously ensuring they won’t shame or lecture me because of rotten and bad my teeth were.
Surprise though! I found it! And it was literally a half block from my house!
So I went in for my first appointment (just finished) and have to say that the worst part for me was over. It’s always harder to advocate for yourself than for others and I’m really proud of how I managed to handle everything.
I’m heading back in a half an hour for a deep periodontal cleaning (sounds fun, right?) and to take impressions for the dentures. The original plan was to save as many as my upper teeth as we could but after an estimate of $30,000 (boy did that smart) we decided to go ahead and just extract all the uppers and the four lowers and have a full plate done up top with two bridges for the bottoms. So far I’m pretty content with the idea of it, having no teeth up top would look far better than what is currently there. I’d also been expecting that as a last resort. Luckily with my insurance and the new treatment plan, we were in far more affordable territory. Still a bit of a pinch, but I’ll be able to smile again. After going so long without, it’ll be nice to have some confidence.
So. That’s where we stand today. Hopefully after my afternoon cleaning, things will still be looking up. But I have to say that the immense anxiety I had over this appointment today was definitely eased by reading posts here at this forum so I felt I should share this to see if maybe I can help anyone else overcome this.
I’d been to the dentist twice before. Once for an impacted wisdom tooth in 2008 and once for a tooth infection in 2013. Neither times were particularly positive but either were they terribly neutral. The doctor I saw for the tooth infection didn’t listen to me at all. At the time I didn’t know why I couldn’t take opiates and other medications without getting incredibly sick, just that the pain relief had never been worth the illness I got when taken them. I tried explaining this to him and he shooed me off with a script for Tylenol #3. Needless to say, I never got it filled.
In 2015, I learned that my liver function has been compromised genetically. I’m incapable of metabolizing certain medications that use specific liver enzyme to break them down and work. As a result, more of the drug stays in my system for longer at higher concentrations than a person my size with complete liver function would. I have to take half, quarter, or in the case of opiates and over the counter cough medication, none. So finding doctors who are aware of the situation or actually believe me are few and far inbetween. Knowing the amount of dental work I needed though, I was hesitant to attempt to find a doctor and staff who would care. Seemed like a tall order, right? A dental clinic with staff who care and listen while simultaneously ensuring they won’t shame or lecture me because of rotten and bad my teeth were.
Surprise though! I found it! And it was literally a half block from my house!
So I went in for my first appointment (just finished) and have to say that the worst part for me was over. It’s always harder to advocate for yourself than for others and I’m really proud of how I managed to handle everything.
I’m heading back in a half an hour for a deep periodontal cleaning (sounds fun, right?) and to take impressions for the dentures. The original plan was to save as many as my upper teeth as we could but after an estimate of $30,000 (boy did that smart) we decided to go ahead and just extract all the uppers and the four lowers and have a full plate done up top with two bridges for the bottoms. So far I’m pretty content with the idea of it, having no teeth up top would look far better than what is currently there. I’d also been expecting that as a last resort. Luckily with my insurance and the new treatment plan, we were in far more affordable territory. Still a bit of a pinch, but I’ll be able to smile again. After going so long without, it’ll be nice to have some confidence.
So. That’s where we stand today. Hopefully after my afternoon cleaning, things will still be looking up. But I have to say that the immense anxiety I had over this appointment today was definitely eased by reading posts here at this forum so I felt I should share this to see if maybe I can help anyone else overcome this.