my next journey....

[brit]

Iwanted to wish you the best of luck for tomorrow (not that you'll need it, seeing how you are in very capable hads )

Seconded.... the bill will be the worst bit I'm sure.

 

[hdf2]

lol brit, Im leaving the bill paying bit to my very supportive partner! Its a sort of birthday present anyway . he asked what i wanted for my birthday and I said..having my teeth done. he replied " so you want me to pay for something you are terrified of? i said yep...before he changed his mind lol

 

[Ava]

Hey HDF2!

I just wanted to say a big good luck for tomorrow's appt, even though im sure you won't need it with DrMike in the driving seat

I hope you manage to read this before you go in as you were so brill about sending me encouraging pm's and messages before my appt yesterday and as it turned out you were right, my appt was fine! Yours is going to be fine to so please please come back and let us know how you did so we can celebrate

xx

 

[hdf2]

hi Ava,
yep, celebrating sounds good lol

Well, i arrived EARLY for my appt for a change, rather than getting there with seconds to spare. Mike greeted me at the door and i went straight into the treatment room. we sat and chatted for a while and i was offered a coffee which i refused. I had a glass of water as my mouth was sooooo dry. we agreed on what music we should listen too and i got in the chair.

My bp was taken...............and its the lowest its been in a longgggg time! My Sats were fine too so Mike proceeded to insert the canular..........just a scratch felt. he started to put the " bib" around me and reminded him that I didnt want that on before i was sedated so he took it off. mike said he would adminster the iv slowy and that i would soon start to feel drowsy.........I think I remember saying........"ohhh like now".......... I wasnt just drowsy........I was asleep and even snored hahaaaa

I do recall feeling a wee bit uncomfortable along the line, and Mike " upped " the sedation a wee bit. ( talking to Mike hours after he explained that I had felt uncomfortable having the injection in the palate, but i had been fine and did well)
I had 8 teeth removed in all, the pockets on the other 3 upper ones and one lower molar were too far gone really and we had agreed that these would come out after a thorough investigation whilst I was under sedation.

what a difference when I saw my smile.......... its soooooooooooo natural. Mike was pleased with how things had gone.
we gave Mike a cheese board as a wee gift to say thanks.......... forgot the Thank you card tho

We went back to the hotel, and I slept for a couple of hours. the numbness had worn off and i felt ok to eat. But, during the night, I must have been grinding my teeth, as i woke a few times in pain, but not bad enough for me to take any more meds. However, when i woke, my face was swollen, I then took meds and applied an ice pack............ohhh that felt good and worked well.

went back to have a check up this morning, went into the room, and even Mike's assistant said " Hi *****" you did really welll yesterday" I asked her to get the sedation ready for when I take the plate out for the first time lol..............it was easier than I thought tho and, again, I had worried for nothing.
. I'm so pleased with my smile, and pleased that i went to Mike. Just wish I had done it sooner!

 

[Ava]

Thats brilliant news, im so pleased for you! Are you fashing that smile to all you meet now??

What you said about DrMike meeting you at the door is excellent isnt it? When I went to the new dentist the other day he came out to the waiting room to collect me and I as so pleased with that because one of the things I remember from my childhood dentist was the dreaded buzzer sounding which announced they were ready for me *shudders*.

 

[hdf2]

Ava,
I polished the mirrors ready for my return home hahaaa.
yep, Mike came to the waiting room and had a chat with my partner and I. It does make all the difference.

 

[DrMike]

Hi

I just wanted to say how pleased I am with how things went for you hdf2!
I was really pleased with the final result as well.

You really deserve your new smile!

I want to say again that (as is true with every patient who I help)- I have a huge amount of respect for you for being able to get through all the various stages (from emailing me in the first place, to the consultation, discussing treatment options, and finally to actually coming for the treatment.) It does take courage and strength. As someone who used to have a phobia (see how I put it in the past tense there?!), I appreciate that every step was difficult for you. I am continually impressed by how strong people can be (although I think that sadly they often never appreciate this themselves, and are never prasied by anyone). Sedation or not- you had the strength to get through all the stages and get what you wanted and deserved- your smile back!

You can use this experience to feel even stronger in the future- any dental treatment you need in the future will easier than what you have had done. Given that you coped beautifully well with the treatment you had, you can be confident that anything needing done in the future will be even easier to cope with! You have already proved to yourself that you can do it!

I also want to thank you again for the cheese board- that was a really kind thought and it is very much appreciated.

I really do love my job and it has given me alot of job satisfaction being able to help you through your treatment and conquer your fears. Thank you for putting your trust in me!

I am delighted that you have changed your signature from 'a lost cause' to 'not such a lost cause after all' as I hope it will help give others who feel like they are 'a lost cause' even the slightest boost in confidence and hope that they too can do it- because they can!!

What else can I say but WELL DONE and I'm very proud of you!!!

Congratulations,

Dr Mike

 

[hdf2]

A lovely reply Mike, thank you for the kind words and praise.

My partner and I can only say a HUGE thank you to you and your staff, for the excellent care and understanding I recieved.

As Arnie said........... " I'll be back"

 

[k.man.]

Hi,

I'm new to this, but I just wanted to let you know I've been reading your journal and your experience has been inspirational to me! The signature change from "lost cause" to "not such a lost cause after all" gave me some hope because I've felt like a lost cause for years now. I really hope my dental journey can be as succsessful as yours and that my dentist will end up being as great as Dr. Mike!

So yeah...thats all. Congrats on everything.

 

[hdf2]

Thank you K.man

It has taken me nearly 5 years to get this far in my dental journey, after almost 25 years of being too petrified to have treatment...I really was a lost cause for all those years! maybe, if I'd had this wonderful support all those years ago, I would have had treatment sooner, and not lost so many teeth

However, things should progress quite quickly for you because you have this wonderful forum, and its great members to help and support you on your journey. Take baby steps, and feel comfortable with every stage, find the RIGHT dentist for YOU, and you will soon have it conquered

Ohhh and a wee update........... I was hungry again after dinner, so i cooked some kentucky style chicken wings/drumsticks. Now dont forget I had 8 teeth removed and an upper denture fitted last thursday......and I could bite into that chicken and chew it with no probs!!!! was yummy lol

 

[hdf2]

Well, its nearly a week since my E day and things are going well. I have a couple of sore spots ( ulcers) where the plate is rubbing,but nothing major.
I have been able to eat loads in the last couple of days ie not soft foods. had steak casserole yesterday and managed to chew ok

Long may it continue.

 

[brewer734]

hi hdf2
really glad to hear yr feeling better bet yr so relieved its all over glad yr not too sore now i think you have been so brave and reading yr story has really really helped me so thanks for sharing it you are one of my growing list of inspiration from this site well done again !!!!

emma

 

[hdf2]

Thank you Emma,
I just wish I had been braver 25 years ago and had a good dentist that sympathised with me Wish I'd had the internet all those years ago, to find this forum. Wish I';d found dr mike..........but then,.................. he would just have been a baby lol

 

[DrMike]

Yeah- 25 years ago I was only 8- don't think I would have been much help!!

 

[hdf2]

A quick update.......... I'm healing good apart from a couple of bone slivers which are poking through the gums where i have ulcers. the gums are too tender for me to try and nudge the bone slivers out. So, for now............ I'm not able to chew most foods. Apart from that...........all is good

 

[GrahamDee]

A quick update.......... I'm healing good apart from a couple of bone slivers which are poking through the gums where i have ulcers. the gums are too tender for me to try and nudge the bone slivers out. So, for now............ I'm not able to chew most foods. Apart from that...........all is good

"Bone Slivers"???

I have a nice collection of ulcers right now and I'm far too squeamish to either have a look to see if I have any slivers or even to put my tounge anywhere near the hole. Shouldn't the dentist have taken out any remains when he pulled your teeth?

Glad to hear you're healing well.

 

[hdf2]

Hi Graham,

I guess that no dentist can predict whether bone slivers will be present post op? Just one of those things eh?

 

[DrMike]

Hi there
Bone slithers/slivers are fairly common following a tooth removal, and certainly more common in cases of multiple tooth removal. They are caused by tiny fragments of the very thin bone which was between the roots of the teeth. Dentists will have a quick check to see if there is any obvious bone debris which can be carefully removed but obviously as soon as the tooth is removed the socket bleeds in order that the healing process can begin- making it quite hard to spot these small fragments. Also it is important to avoid too much 'investigation' (with a probe or tweezers for eg) of a fresh socket, especially if it is a back tooth which may be near the maxillary sinus.

The slivers often work themselves out, (in much the same way as little splinters often work themselves out). Sometimes however the dentist need to give them a helping hand if they are still there and bothering you after a week or so (if they are quite small- the dentist would just lift them out with tweezers possibly after a little numbness is placed)

Hope this helps to explain what is going on!

Regards

Dr Mike

 

[hdf2]

Thanks for the explanation Dr Mike, mine still apear to be working their way out..... so I hope it continues!

 

[hdf2]

Update............ still got a sore spot on one side where the bone sliver is still working its way out( i guess it will be just be absorbed if it doesnt actually come out?) other side is ok tho so thats good. I'm eating loadssssss which is great as i need to put some weight back on. Mmmmm Im loving my fry ups at the moment