Dental work, AHHH

My dentist finally retired a few months ago. Sold his practice to two young female dentists who did a full remodel on his office. I was supposed to have an appointment for my 6 month cleaning in December which was bumped back to The end of this month due to the remodel. So yeah, I'll be seeing a different dentist for the first time ever in my life haha. Very small deal but it's odd to me, plus the longest I've ever gone between cleanings.

Ugh jaw pain is the worst. I have to say when I got my new crown on like 6 or 7 months ago, I can't recall at this point... anywho suddenly my jaw stopped cracking, so I think for many years my bite was off and causing jaw problems. They still get sore sometimes but overall MUCH better and from something so simple. :hail:

UGH. I know it's sooo expensive. I've been using care credit and just paying it off every month but still. And wow I'm surprised yours was going to be so much! I went to a specialist (endodontist) and it was like $1250, I believe, for the root canal. That's not including the crown though (which is easily another $1000-$1500). But in my case I don't think I'll need a new crown since they just drilled in the middle of my new one. So at least I have THAT working in my favor. And then the 3 small cavities I need filled now gave me an estimate of like $550. Literally NEVER ending.

How is the low cost clinic? I'd be kind of scared going to one, but maybe that's just me being ignorant! LOL. I'm just so particular about my teeth after going to a shotty dentist years ago so now I always go to the "best" (not necessarily most $$$, just research, reviews, specialists). Like I won't let a regular dentist do a root canal on me now after experiencing the endodontist. My mom has had a few root canals at regular dentist and they all ended up having problems not too long after and she had to go to specialist. To me it's worth it in the long run to pay a bit more, but I know that's not always feasible.

I was spoiled by my first extraction. It came out in under a minute. (which is bad, actually, because it means either the root was very loose, or the jawbone there is not very strong.)

I had three teeth pulled today. I wanted to die before the vicodin kicked in. WHY DID I THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THEM ALL PULLED AT ONCE???

Oh yeah. Because I don't know when/if I'll be able to get in (low cost clinic, so I have to snatch up cancellations) so I get as much done as they'll let me do in once sitting.

They had to break out the huge pliers to get the lower two out. I swear it felt like my jaw was going to break. And I kept pressure on all of them with gauze for THREE hours not just the TWO they said, and my gums are STILL bleeding.

At least it doesn't hurt right now. We'll see about tomorrow because I can't take vicodin and work.

oh gawddd that sounds AWFUL. Hope you feel better tomorrow!

My mouth was actually fine all day Monday (I got root canal Mon morning) but woke up today and it was MORE sore. Not the tooth itself (no roots - yay for no sensitivity anymore!) but my jaw and gum around the area. I just popped 4 Motrin early and have been okay. I usually can't do vicoden and such, makes my stomach messed up! But now it's actually okay so hoping tomorrow is even better.

Aww that always sucks when someone leaves that you really like. Good luck finding a new one.

The good thing about root canals is once they're done they don't hurt lol. I had one done a few weeks ago on a front tooth. And yeah, my gums were hurt terribly from it, I'm assuming from the rubbing of the pad they had in that exact area to hold my lip up.


I've also discovered the absolute worst part is that Novacaine SCREWS my body up for the next two days. Absolutely SUCKS.

Oh yikes. I was a chicken and asked to be sedated when they took off my wisdom teeth. I vaguely remember being sorta awake at some point when they were yanking things out but I was pretty much out of it. It didn't hurt much after though... I guess I was lucky about that. I didn't use the prescription painkillers they gave me (I just basically go to sleep if I have some, lol).

I cracked my night guard somehow. I have no idea how exactly. Apparently I do grind my teeth badly.

Ugh that sucks. I think that I grind my teeth bad too because last night I woke up at like 3am with my gums hurting pretty bad where I got the root canal and it only hurts me right now when my teeth "clank" together when I bite down too hard, so I'm thinking in the middle of the night I probably do it a lot. Yikes.

I'm getting a mouth guard, but the dentist still seems pretty sceptical that it won't help the pain 100%

She wants me to look into Botox to manage the pain. But I'm pretty sceptical about that. Mainly because it temperarly changed the way my face looks and the dentist says it will change it a lot because I have such a small face. I like my face and don't want it to change.

TMJ stuff sucks. My face hurts.

Wow i had no idea botox could help with TMJ. interesting!

I'm sooo annoyed. So I go back into today for "Refinements" (after my 11 aligners). I HAVE 27 MORE ALIGNERS!! Ummm like wtf?! I feel like my teeth aren't even THAT bad jesus I'm just trying to close my front two teeth's slight gap.

So now today they put new attachments/buttons on and I have this one tooth where the gumline is receded and now its hurting me sooo bad. The tech sprayed a bunch of cold water on it first and then cold air (I was wincing) and then used the glue stuff to get it bonded to the tooth and I just tried to brush my teeth just now and it like STUNG omg it hurt sooo bad. This can not be normal.

I am nearly done with trying to get straight teeth, this is ridiculous lol. I get out of one pain (my root canal) and now I have more due to the stupid invisalign stuff which is purely cosmetic on my part.

UGH just ugh. I'm calling them in the morning and telling them I need to come in, they need to either get rid of some of this glue on this attachment or just freaking take it off.

Oh wow that sucks! They didn't tell you that you would have more? That's odd... My dentist has been showing me the progress on the computer and talking me through it every time I see her (every 6 weeks).

I had one aligner that really hurt my gum, but otherwise, so far so good... I started #19 out of 23 two days ago. I actually got all excited that I got food stuck between my top front teeth last week :rofl1: There's still a space but hopefully it should be really over in May (well, except for the retainer part).

Wow you're so close! And I know what you mean! I got excited too when food started sticking between my top two front teeth lol.

Yeah well what happens is once I finished the 11 they gave me originally, they take all attachments off, and then re-scan you and take new pictures, etc, and then send it off to invisalign for "refinements" to get your smile "perfect". It's free, doesn't cost any extra. So I didn't know/nor did my orthodontist until invisalign sent all mine to the office. So when I go to my appt to re-attach new buttons, etc, I had nooo idea it was going to be 27 aligners.

Ugh. It sucks. I love my ortho but I almost feel like he kind of just ignores my personal concerns. BUT I also feel like I can't complain too much because my mom used to work there and we've known him for years and he's giving us an amazing deal so I'm so conflicted.

I'm just REALLY depressed about being in these for another year when I thought I was almost done. Ugh.

And my attachments are hurting my lips more than they ever have in the past. I have this one that's so sharp and when I eat, it's literally just clinging onto my lip. I did go into the office this AM and there was a piece of some of the glue stuff stuck in my one tooth on my gums so that's probably why that one hurt.

I sound like such a complainer, lol. I'm just frustrated.

I finally went in on Tuesday since I just got my new dental insurance. I need two fillings. Technically only one is a cavity, but there's an old filling in the tooth next to it that is wearing out and he is going to fix it while I'm numb for the other one. =/

Big bummer and I haven't said anything to my mom because she kept being all "but if you go for a cleaning it can help you not need fillings!!!" Before I lost my dental insurance I went like three years without needing anything. Whomp.

Fillings suck!

Well I'm hoping she won't tell me that I need more aligners after... but wow, still, 27 seems like a lot.

I think I am going to get a second opinion. And ask about alternative ways, maybe braces for my back molars or something.
I am on a waiting list for acupuncture. Hopefully that helps. I wanna scream!!!

Well my dentist finally retired and I went in for my cleaning with the new dentists he sold the practice to yesterday. My old dentist had been my dentist my entire life, was in his 70s when he retired and was pretty old school.

So yeah... New people are a bit disappointed with the state of my teeth. Nothing huge just a lot of small stuff. They did a full X-ray series of my teeth and poked and prodded all of them. I messed up and didn't have my updated insurance info so still waiting to hear back about their "plan" for dental care. I think they want to replace at least one of my fillings and maybe do other stuff. Apparently the biting surface of most of my molars is a bit spongey, so slight decay, no clue what they want to do if anything about that.

Had some tarter under the gum line and they scraped that all out, ouch. She did offer to numb me up but I declined. I would rather deal with a little pain in the moment than deal with a numb face for hours. Wasn't that bad really, just hoping whatever else they think needs to be done is minor.

I have less than 2 months left on Invisalign and it's funny what you notice... Like, the teeth on my top right side seem to be higher than my left side. So now instead of focusing on my crooked middle teeth, it's what I'm going to see... Still an improvement, obviously, but I guess nothing is ever perfect (and I'm sure nobody else will notice).

I have another cleaning next week. I still have 4 fillings left to get done and have to get my wisdom teeth removed. That will have to wait until summer break. I think I grind my teeth at night as well, because I have 2 teeth that are worn down pretty badly. So boo for probably needing a mouth guard.