Root canal?

 

Root canal?

I rocked up for my ‘procedure’ on Wednesday. Barry insisted on driving me there, sweet man, in case I felt strange afterwards. Surely he realises after all these years that I’m strange all the time?

I had had something to eat, as requested, though I prefer an empty stomach when I’m about to embark on a two-hour appointment. I’d also had 400g of Ibuprofen, as bidden. Don’t quite know why and forgot to ask.

Isn’t it odd these days that the most obvious things have to be requested? Seeking assistance from one of the motoring associations, one is informed that bad behaviour will not be tolerated and may affect one’s insurance. Similarly, notices in hospital and doctors’ waiting rooms remind patients that abusive behaviour will not be tolerated. So, it shouldn’t really have surprised me to read that I should clean my teeth thoroughly before the treatment. I mean, why wouldn’t you? Why would one need a reminder to do such a basic thing?

Nonetheless, gnashers gleaming, I arrived at 1:20, ten minutes before my appointment, but was asked to sit outside as the staff were having their lunch break and they didn’t have a staff room. I had waved Barry off as there was no point in him hanging around, and it’s only 15 minutes from home. Fortunately, it wasn’t raining, though a brisk breeze was blowing, so I sat on a bench and messed about with my ‘phone, reading snippets of news and wondering why on earth I had taken photographs of the ground and sundry other ‘things’. Cameras and I have only a passing acquaintance and any half-decent snaps I take are the result of happy chance.

Eventually, I was invited indoors and trotted along to the surgery. All proceeded swimmingly for about an hour, the canals were being cleared satisfactorily until suddenly the third one wasn’t, and the procedure was abandoned - something to do with the resorption having progressed further than could be seen on any of the x-rays. Apparently, it is not very common for that to happen and the endodontist was most apologetic. My tooth was rebuilt and I was sent on my merry way.

Now, I may hang onto my tooth, or it may be removed – I’ll ask my dentist. The endodontist asked if he could have the extracted tooth, as it would be helpful in his teaching sessions. He will collect it! I should have asked him how much he’d give me for it  😉.

The upside was that I arrived home much earlier than expected and we took the dogs out for a walk. 😊