Your teeth and people who drill them

[Hammond]

I figured they checked when they were rooting around doing the cleaning but she actually took extra time and the gauze thing was new.  So I wasn't sure if they changed the practice or if there was extra emphasis on that now.

Personally not much of a drinker, don't smoke, drugs etc.

[ghost]

The sides of the tongue that are really far in the back are impossible to see unless you actually pull the tongue out and look.  It's the appropriate way of doing things.  I still think it's a good idea to do even if your patient isn't a smoker because it's painless, easy and takes 2 seconds. And you could save someone's life by doing it.

[Merusk]

That smokeless tobacco thing is 100% counter to what I was taught in health class.   They even showed us a vid from a kid who had 2/3 of his jaw removed and blamed it on chew/ dip.  Which is ok with me because it's fucking disgusting.

[ghost]

It's just another good example of science being completely wrong.  A lot of things that are done in medicine are not based upon good science (or any science).  


Edit:  Here's a link to the abstract of a good analysis.  Alcohol is the most important causative factor for mouth cancer, with smoking coming in second. 

[Sjofn]

So I am totally fine with going to the dentist, because I have delightful teeth and barely ever need anything done with them (when I stopped going for a couple of years due to lack of insurance, I did get a cavity though ). I am getting really, really tired of being harrassed to invisalign my bottom teeth, though. Our old dentist (and his lovely assistants) all had finally stopped pushing it my last visit. And to be fair, that dentist didn't seem to think it was a huge deal, even though my lower teeth crowding does mean more build up between the front two bottom teeth and my gums are mildly crabbier as a result, so most of the time it was "have we mentioned the crowding in your bottom tee- oh we did, okay." Basically, he put it on ME to take extra care with my lower teeth (mostly to make sure I flossed religiously, which I didn't do, because I am a terrible person) if I wasn't interested in straightening them.

But now we have a new dentist, and it's started up again. And Christ Almighty, the hygenist in particular was fucking relentless about it. What was especially annoying (to me) is one moment, she was basically saying my lower gums might explode in a shower of gore ANY SECOND because of my LESS THAN IDEAL BITE, and in the next talking about how actually my gums are nice and healthy for the most part (the gums around my front four lower teeth are indeed a little puffy ... but I also accidentally went a year between cleanings this time). And MY GOD THE PRESSURE ON YOUR BITE MUST BE TERRIBLE NO WONDER YOUR FRONT TWO TEETH ARE SENSITIVE (they are very, very mildly sensitive to the vibrating teeth cleaning thingy, because ONE OF THOSE TWO FRONT TEETH IS A VENEER according to Dentist Past). But then "hey I can tell you take really excellent care of your teeth, even those bottom teeth aren't too bad plaque-wise" (spoiler: I don't actually take excellent care of my teeth).

So to sum up: Now I am starting to HATE going to the dentist, because I am fucking sick of the invisalign pitches I have to endure every goddamn time.

I do have a question though! I had an appliance for years in my youth. The hygenist acted like my previous dentist committed some sort of war crime for not making me continue with a retainer for the rest of my life (not that he really could've personally, I DID move away from him 10 years ago!). I DID have a retainer for a couple of years after we finished the moving around shit, but I stopped wearing it when I was around 20, which the dentist seemed 100% fine with. Am I REALLY supposed to have had one of those stupid things FOREVER? I'm not doubting my teeth have decided to backslide some, but dang.


I AM RANTY

[ghost]

It used to be thought that there was a "sweet spot" that you get get the teeth into and there would be no movement of the teeth from this spot.  The theory was that if you got post-orthodontic crowding that the orthodontist didn't do their job correctly.  The problem with this theory is that all research that has been done on orthodontic stability strongly suggests that there is no anatomically correct position that will provide this sort of stability.  The current best evidence suggests that you will have to wear the retainer as long as you want to keep your teeth straight.  In most instances you can go to wearing the retainers only at night after the first 6-12 months and then can wear it only a couple of times per week at night after a few years.  If you stop wearing it the teeth will become malaligned again, usually to a much more minor degree than prior to orthodontic treatment.  That is why people went to the "permanent" bonded retainers, but these have their own problems including that people don't floss under them, get cavities on the teeth under them and they don't perfectly retain the teeth, i.e. your teeth will still move, sometimes to significant levels. 

As far as the Invisalign thing, just tell them to buzz off.  There is absolutely no scientific evidence that minor crowding will increase your risk for periodontal disease, gingivitis, cavities or any other problem (including TMJ disorders).  So if the dentist brings it up next time you are in the office politely tell her/him that if they bring it up again you will be finding a new practice to go to. 

[Sjofn]

Yeah I kinda assumed that AT THE TIME (~15 years ago) (waaah, I am getting old) that a retainer FOREVAR just wasn't a Thing. And he knew I didn't care too much about the cosmetic side of it, given I had asked when I could stop with the tightening hurty part when I was 17-ish, so we finished up the "make the bite worky" part after my wisdom teeth got pulled and went into "wear ur retainer" for a few years.

Really I mostly just regret having mentioned to the hygenist that my front two top teeth can be sensitive, because that seemed to be her major opening. But if I don't, without fail they run the vibrating tooth cleaning thing right up into the gum, I flinch slightly, and they go OMG WAT, when it really doesn't even hurt that much, I'm just never quite mentally prepared for it. :P

The denist said my molars "have a great bite" so it is seriously just my front lower teeth that have them all fussy, and I just ... I really don't think it's that big a deal. Maybe if my teeth weren't so hilariously awesome I'd be more concerned, but I'm really, really not.


(Also apparently my lone filling popped out sometime in the last year and I didn't even notice, my dentist seemed shocked that a) I didn't notice and b) this didn't somehow turn into a Tooth Catastrophe for me).

[ghost]

I'm actually surprised that it didn't turn into a tooth catastrophe for you.

And the dirty little secret of orthodontics is that it is almost 100% esthetic. 

[Sjofn]

It was a little bitty cavity and I am guessing the filling made a run for it really recently, since it didn't turn into A Thing.


EDIT: This is one of the reasons Ingmar calls me a bitch when dentist visits come up. :P

[ghost]

Is he infested with the cavity creeps?   

[Ingmar]

My mouth is more crown now than man, twisted and evil.

[ghost]

My mouth is more crown now than man, twisted and evil.

 

I'm using this for my dental friends. 

[Sjofn]

You are such a dork, Ingmar. 

[ghost]

You guys make me laugh.   

[apocrypha]

I would use a Sonicare.  I don't really like the rotating heads on the other ones.

Cheers.

[01101010]

So is it best to floss before brushing? After? Doesn't matter? I can infer that it doesn't matter given the thread, but I am curious. I tend to floss, then brush, then listerine. If only I had done this religiously as a child...

[ghost]

Here is a link to the Quackwatch for dentistry website.  There's a lot of good information here. 

[calapine]

Had one wisdom tooth taken out about 30 min ago. (In preperation for braces.) Was my first time so I didn't really know what to expect.

• Received a presciption for Parkemed 500 (500mg Mefenamic acid) and got told to take one 1 hour hour before the appointment.
• Dentist applied a local anthestic around the tooth area.
• The tearing out itself took about one minute or less: Dentist used a plier-like tool, grabbed the tooth and started to yank in 360° motions to loosen it. Then just pulled it out in one motion. There was a slight feeling, but not really pain.
• Then some stitches were sewn (I obviously didn't exactly see what was going on). A gauze pad was put there and got told to bite on in for half an hour.

After operation recommendations

• Not to not drink or eat anything for the next 2 hours and avoid anything hot all day.
• Apply cold pack on cheek to reduce swelling.
• Start brushing teeth again starting tommorrow.
• Told to take Parkemed if necesarry for next 2 days, up to 2 a day.
• Recommended to rinse mouth with sage tea.
• New appointment in 1 week to remove the stitches

So far mouth still pretty numb, so if there is any pain it will come later...

[Hammond]

Ah yes wisdom teeth.  I got referred to the oral surgeon due to the bottom two being impacted and the roots wrapped around the nerves.  So on my birthday I went in to get them out.  The Surgeon assistant was out sick so it was just me and him.  He asked me if I wanted the gas or just a local.  I said the local was fine due to me not having insurance at that point in my life. So he numbed me up and got to work.  He made a total of 4 incisions (basically x marks the spot).  Then he got a chisel out because he had to break the tooth into pieces to get them out. This is where it got odd...   

So then he tells me to separate my legs because he was putting his foot between them. Then he had me rest my chin on his knee (yea I know uh awkward) two quick smacks with the hammer on each side and he split the tooth into quarters.  Then he got the pliers out and slowly pulled out the pieces.  Once they were out he washed out the area did a couple quick stitches and he was done.  All said and done it took 30 min.  I had no complications and got the stitches out shortly afterwords. 

[Trippy]

[Lantyssa]

I'm not sure how I feel about a story where a dentist told you to spread 'em.

[rattran]

Aren't you glad you didn't go for the gas!

[calapine]

Losing teeth and innocence. A 2 for 1 deal!

[ghost]

Ah yes wisdom teeth.  I got referred to the oral surgeon due to the bottom two being impacted and the roots wrapped around the nerves.  So on my birthday I went in to get them out.  The Surgeon assistant was out sick so it was just me and him.  He asked me if I wanted the gas or just a local.  I said the local was fine due to me not having insurance at that point in my life. So he numbed me up and got to work.  He made a total of 4 incisions (basically x marks the spot).  Then he got a chisel out because he had to break the tooth into pieces to get them out. This is where it got odd...   

So then he tells me to separate my legs because he was putting his foot between them. Then he had me rest my chin on his knee (yea I know uh awkward) two quick smacks with the hammer on each side and he split the tooth into quarters.  Then he got the pliers out and slowly pulled out the pieces.  Once they were out he washed out the area did a couple quick stitches and he was done.  All said and done it took 30 min.  I had no complications and got the stitches out shortly afterwords. 

Nobody has ever been taught that this is a good technique for tooth removal (chisels yes, knee on chest no). I'm not buying it. 

[Hammond]

Shrug right or wrong it happened (small town surgeon and almost 20 years ago) and yes I thought it was odd and as time goes on it seems odder.  Seemed at the time to me really I just figured it was the weird angle he had to get into to get a nice shot at the tooth he tried a few different angles before that one with no luck.   I am guessing normally the normal process is his assistant would immobilizes your chin during the process.  He was extremelly concerned about the potential nerve damage from the root wrapped around the nerve.  It was pretty nasty and it looked like a corkscrew.



 

[Fordel]

I am always amazed at how 'low-tech' a lot of dentistry actually is.


When I had some teeth pulled for my braces, the dentist basically froze up the area then pulled out a pair of pliers. Sure they were made out of surgical steel or whatever, but otherwise, they would not be out of place in my toolbox.

[ghost]

When I rotated through with Orthopedics it was very common for them to pull out the black and decker drill. 

[Lantyssa]

When I had the pin removed from my broken toe, I'm pretty sure the channel locks were something found at Home Depot.  Of course that whole experience was strange, given my Ortho was my friend's dad, and I'd see him and his head nurse the following month at her wedding.

[ghost]

That sounds just like an orthopedist.   

[Hawkbit]

Just got back from getting my last three wisdom teeth extracted a bit ago.  The office used iv sedation, which was really nice.  I had a very viivid series of hallucinations when I was under the effect, everything was so damn colorful.  I remember seeing a brown arm coming towards me then it blasted into a million pieces, like little tiny Minecraft blocks. 

I think the first thing I said was 'I want to do that again', heh.  Now for the Percoset ride for a day or two.

[Jimbo]

I did a rotation w/ the oral surgery department, it was fascinating. The regular dental stuff is kinda neat but very predictable, not sure how general dentist don't go crazy. I remember the neat case where a lady had lower mandible bone cancer (lower jaw), and the general surgeon and dental oral surgeon, all got together and took a rib from her, then flipped her back over, removed the jawbone, and made a jawbone out of her rib.  Was really cool.  Of course I was pretty much a gopher (go get stuff, stay out of the sterile field--helped the circulating RN), but still could see some cool stuff as they were all really senior doc's who had done teaching stents.

[ghost]

not sure how general dentist don't go crazy.

There is a very high rate of suicide among dentists. 

[Merusk]

I lost the filling in my back right wisdom tooth a little over an hour ago.  I was eating a peanut buster parfait from DQ and wondered what the hell was wrong with a particular peanut that was incredibly hard and bitter.  When I went to brush my teeth.. big hole!  Guess that wasn't a peanut!

I blame ghost.

So now I ponder.  There's no way of getting in to my dentist tomorrow because he's closed on Friday's now, how the hell do I deal with this over the weekend?

[01101010]

I lost the filling in my back right wisdom tooth a little over an hour ago.  I was eating a peanut buster parfait from DQ and wondered what the hell was wrong with a particular peanut that was incredibly hard and bitter.  When I went to brush my teeth.. big hole!  Guess that wasn't a peanut!

I blame ghost.

So now I ponder.  There's no way of getting in to my dentist tomorrow because he's closed on Friday's now, how the hell do I deal with this over the weekend?

Brush well, rinse with a good mouth wash, slam some wax into the hole, and chew on the other side of your mouth. They sell temp fillings (wax) at most all box drug stores. But I am sure Ghost has a better option.

[Lantyssa]

Duct tape!