Friday, February 25, 2011

I want to tell you a terrible tale about root canals...

...but I can't.

Because...

I didn't have one.

Instead I had a ...

GULP!

SURPRISE extraction!

After three days of wicked tooth agony, my dentist told me to come in and he would 'numb' the nerve. Since the pain was so intense, he told me to go home, get some rest and come back at 5 and he would remove the root...kind of a pre-root-canal thing to let the nerve become less inflamed.


BUT...

When I went back for the procedure with Mr. Jenny, the dentist found out the tooth was shattered.

Since I have such a dainty, tiny mouth (OK, these are my words, not his!) and my teeth are all jam/crammed together, the fractures didn't show on the x-rays. I warned the dentist that teeth extractions and I were not on very good terms and that based on past experiences with attempted tooth removal that I knew for a fact my teeth were very firmly attached to my jaw bones.

The dentist assured me he knew what he was doing AND he'd done 100's upon 100's of extractions and there wasn't an extraction too difficult for him...

HOWEVER...

Almost two hours later...

Mr. Jenny had my fingernail marks semi-permanently imprinted in his hand...

My dentist AND his assistant were covered in sweat...

I was so exhausted I could hardly move...

And I learned with total surety that laughing gas is most definitely a misnomer.

My tired dentist admitted that I was definitely one of the top three worst extractions he had ever attempted...

Woo hoo! I would feel proud of this fact, but sadly there was no trophy for that dubious award.

There was, however, a big hole in my mouth, a bruised and swollen jaw and face and lots and lots of memories...all bad!

BUT...

Sadly, not a root canal horror story to share with you.

I'm sorry.

I tried to have one. I really, really did.

But on the other hand, now I can reassure you that root canal's really aren't that bad without even lying a little bit.

Sigh...

post signature

42 comments:

Jackie said...

I'm actually glad to hear that only because it's better to get rid of it if it is causing you so much pain but the bad part I guess is ya, you're left with a gaping hole . I have a fractured tooth that I'm constantly repairing and there really is nothing left of the tooth . It's wierd .

Wanda..... said...

Thanks, Jenny, now the armrests on my desk chair have serious damage from my fingernails, I may even have nightmares tonight!

RoeH said...

Yup. Been there. But I was given the worst set of teeth ever handed out to a human so I've had about everything. It's exhausting having something like that done.

However! When I had the black and blue, I milked it. Told everybody my husband had hit me.

Hey. It was a bad marriage. It was worth a try.

Unknown said...

What a horrible experience for all involved!

Jocelyn said...

Oh Yuck...what a horrible experience...I am so sorry you had to go through all of this!!!

Sending you big {{{{Hugs}}}}!!!

Feel better soon!!!! Love ya girlie!!!

Terra said...

oh man. Really....and I was seriously considering asking my dentist to just yank out all my teeth because they tend to be so problematic....guess I will reconsider.

Diane said...

Oh Jenny, I was almost afraid to click on this post seeing as how I go next week for the evaluation of my two teeth they made need root canals! So sorry you had to go through that though. Hope your mouth is all better soon!

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. Having difficult teeth, and knowing all the things that can go wrong at the dentist, I am saving up for a set of dentures right now.

Kat said...

Two hours??!! You should have gotten some kind of trophy for sure. They would have had to strap me into the chair. So sorry that you had to go through this, but hopefully the pain is gone. Take it easy, and eat lots and lots of ice cream :) Kat

Pat said...

Good grief that is quite a saga... So glad it is behind you now & you can focus on healing! Two hours in a dentist chair would undo any of us. Have a good restful weekend.

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh Jenny, I am so sorry.
You must be sore and exhausted today...I hope you can rest up.
xoxoxo
Suz

Ames said...

I hope you feel better! You must be exremely sore!! And you probably already know better than to drink out of a straw so you don't get dry socket....like I did. That's not fun either. At least you get to chill out until it heals, because everyone knows that excercise slows the healing process! Have a restful weekend!~Ames

Jeanie said...

Oh Jenny, I know, sort of, how you are feeling today. I too have a bald spot in the back of my mouth waiting for an implant from an extraction in December (after 2 root canals and root surgery on the tooth). I hope you heal quickly.....and I hope Mr. Jenny's hand heals quickly from being stabbed with your fingernails.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Oh poor Jenny! I've had some extractions and one just popped out the other I felt like he stood on my chest to get leverage to pull! Ouch! Glad it's out and hope Mr Jenny's hands will heal in time.

Donnie said...

At least it's over with now and each day after the pain pills will be better and better. Soon you'll say "what tooth"!

Judie said...

Oh, you poor thing! I'll bet you are really sore today! Take your pain meds, have a glass of wine, and call me in the morning!!
Oh, and if you work this thing, you can have Steve tenderly caring for you for a couple of days, at least.

Nancy Jane said...

Jenny- I'm a veteran of extractions and lots of many other fun dental procedures so you have my total sympathy. Rest, and spoil yourself. I think you've earned a few 'diva days'!!!

J said...

Poor Jenny... My teeth always seem willing to leave... I don't think they like me very mcuh.

Jo said...

awe, Jenny ... i am so sorry to hear this ... in a different lifetime i was a dental assistant at an oral surgeons ... i know just how nasty some extractions can be ... and just how much the patient suffers ... sleep baby ... stay get lots of rest and lots of hugs from the Grands and you will be feeling better somewhat soon ... sending you extra hugs from me

Susan Anderson said...

I think your tooth extraction horror story is more than sufficient.

Sheesh!

"/

PS. Hope it heals up fast!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, sweet Jenny. I have heard root canals are painful and horrible to go through but after all you went through to have that tooth extracted I am wondering if a root canal is so bad after all. My, that was some kind of ordeal. Sure hope you have no pain now and all will be okay. Hugs

Rek Sesh said...

Sorry about your ordeal...my teeth and i have always parted in amicable terms....

Marlene said...

Oh, that sounds just AWFUL!!! You poor thing. I hope you feel better soon.

I haven't had a tooth extracted since I was a kid (abscessed)...and I hope I don't have to anytime soon, again!

storybeader said...

Oh my god! That sounds horrible. You poor thing! I hope they gave you bunches of pain medicine, for all that trouble. And I will understand if I don't see you surfing around for... a couple of days! {:-Deb (I'm still smiling...)

Willoughby said...

I hope you feel better soon! Take your meds and get some rest.

H said...

Two hours is crazy long!! Last time my dentist extracted a tooth, it shattered and left a fragment in my gum. It drove me mad for days until it worked its way out!!

The good news is that the mouth heals faster than any other part of the body. Rinse with salt water. It helps.

Allie said...

Oh OH OHHHHHHH, yuck! Joey and you are for sure from the same jeans, I mean genes, cept after trying, they had to knock him completely out on the second visit ... do you see what I see ... dentist with a wrench standing over him, nurses holding him down and YANKING!!!

Unknown said...

poor thing! Hope you feel better!

Anonymous said...

Such a pain! Hope you are feeling better soon.

Teresa

Unknown said...

I never thought I would ever resort to using these words: "I'd rather have a root canal". You poor dear. Put an ice pack on your jaw, take your pain meds and let Mr. Jenny, sweet man that he is, wait on you hand and foot. }}}HUGS{{{

Bonnie said...

I'm so sorry you had to go through this. How are you feeling now? Hope not too much pain. I had a root canal once and it really wasn't as bad as I expected. Sounds like your experience was much worse! Yikes.

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

I hope you feel better today! It's not fun going through all that pain..

Betty said...

Oh dear, I feel your pain. Look at it this way...that's one less tooth to worry about.

Pat Tillett said...

I've had both and I think I prefer the root canal any day...
A very good and painful post!

Flat Creek Farm said...

Awwwww! Poor Jenny! That sounds horrid :( At least that baby is outa Dodge... shouldn't be any more problems. Here's a hug! -Tammy

Stef said...

Holy cow. They didn't even give you time to freak out?! Dang shattering teeth. My wisdom teeth that oddly enough were not pulled when I was younger had to be removed. They fell apart. Ugh!

Hope you got a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

Jean Has Been Shopping said...

That is REALLY HORRIBLE, and I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I hope the gaping hole seals up soon!

Pondside said...

Ouch! Big sympathy from up here. I've had two wisdom teeth pulled and that was way worse than a Root Canal.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Glad the ding-dang thing is out, Hon!!!

Jayne Martin said...

Damn, girlfriend. What a nightmare. I am the root canal queen. I think they are finally all gone. It's a dubious distinction, I know.

Also, if you switch from the Blogger comment system to Disqus, it automatically e-mails your comment reply to the person, plus people can comment to each other on your blog.

Been reading your Saturday prompts on Tom Goette's blog. I'm gathering up the courage to give one a try one day soon.

Along These Lines ... said...

Three things fail as we get older: teeth, eyes, and bowels. I'm not sure which is worse. Thanks for your nice comments, too!!

Unknown said...

Oh, poor you! Man, just reading through your post made me cringe just thinking about how torturous that was for you. You didn't share a root canal horror story but it was still very much a tooth related horror story in my book. Hope you feel better soon!