In Memory of Number 19

A year ago on June 22nd, I got a tooth pulled. It sucked. In honor of this wonderful anniversary I plan on getting a second one pulled on Friday, June 22nd this year. Well sort of, I plan on it but it isn't what I would like to do to celebrate. The tooth is number 19, my first molar on the bottom. That tooth comes in when you are around 6 years of age. When I was 7 years old the top half of that tooth fell out of my mouth. My dentist thought it needed a root canal but since I was 7 he decided against it and filled it. This got me by till a few years ago when the filling was replaced and the dentist said the same thing. It needs a root canal but it can wait till Blake can do it for free. Fine with me! 


Well I went to the dentist out here and he informed me that the filling was so big and starting to look ad and that it needed to have a root canal asap.  The tooth didn't hurt, it didn't look gross and I felt a little iffy about the whole thing. I trusted the dentist and got the procedure done. Turns out that one root was severely infected and it was good that I got it fixed. The procedure took a total of 6 hours. It was pretty terrible. 


So then I realize that I keep on getting food stuck behind my crown that is on the tooth because the contact with the back tooth doesn't exist. Blake was shocked at this news and I put off going to the dentist about it and just kept it clean. Then my tooth started hurting. I went in and had my height adjusted and the tooth felt 100%. Blake asked me a few weeks later how my mouth was feeling, I said "Surprisingly, no complaints! Feels good!" Well the very next day a large bump starts growing on my gum and growing and growing and hurting. O brother. So I make an appointment at the dentist. 


Now the dentist tells me that he thinks my root canal failed and I would have to go to an Endodontist and have it redone. Sounds like so much fun! I went to the Endo the same day and he told me some good news, the root canal didn't fail. But the bad news is my root is probably fractured, this isn't just bad news its the worst possible situation. But to find out for sure I had to go to a Periodontist now. So he drained the abscess by cutting several cuts in it and pushing on it. It really hurt. The appointment with the Perio was made for a month later. 


Meanwhile I am on antibiotics and the infection gets under control, looking a bit better! But the Perio tells me that to get a certain diagnosis I would need a CAT SCAN which as a pregnant woman I cannot get. But he said looking at the X-Rays and messing with the tooth he is sure that's what is wrong. And the only thing that can be done is to extract the tooth and put in an implant. So basically, the root fracture is a really rare, worst case thing that happens for different reasons such as: A root canal that weakens the tooth, apparently I am a jaw clencher, and the fact that the root canal took 6 hours might have damaged the tooth. So now the tooth needs to be pulled. 


So I will have two lovely gaps in my mouth. I was upset at first but I have to remind myself that there are a lot of things to actually be thankful for. 1. Blake will be a dentist someday 2. I can get the tooth pulled and implants done at the clinic for a very small fee 3. two missing teeth is better than 2 missing eyes or arms or legs. At least nothing is seriously wrong with me, Blake or Harper or some other family member. Its something that is fixable. 


So I'm trying to stay optimistic about the whole thing despite the fact I'm nervous, know its going to hurt and kind of mad I've spent this much money on the tooth just to have it pulled and it is not my fault, both extractions were not my fault as a matter of fact!! Sorry for the long story and rant but its just one more chapter to my never-ending tooth saga.  


Toothless in Saint Louis. O Boy!!