Nothing to See Here...

[areweindisneyyet]

I was just thinking that your Christmas trip report title thinking it still really suits the tooth episode... THE EVIL CHAIR...

Now your blood pressure is not going to be helped by worrying about your blood pressure or the cost, or the what ifs. I hope everything goes well at dentist today and that it can be treated and leave you with some leftover for something nicer.

 

[Sherry E]

Stupid teeth. Stupid dentist. Stupid pain. Stupid Photobucket (even though that has nothing to do with my teeth, I thought I would throw that in the "stupid club" too because I was struggling with it yesterday).

Here I sit, my teeth having been poked, yanked, prodded, scraped, x-rayed, x-rayed again, polished, examined and re-examined at the dentist for a good 2 hours and 15 minutes earlier today...and I still have the same pain problem, the origin of which seemed to be a mystery when I left the office. I am currently waiting for someone in that office to call me and let me know what was found in my x-rays so we can get to the bottom of this madness and I can figure out how to proceed.

All of the people in the office were very nice, but I still feel like they are trying to be tricky and find ways to get extra money. Remember how no one would answer my question on the phone about allowing installment payments? Well, today I asked the office manager in person if they accepted installments and said no. I said, "I asked you this on the phone and you wouldn't give me an answer. If I had known that your office would not work with me I would have found an office that will work with me...because some of them will."

You see, after they did the initial x-rays on me, the dentist couldn't find anything in the tooth that I am certain has the problem. Instead, she was focusing on the one that already has bonding from several years ago, and saying that it needed more bonding.

I told her, "But...even if that's true, since I got the bonding that tooth is not hurting me at all. It's a tooth closer to the back that is hurting me."

She said, "I'm just telling you what I see. However, I really think you should get full mouth x-rays so we can see if anything is brewing or if anything has gone down to the root."

Well, I agree - they need to see the more in-depth x-rays to look for any "root issues" because they sure as heck are not seeing whatever the problem is so far.

The dentist said, "I don't really see a root canal for you. I don't think that you will need one. But of course I won't know until you get the full mouth x-rays."

See - here is the difference between the last dentist I went to a while back (who did the bonding) and the one today. The one from a while back knew that I didn't have a lot of money and she wasn't trying to sneakily find ways to get me to spend more unless it was absolutely necessary. So she did a process of elimination thing on me to trace the pain source - she put ice on my gums, cold on my gums, heat on my gums, and she had me bite down on something kind of hard so she could see if I had pain in any of those cases. Once she narrowed it down, she could rule out certan things and that's how she knew to just apply bonding.

However, the dentist that I saw today did not bother with any of that hot/cold/bite down stuff...which may have been helpful if she had. She wanted me to get the full mouth x-rays (as opposed to just one side) so that she could charge me a lot more money!

So basically, I spent all the money I had on x-rays and the consultation today, and I still don't have the answer to what is causing the pain. What I THINK it may be is that the old, tiny filling I have in that tooth cracked or leaked, and liquid and food is hitting whatever may be exposed in the old filling and traveling to the nerves in the center of my tooth. If I'm right and they catch it early enough, it may not be root canal-worthy, but they have to first identify it. Because right now, I just know that the tooth the doctor was focusing on is not the one that is causing me pain. It may need more bonding, but it is not hurting me. The pain is coming from somewhere else.

Anyway, thank goodness I have nice, strong, solid teeth (yay for drinking lots of milk when I was a kid!) because those hygienists can be brutal with their sharp instruments!! I thought she was going to pull out two of my teeth at one point!

In any case, more money will be needed for whatever the problem is (when they finally see that I'm right about which tooth has the problem!)...and I feel like, at this rate, I may as well have just taken the time to shop around for a dentist instead of seeing this one so soon.

When I was leaving and paying them, the office manager was saying, "Let's get your appointment set up for next week."

I said, "Well, I can't come in until I know what was found in the x-rays and how much it is going to cost to fix the problem. Someone has to call me and let me know."

She said, "This is just tentative. Oh, we'll definitely call you today!"


So...I have no idea when or if this will be resolved and I can get back to my Disneyland planning (a.k.a. gift card hoarding), but it doesn't look like it will be any time soon.

 

[funatdisney]

What a frustrating experience! You may as well have gotten a root canal with all the waiting, and probing, and money spent. And then to wait to find out what is wrong with your tooth only to spend more money? I am sorry you had to go through all that, Sherry.

This is only my suggestion and it may be or may not be the best, but this is what I would do. Start calling different dentists to find one you like and will let you pay on installments. When the current dentist office calls, tell them you will have to wait to schedule.. Once you find a dentist that you can work with, explain about the first visit with the other dentist. Have the second dentist request the dental records and x-rays from the first dentist. You don't request, have the dentist request. It will go easier and faster than if you had requested.I just don't like what I am reading and I would definitely move on.

Ok, enough of my mama bear. I hope you get the possible care and this tooth problem is resolved so you can go back to planning and hoarding Disney gift cards.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh Sherry, run away fast!

Cancel that appointment if you made it...they won't call, you'll forget, and when you go to call, they'll tell you you missed some mystical "cancel by" date that they didn't tell you about....

Find a new guy! Have the new guy request the xrays and info from this one. They can go forward.

My dentist, nice and good as he is (and no matter how pretty his eyes are), wouldn't have done a root canal if I needed it on his own; it's a big thing now to have rc's done by endodontists. They are the root canal experts (and I assume experts in NOT finding the need as well LOL). I wonder if you can just go straight to them? See if they can find the problem?

Dentists are...well...some of them still deserve the reputation they had in the early days, before they got the ADA to organize and market them. Some are great (your old one sounds really good!). Others change the way they practice depending on what seminar they went to last, and not all seminars are good ones....

I urge you to find someone else....

 

[kaoden39]

Sherry, I have to agree with Molly. Run fast, run far, and get away from them. They want money and lots of it.

 

[Sherry E]

I agree with all of you ladies! Funny thing is, before Liza mentioned it I was thinking that I would have to somehow get the x-rays from them (or have another dentist's office get them for me) and have them sent to another dentist's office because these people - while pleasant and friendly - seem sneaky about finding ways to get extra money and then are not flexible with payments.

Coincidentally, the dentist just called me a few minutes ago, finally. She said she looked all through my x-rays and she saw nothing that she didn't already see when I was in there earlier - supposedly there are no root problems, no infections, none of that. She is convinced that if she just puts bonding on this tooth that does NOT hurt, the whole problem will be solved. I said, "Well, I hope it's that simple but I really think there is something going on with this other tooth that does hurt."

The dentist said that the only other possibility she could think of is that the tooth could be cracked - like a hairline crack - which could be so small that it wouldn't show up in x-rays. Then I would have to go to a specialist and have them shine their special light on the tooth to look for a fracture before having any kind of treatment (which, I guess, would be a crown?).

But she wants to try the bonding again first.

In any case, it doesn't sound like a quick process, or like it will be over any time soon. No Disneyland planning and gift card hoarding for me!

I couldn't help but chuckle, though, when she said I could have a crack in my tooth, because I thought of deejdigsdis and Tksbaskets and the "soft food" discussion!! Maybe I broke my tooth on some peanut butter, or on some bread or on a soft cupcake!!! Then again, I eat a lot of apples so that could be a likely suspect too.

 

[tksbaskets]

I too had a mystery tooth that was very sensitive to cold especially. Nothing really showed up on x-ray....could be a hairline crack...we 'could do a crown' YIKES for something they couldn't see??

I ended up canceling the crown appointment and ended up being alright for another two years until a couple of months ago when the tooth broke. Then I had an onlay (gold topper that looks a bit like pooh's honey pot) and didn't need a root canal. Still expensive but I couldn't see paying HUGE bucks to fix a 'might be a___' problem.

One thing that might help is a special toothpaste for sensitivity that was suggested by our dental hygienist. It costs $10 a tube and is only available from our dentist. But, after a week the sensitivity was WAY less. It's called Fluordex. It may help.

I hate the dentist can I just say that....feeling for you.

 

[Sherry E]

I too had a mystery tooth that was very sensitive to cold especially. Nothing really showed up on x-ray....could be a hairline crack...we 'could do a crown' YIKES for something they couldn't see??

I ended up canceling the crown appointment and ended up being alright for another two years until a couple of months ago when the tooth broke. Then I had an onlay (gold topper that looks a bit like pooh's honey pot) and didn't need a root canal. Still expensive but I couldn't see paying HUGE bucks to fix a 'might be a___' problem.

One thing that might help is a special toothpaste for sensitivity that was suggested by our dental hygienist. It costs $10 a tube and is only available from our dentist. But, after a week the sensitivity was WAY less. It's called Fluordex. It may help.

I hate the dentist can I just say that....feeling for you.

Yep, TK, that's exactly what the dentist said when she just called, that it could be a hairline crack that is invisible to x-rays and would require a specialist with a special light to view it!

Hmmm....Fluoridex....I'll have to look into that. This dentist gave me some samples of other stuff similar to that, which I am supposed to use for a few days. If it works, then she will give me a prescription for a full tube. It's not Fluoridex, but very much the same idea....and she gave me a mini size of Colgate Sensitive Enamel Protect. But if I can get Fluoridex for $10 without a prescription, even better!


Oh, and by the way - this dentist was, indeed, on the 17th floor - the highest floor of the building - and they sat me in a chair facing the window!! That doesn't seem like a good anxiety-reducing tactic for patients who might be nervous about heights! They'll be all wound up by the time the drill or the novocaine get anywhere near them!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Wow, Sherry. I agree with the others. I hope you can find a different dentist that will be up front in the beginning about things as far as payment expectations, as well as willing to do what they can to get to the root of the problem. (Oops. No pun intended. ) Not just go the trial and error route. Any changes with the new toothpaste? Maybe it's too early to tell.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Hi Sherry!! Whew......just spent the day looking over your TR for Christmas!!! I'll be honest, I skipped over all the chatting & just read your report.....so hopefully I didn't miss something important!!

Awesome pictures & it just makes me wanna go even more now!!! Oh, the photo possibilities.......lol

Save the camera, save the ice cream or save the trash can........Camera would have been first, then the ice cream & if I could the trash can.....kudo's for getting all 3 done!!

Sorry about your leg pain......anything like that can really make walking around the parks horribly painful. I hurt by the end of the day on a good day.....so can only imagine what you were dealing with!

I just hate when chairs jump out at me.......amazing how yours did it with you on it!! Next time grandma glares at you......kindly tell her, don't make me do it again!!!

So did you do any rides after IASWH & POTC on the first day?? (and JC at night....almost forgot that one) See when I was there with the Divas, I was happy wandering around taking pictures & trying to see characters. The rides have never been the deciding factor in going to DL for me.....might be for my older boys & maybe even the 9 & 5 yr old......but DL is so much more than that.

It would be great if things worked out for both of us & we did overlap time wise.........you wouldn't have to find someone to take your picture.....lol

Please tell me you didn't buy a Photopass CD with just a few pics on it........or did you just pic a couple to share??? I don't think I've ever had less than 75 photos on it (of course after adding borders......I usually triple the amt) I've taught everyone in my family to never walk past a photopass person without getting a picture done......so makes the $60 worth it!!

Thanx again for sharing all your wonderful photos.......so pretty!!!

 

[mariezp]

Sherry, I sure do wish your dentist appointment had turned out better and I do hope the tooth is not causing you too much discomfort while you wait to figure out a solution to the cause of the problem.

On one of my last trips to the dentist I also had one of the so called "mystery teeth" so evidently it is not something totally uncommon. My tooth was being very sensitive too but my dentist did not find anything either. His suggestion was.... and you are going to love this.... that as I was getting OLDER my gums had most likely receded some from my tooth which was leaving the nerves nearer to the surface and it was making my tooth feel sensitive. Can't tell you how much I enjoyed THAT trip to his office! Me and my old teeth! He gave me an oral rinse to use when it flared up called Periomed. Incidentally, I have still gotten older and the sensitivity has subsided so I assume that my old teeth got used to being more exposed. LOL!

Anyway, don't know that that helps much but hopefully offers another possibility.

 

[TheColtonsMom]

So sorry about your dentist experience! A trip to the dentist is no fun when it goes well forget about when it goes badly. Have you tried a service like 1-800-dentist to weed out what you don't like? I think they even list which dentists have payment options or they used to. I know without a car you may be limited in your choices but def run away from that guy!

 

[Sherry E]

So sorry about your dentist experience! A trip to the dentist is no fun when it goes well forget about when it goes badly. Have you tried a service like 1-800-dentist to weed out what you don't like? I think they even list which dentists have payment options or they used to. I know without a car you may be limited in your choices but def run away from that guy!

Sherri - It's funny that you posted now. First of all, I had been meaning to get back on here and reply to Laurie, Marie and the others who posted. Second, I just got off the phone with the receptionist in the dentist's office (the one I saw last week).

I haven't been able to concentrate on posting much in the last week because there have been plumbers invading my building every day. They have been working on labeling pipes in the garage...but, as is the case with many plumbing problems, as they work on one project, they discover a whole hotbed of other problems in the different pipes to different apartments. They have turned off the water every single day, so I have to get certain things done by certain times or I won't have water for 8 hours.

(Also, my stupid Internet has been crashing a lot in the last several days!)

Today, the plumbers are in my apartment, carving up one wall and fixing a pipe to a toilet that was leaking. Next, they have to inspect another possible leak in my apartment in another area, which will require more wall carving.

Then, painters have to come in and fix the drywall and all of that. I haven't been able to concentrate at all. I can't work while all of this ruckus is going on!

Anyway, as for the dental woes...Yes, I did call 1-800-Dentist, and they told me that they used to have lots of dentists who accepted payments. Nowadays, not so much...because when the economy tanked, people stopped paying their medical bills and left the dentists without money. Even though they have a million dentists in my area, they only found one who was even remotely close to me who possibly accepted payments, and they were not even sure about that!

The other options are to go to one of the dental schools and have a student work on me (do I feel comfortable with that?) - like UCLA or USC - but, again, because of the economy, a lot of people have started using the dental schools for work because they don't have insurance or regular dentists. So the dental schools are backed up.

The dentist I saw last week had made a "tentative" appointment for me to come in tomorrow to get a tooth re-bonded, even though that's not the one that is hurting. They just called me to confirm the appointment. I had to call them right back - in between the loud sawing that the plumbers are doing to my wall!

So I told the receptionist that, while I will have to eventually have bonding on the tooth the dentist was looking at, that is NOT the one that is hurting. The pain is definitely coming from the one of the back 2 teeth on the bottom, and those both have old, old, old fillings...so it's possibly the filling that is the source of the problem. I can bite down on a pencil and tell that there is sensitivity there, not to mention the sharp wave of pain that hits me when I drink water or rinse my mouth.

(But I shouldn't have to diagnose myself.)

So the receptionist said, "Well, we need to get you in here so we can get into that tooth and see what is happening." (Meaning, remove the existing filling and see what's underneath before refilling it.) Why didn't they decide that last week?

I said, "Yes, but since you don't accept payments in your office, how do I know how much this is going to cost? If the doctor finds something underneath the filling and it turns into a bigger issue, how much will it cost?"

So the receptionist said, "Well, if we find something that goes above the amount we are telling you, I'm sure she will accept payments."

In any case, they rescheduled me for another "tentative" appointment in another week (I couldn't go to the appointment tomorrow even if I wanted to because I have to stay here to see what the plumbers are doing). I can still cancel if I don't find anything that seems like a better option...but until all of this noise is over with in my apartment/building, I can't concentrate on anything!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems in your apartment with the plumbing.

Just like what Sherri said, it is not fun to go to the dentist. I know that very well since my father is a dentist. As for the dental schools that you have suggested, I would not even go there since they are young students with barely any experience and they could mess something up. My father has told me about this a lot from these schools and practices (private schools that is teaching dental work). I'm sorry for scarring you, but I don't trust those small groups. I like my dad who works on me, but it is annoying when he works on me.

I hope the dentist you have chosen will help you with your tooth problem. If you lived up here in Sacramento, my father can help you with your problem. He is a really good dentist.

 

[Sherry E]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems in your apartment with the plumbing.

Just like what Sherri said, it is not fun to go to the dentist. I know that very well since my father is a dentist. As for the dental schools that you have suggested, I would not even go there since they are young students with barely any experience and they could mess something up. My father has told me about this a lot from these schools and practices (private schools that is teaching dental work). I'm sorry for scarring you, but I don't trust those small groups. I like my dad who works on me, but it is annoying when he works on me.

I hope the dentist you have chosen will help you with your tooth problem. If you lived up here in Sacramento, my father can help you with your problem. He is a really good dentist.

Thanks, Bret!

You know, I can deal with the "not fun" aspect of the dentist temporarily as long as they diagnose the problem correctly and tell me exactly what it's going to cost to fix it, how much time I have before it gets worse, etc. I just don't like having to go back repeatedly or jump around to different dentists just to figure out what they should be able to recognize right away (it's probably a routine problem they deal with all the time!). I don't like to feel like the dentist is purposely not diagnosing the problem or is finding reasons for me to keep coming back just to get more money out of me!

I think I agree - I'm not real thrilled with the idea of the dental school kids working on me. Maybe if it were just for a cleaning, it would be one thing. But when it involves drilling or giving me novocaine or anything beyond that, I don't know if I trust them...and besides, I think those schools are all booked up for a while anyway.

If I lived anywhere near Sacramento, I would most definitely go see your dad! How lucky you must be - if you ever have any dental problems - to have your dad work on you! I imagine that he must either do it for free or for a highly discounted rate?! Plus, you trust him not to mess up your whole mouth and to tell you exactly what is happening, so that helps!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks, Bret!

You know, I can deal with the "not fun" aspect of the dentist temporarily as long as they diagnose the problem correctly and tell me exactly what it's going to cost to fix it, how much time I have before it gets worse, etc. I just don't like having to go back repeatedly or jump around to different dentists just to figure out what they should be able to recognize right away (it's probably a routine problem they deal with all the time!). I don't like to feel like the dentist is purposely not diagnosing the problem or is finding reasons for me to keep coming back just to get more money out of me!

I think I agree - I'm not real thrilled with the idea of the dental school kids working on me. Maybe if it were just for a cleaning, it would be one thing. But when it involves drilling or giving me novocaine or anything beyond that, I don't know if I trust them...and besides, I think those schools are all booked up for a while anyway.

If I lived anywhere near Sacramento, I would most definitely go see your dad! How lucky you must be - if you ever have any dental problems - to have your dad work on you! I imagine that he must either do it for free or for a highly discounted rate?! Plus, you trust him not to mess up your whole mouth and to tell you exactly what is happening, so that helps!!

Hope everything goes well during your appointment.

I can understand what you are saying that it is a pain and have to wait and see what is the problem with the tooth.

He is very nice to help me out everytime I go in to his office.

 

[funatdisney]

The nasty toothache and the diagnosis has to wait another week! That is aggravating on so many levels. And then the plumbing work has invaded your living space! That is just awful on so many levels. Sorry to read that. I hope both the toothache and the plumbing end soon.

 

[azdisneylover]

Hello, Sherry,
Popping in to see if your tooth was better. Read about all the plumbing problems! Yikes! Plumbers aren't as neat, quiet, and cute as paperhangers! I hope all of this quickly gets behind you and this is the worst of the bad things 2011 has in store for you, and the rest of the year is nothing but all things Disney!

 

[Sherry E]

An update -

• My favorite George Foreman grill died on me the other day, after 8 long years together. It's a small one - perfect for my kitchen - and it was in a color I love. I will never find a suitable replacement!
  
• I decided to go back to the dentist today
  
• A police blockade prevented me from going my usual route, so I had to take the scenic route...just to get to the dentist. Apparently it was a bomb threat...which is not unusual in my area.
  
• I took an elevator to 17th floor, which I hate, only to have the DOORS NOT OPEN when I was at floor 17 The elevator just went back down to the first floor on its own.
  
• I encountered a snarky medical office person who snapped at me that I obviously did not press the button for floor 17 and that's why the elevator doors did not open! (Um...so HOW did the elevator know to go up to floor 17 then, Einstein?)
  
• I had one tooth re-bonded...and that one is now more sensitive than it was before the re-bonding.
  
• I did not have the "problem tooth" dealt with, i.e., get new filling, and it is STILL hurting, of course, when I drink cold stuff or eat. Ice cream would be pure torture right now if I attempted it. It is not fun trying to eat an apple, for example, because it hurts when I bite down. But still, there is nothing wrong showing in x-rays. My next visit will HAVE to be a mission to get the old filling out and a new filling put in. And if that does not work, it must be a cracked tooth that is causing the problem...which will eventually get worse and more painful with time.
  
• I left the dentist with a half-numb face and drool coming out of my mouth.
  
• My friend from Idaho who lost the Disney magic a while back is coming out here in May, and we are heading to DLR on May 8th - but only to eat at Goofy's, shop in World of Disney and roam aimlessly. Will I be able to avoid going into the parks while I have an active AP? I haven't seen her in 10 years, so I don't know how I could run off and leave them.
  
  My friend wants to eat at Goofy's AND at Rainforest Cafe. I told her that once I eat at Goofy's, I'm done. I can't eat again the whole day, unless it's way, way later at night. Maybe, just maybe, if they decide to go to RFC too, I can sneak into DL or DCA?
  
• The same friend from Idaho who lost the Disney magic claims to also be coming out here in late November/early December and wants to stay with me in my dscounted PPH room. I'm not thrilled with the idea of sharing a room with 3 other people AT ALL - I like my space - but I know that the hotel cost was one reason they were hesitating in coming out here and doing a DLR trip. I will have to add in an extra day or two for just myself and my photo-taking endeavors. I won't be able to concentrate on anything while I have 3 other people (including a 4-year-old child) with me. I hope my friend realizes that when it's time for the little one to come back to the room to nap, I'm staying in the parks!
  
• The same friend has another friend who is going to get them into Club 33 while my friend and her family are here. I will be invited to go to Club 33 as well, but I don't think I will have the money for it. It's expensive...and I just don't know if it's that worth it to me to pay an arm and a leg to eat there. But we'll see.

 

[kaoden39]

Hi Sherry!!

I see both good and bad in this. The bad is glaring.

Sorry about your George Foreman grill, as I have told you before I love mine.

The elevator thing is pure BS and I think they are nuts. I hope your teeth get better.


I am thrilled to hear about your May trip, I hope it works into you being able to spend a little time at the park.


Now the later trip, this is one thing that would drive me nuts. The thought of sharing the room with a small child would kill me. I don't think I could do it.