When I was 12 we had a freak ice storm in Virginia Beach (where I lived at the time). I was walking to school, and fell on the ice. On my face! I knocked out one of my front teeth. The dentist just put it back in the socket and then bonded the teeth together and we hoped for the best... I ended up having a root canal on that tooth, and then later a crown.
Now fast forward to about a year and a half ago. I noticed that my other front tooth was turning pink. I went to the dentist (in China). He said that probably it was from the original injury. I had absorption (or reabsorption). That was damaging the pulp and kind of spreading out inside my tooth, thus the pink color. I had a root canal on that tooth. Then I had crown put on and my old crown was replaced at the same time. I was thrilled. I thought it looked great. But then it became infected. We struggled with the infection for a while and finally determined that the "absorption was still going on". It was showing up on x-rays. Dr. Zhou, said that sometimes this cannot be stopped.
I did talk to a Canadian dentist that was living here in town. He explained that the cells inside the tooth were attacking other cells, first the inside of the tooth, and then my bone.
Finally in May it was decided that the tooth would have to come out. It was a dental appointment I was seriously dreading! It was really over pretty quickly. I was numbed, but the numbing did not really last long. It lasted for the pulling, but only that. I am not sure if the medicine is much different here, or what. When ever I have had dental work in the States, the numbing seems to last hours after the work is completed!
I was fitted with and went home with a removable denture (or partial). Kind of like your grandma wears but it is for just one tooth. Yes, I put it in a glass of water by the bed at night.
I hate it and feel pretty self-conscious about it, but I have discovered that most people don't even notice it.
I got the partial while I heal and all but the long term goal is for me to have a dental implant. When it is all done, it will be just like a natural tooth.
The dentist told me that the bone is thin and that increases the chance of implant failure.
I had the surgery Monday to place the implant. Basically it is a metal "tooth root" that is implanted into my jaw. Eventually there will be another piece connected to it, and then a crown put on it.
I did not exactly know what to expect. I knew that I would have some pain afterwards, but surely it would not be as bad as having a tooth pulled. Ha!
Dr. Zhou explained that I would have the numbing shots in the regular dental room and then we would go upstairs to the operating room. I didn't even know that there was another upstairs! He also had me take two different kinds of antibiotic and he gave me a box of medicine that was for pain. He had me take the antibiotics right then. He numbed my mouth, and then had me rinse three times with a special mouth rinse. Then we went upstairs.
The nurse gave me a hat to wear. Then some covers for my shoes. Then they helped me get into a sterile gown. After that, I was not allowed to touch anything. She said she would take care of my bag. I asked if I would be able to listen to my music, and they said no. I was disappointed. When I go to the dentist, I like to listen to music so I don't pay attention to the sounds of drills and stuff. It is even stranger here, because I do not understand what the doctor and nurses are talking about.
Then I walked into the operating room. They got me situated in the chair, and Dr. Zhou started swabbing my face with betadine. He really wiped down my nose. Then they placed something that reminded me of cloth diapers on the sides and top of my face. Something was also on my chest and over my hands that were on my middle. I felt like I was under a quilt. I am sure they were sterile drapes. As they were covering my eyes and all, Dr. Zhou says, " tell me if you can't breathe". Uh, ok. I was glad that the AC was on.
Then the surgery started. At a couple of different times, a guy came in and took some pictures. I could see the camera flash. They take the pictures for records. I guess they cut open my gums, but I was numb and didn't really feel much at all. Then he started drilling.... remember how I said that the numbness wears off quickly here?
I developed something that felt like a hot spot. It felt like one tiny spot, that I could feel. I told them and I think they numbed me some more, but it did not really work. Finally Dr. Zhou said that he was almost finished with the drilling and asked if I could bear it. I said I would try. I tried to just concentrate on breathing (like while in labor). I made it through.
Then he screwed the metal implant into the hole he just drilled. Then I started hollering. Oh man! It hurt. Dr. Zhou said that he had to screw it in and make sure it is in well. It was very important. I sobbed, but it did not take that long. Once he stopped turning it, the pain was much less. Then he did some other things, but they did not really hurt. They spent a while stitching me up. Later he told me that I have 9 stitches.
When it was all over, they took an x-ray to make sure that everything was in place. So far, everything looks very good.
By then all, I wanted to do, was take some pain medicine and go to bed.
As I was paying for the surgery (which is expensive but MUCH cheaper than in the US), Dr. Zhou reviewed how to take the medicines. I looked at the box of pain medicine and realized that it is ibuprofen. But to be honest, it really has helped some. I know that first day, I would have liked to have had something much stronger.
I have been very sore, but each day seems a little better. I can tell that the swelling has gone down a lot!
I go back Monday morning to have the stitches taken out. Hopefully everything will still be in place. The first two weeks are critical. If the implant fails, there is a plan B (a bridge). It is not as good as plan A, but I can live with it. But more than anything, I don't want to go through that pain again, and I don't want it to be for nothing!
Pleas pray that this implant will be successful! It will still be several months before the entire process is complete, but hopefully by the beginning of 2011, I will be able to say that it was worth it.
Update: I am feeling much better. I had the stitches taken out today. The dentist says that I am healing well and the implant is stable. Yay! There is still a little problem with my gums, but we are just going to wait and let me heal. It is possible that I will have another gum surgery. If it doesn't involve drilling or screwing, I can handle it! Please continue to pray for my healing.
Our school invited the foreign, and some Chinese, English teachers to one of the school's teahouses and then to a dinner afterward to celebrate Teacher's Day. We actually had always seen this cute little building on an island on the school's small lake, and had always wondered what it was. Well, it's the school's other teahouse, of course! Silly us. It has a more formal style, with dark polished wood; the teahouse we had always visited before on campus, which is behind the school's teafields, has a more rustic bamboo style. Anyway, it was an enjoyable Teacher's Day celebration with fruit, sunflower seeds, and of course plenty of tea. We enjoyed talking with the other teachers, catching up on what they did over the summer, and they enjoyed seeing how much Pheebs has grown. Afterward we had a good school dinner with soy-cooked pork, fish from the sea, and other delicacies. Then, as China's Mid-Autumn Festival is soon approaching, we were given our annual gift of mooncakes from the school. More about mooncakes and the festival later.
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