The Root of the Matter...

Even if one tries as hard as one can to do the right thing in the right way...sometimes one just has to go through a little difficulty.

A couple of months ago my hubby had a problem with a tooth that resulted in a root canal. I ached for him as I have been through that once before. He was diligent with brushing and flossing but, still, the problem with the crown happened and the result was the need for a root canal.

Even though I had great empathy for him, I must admit to a little pride on my part that it was Claude and not me. I felt boastful in my heart even if I didn't voice it. Claude is a tough guy and he made it through the process and recovery fine.

Then...it happened.  I felt a sensitivity when I bit down on my #30 (that would be the next to last tooth on the lower right side of my mouth).  There was no toothache.  It was really only when I was chewing and not even then all the time. I knew I had an appointment for my cleaning coming up so I determined to wait a bit and tell Michelle when she cleaned my teeth. I did tell Claude to prepare his pocket book...again.

Sure enough, last Tuesday when I had my teeth cleaned, Michelle took another x-ray and there was the dark spot where there shouldn't be a dark spot. Michelle cleaned my teeth and then called in Dr. Clay. Michelle had Dr. Clay help her hold a little camera to take a picture of the lingual (inside) side of #30. This was because, when I rubbed the back of my tooth with my tongue, it felt smooth. The picture clearly showed the white porcelain of the crown, the silvery metal underneath the porcelain and the root of my tooth. All this time I thought the problem was with the front of the crown where it doesn't quite match the gum. Not so. They, Michelle and Dr. Clay, have been carefully watching that lingual side of my tooth. Yike!!

Dr. Clay looked at the x-ray and inside my mouth and confirmed I would need to have an endodonist look at the tooth. Referral was written, prints were made of the x-ray and the picture and a prescription for a good antibiotic were given to me.

I filled the prescription and finished my days activities. Thursday I called Dr. Lambat and scheduled an appointment for yesterday. She agreed I needed the root canal. She was only going to tell me that and then have me reschedule. I asked if there was anyway she could go ahead and do it while I was there.  Geez...that is an hour drive in from Sadieville and and hour drive home.  She checked and moved me to another room and the process began.

I made it home and crashed for the rest of the day. Claude was wonderful and made soft things for me to eat for dinner as my mouth slowly regained it's feeling. Today my mouth is very sore but that is just part of that process.

And that is 'the Root of the Matter'.