Progress in Paradise... I visited a dentist yesterday, for the first time since moving up here. Like just about every other “first” experience, this was a good one. My appointment was for 1 pm, with Dr. Lance Gunnell. Figuring there would be paperwork, I showed up at 12:30. In fact, there was a thick wad of paperwork to fill out, and I sat down with a clipboard loaded with forms with tiny little boxes to fill out. Partway through the first of these pages, a young lady came out and called my name – and at 12:40 I was seated in the examining chair. Just before I finished the paperwork (between a tech's taking X-rays), at 12:46, Dr. Gunnell showed up.
He'd already reviewed my X-rays, and launched into a detailed explanation (complete with diagrams he drew as he was talking) of exactly what was wrong with my tooth – an infected root, on a tooth with a porcelain crown. There's also the possibility of a different root on the same tooth being cracked. Recommendation: he'd drill through my crown, trying to preserve it, then clean out the accessible infection in my tooth. He'd then pack it with antibiotics, stuff it with gutta-percha, put a temporary plug in the hole, and send me to an endodontics specialist for the actual root canal. By 1:20 pm he had actually completed all this (with the aid of two assistants and impressive organization) and I was out the door. Next stop: Reed's Pharmacy, for the antibiotics and pain meds that would sustain me until my appointment next week. Dr. Gunnell told me there was a 50/50 chance that the antibiotic would knock the infection down to the point where there was no pain, and it looks like I won the bet: I haven't needed any pain medication since last night. Woo hoo!
This morning I mowed our lawn and blew the driveway clean, at which point the heat plus my mostly sleepless night caused me to call it a day...
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