THE NERVE OF THAT DENTEST!
Several years ago, in a galaxy far away (ops wrong story)
when I had just graduate high school, I went to see a dentist about my lower teeth
buckling. According to the dentist, my
teeth were too big for my jaw. This is a
common problem and can be fixed with braces, most of the time.
But unfortunately, I came from two parents that both had the same problem. So my teeth were a lot bigger than my jaw, and the dentist determined that it would be best to remove two of the back molars, “In order to make more room.” As I had already had my wisdom teeth removed years earlier, which I might add is another gross story, the farthest back two molars, were selected for removal.
The day of the surgery was a beautiful bright Arizona day. I showed up on time, which is a feat all its own, and was taken back to the dentist chair. All the normal dentist stuff took place. Shots in the cheek, more shots in the gums, poking to determine if I was numb enough, nothing new. I was lying back in the chair wondering if I was going to drown because of my increased inability to swallow, when the dentist came in. With my mouth wide open and both his hands poking around in there, he asked me “Do you feel any pain here?” “hats hka” I responded. And too my amazement he understood “That’s okay.” Next he told me the process he was going to be following. We would be removing two molars, one on each side, so that they would balance out and relieve the pressure on my front teeth. Again I responded “Hka”
But unfortunately, I came from two parents that both had the same problem. So my teeth were a lot bigger than my jaw, and the dentist determined that it would be best to remove two of the back molars, “In order to make more room.” As I had already had my wisdom teeth removed years earlier, which I might add is another gross story, the farthest back two molars, were selected for removal.
The day of the surgery was a beautiful bright Arizona day. I showed up on time, which is a feat all its own, and was taken back to the dentist chair. All the normal dentist stuff took place. Shots in the cheek, more shots in the gums, poking to determine if I was numb enough, nothing new. I was lying back in the chair wondering if I was going to drown because of my increased inability to swallow, when the dentist came in. With my mouth wide open and both his hands poking around in there, he asked me “Do you feel any pain here?” “hats hka” I responded. And too my amazement he understood “That’s okay.” Next he told me the process he was going to be following. We would be removing two molars, one on each side, so that they would balance out and relieve the pressure on my front teeth. Again I responded “Hka”
He started out by cracking the teeth and pulling out smaller
fragments. This he told me was to minimize
the stress to my jaw bone, he was worried that he may crack or chip the jaw
bone. “Ham hride abht ha noh oo” I responded and again he surprised me when he
understood my “I’m worried about that now, too.”
He assured me that it would all come out okay and I shouldn’t worry.
The first tooth went fairly well and was out in no time at all. He then started on the second tooth. About half way through, he became very delighted. He commented “Well, that doesn’t happen very often.” as he smiled down into my open mouth. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes and said “Do you want to see something awesome?” “hahom, Her” I responded (Awesome, sure).
The first tooth went fairly well and was out in no time at all. He then started on the second tooth. About half way through, he became very delighted. He commented “Well, that doesn’t happen very often.” as he smiled down into my open mouth. He pulled back and looked me in the eyes and said “Do you want to see something awesome?” “hahom, Her” I responded (Awesome, sure).
He leaned the chair up a little so that I could look down at
his hand. There on the tip of a finger
was a small white “thing”. It looked
very much like the pictures of a sperm.
It was white and had a round ball end and a long squiggly tail. Of course the first thing I thought was, how did
he get that out of my mouth. “HWT HIS HIT?” (What is it?) I asked in complete confusion.
“It’s your nerve; it came out of one of the molar's roots. They never come out in one piece like this. You usually have to dig away at them, so you get all the pieces, but this one just came right out.”
“It’s your nerve; it came out of one of the molar's roots. They never come out in one piece like this. You usually have to dig away at them, so you get all the pieces, but this one just came right out.”
I flipped out. I
lost it. With all the worrying, and the
fact that this was costing me a lot of money, just piled up on me. Now I have this guy rolling my nerve around
on the top of his finger. I proceeded to
yell at him, That I didn’t want to see that
crap. How dare he show me gross stuff
when I stomach was already messed up over everything that was going on. I wasn’t paying him to pay around with my
nerves and he needed to get back to work.
The look on his face was total incomprehension. Evidently he lost his ability to understand me as soon as I became upset. After a few moments of him just staring at me in wonder, I laid back and pointed at my mouth.
The look on his face was total incomprehension. Evidently he lost his ability to understand me as soon as I became upset. After a few moments of him just staring at me in wonder, I laid back and pointed at my mouth.
The
rest of the surgery was in blissful silence.