Leaves on this Family Tree

Withering Away

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Oral Surgery

I found out a couple weeks ago that I might  need some oral surgery.

I have been going to the University of New York at Buffalo's Dental School (or as the locals call it UB Dental) for a couple of years and it has been great. I have had two of the most wonderful students I could have ever gotten.

This year I got a 1st year student who is a hoot. Only thing that isn't funny is that I have a chipped lower right molar and a cavity at the back gum line on the top right molar.

If this were the right side of a mouth, it would look a lot like mine.
See how the upper wisdom tooth (mine is more horizontal )
is pushing into the 2nd molar?
That's what I have.
Only difference is the bottom is
my wisdom tooth is more horizontal than the picture shows.
It makes me so made because for YEARS
my Wisdom teeth were lined up like little soldiers
ready to erupt.
Now, all 4 are growing horizontally.
I'll bet I will need to have all 4 extracted
before this is all over :(
Then, for good measure, my upper right "wisdom" tooth has started erupting and it is pushing against the molar with the cavity in the back.

We set up a plan of operation, but the student's main instructing dentist wanted her to get me an appointment with the dentist who specializes in crowns. That appointment was last week. Her is the new plan:
1. See about getting me into Oral Surgery to get the erupting wisdom tooth removed and hope they don't take the molar next to it. (That option depends on the amount of bone left in my jaw after the wisdom tooth gets pulled.)

Option 1 after Wisdom Removal - if the molar next to the wisdom tooth comes out, then we will have to take a good look at the molar below it on the bottom set of teeth. It may  have to come out too because of something, and, for the life of me, I can't remember why. But, with the 1st molar (left of the one with the cavity in the back) coming into contact with the lower molar, it might need to remain in my mouth.

Option 2 after Wisdom Removal - If the molar next to it can be saved, then we start on fixing it and the molar on the lower right.

Basically, if these two molars can be saved, then I am looking at removing all of the fillings form my youth, seeing if there is anything below them that  needs fixed, then refilling them, shaping the teeth and crowing them.

I got the call from my student today that the Oral Surgeon she talked to said the Oral Surgery Dept at the Dental School approved my surgery and he thinks there is enough bone that they can save the molar next to the wisdom tooth they will remove. 

Then, I had to call to schedule an appointment to get the wisdom tooth extracted . . sounds so much better than "dug out!" When I called, I said I would take any appointment she had that wasn't on the day, or time, of any other appointment . . . so I now go in to morrow at 9:00 am for surgery.








2 comments:

  1. Ouch! Been there done that. I had the two lower wisdom teeth out in high school and the two uppers after I was married. Hope you have plenty of mac and cheese to eat. That was the only thing I could handle.

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