Timewaster's Guide Archive

General => Rants and Stuff => Topic started by: stacer on August 18, 2004, 12:10:17 PM

Title: Dental work
Post by: stacer on August 18, 2004, 12:10:17 PM
I've never really had a problem going to the dentist. You go, get your cavities filled in if you have them, and hope you can pay for it. No stress or anything. I didn't even worry when I had to have a root canal twice in the same tooth (once at age 16 and once when I was 23 or so).

I went to the dentist for the first time in 5 years or so the other day. (Haven't had insurance for a while.) Even that was fine. I needed a cleaning (which they still haven't done, this was a new patient exam), and he was going to look at my jaw and see if I might need a mouth guard for grinding my teeth. Nothing too serious, nothing that required immediate attention. I even didn't think too much about it when they couldn't seem to get me in for a cleaning till Dec. 22.  ::)

But then I got a call from the dentist's assistant today, asking if I could come in for a consultation *tomorrow* because they found something "of concern" on the X-rays they took the other day. What could they find of concern that would have them getting me in the very next day for an appointment? Now I'm freaking out. What if I have cancer of the mouth or huge bone loss in my jaw or something crazy like that?

Somebody reassure me, because it doesn't feel like it would be a simple cavity for this.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on August 18, 2004, 12:21:12 PM
my first thought was the need for another root canal. If it was cancer or something, I'd think they'd tell you that you need to see a doctor or something. I mean, dentists are doctors, but they don't work with cancer patients.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: House of Mustard on August 18, 2004, 12:27:44 PM
Maybe your insurance refused to pay the bill, and the dentist just wants you to come in to meet a couple of his "friends" (named Mad Dog and Big Eddie) who will "negotiate a new payment plan."
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Mistress of Darkness on August 18, 2004, 01:02:14 PM
Maybe they found your twin in a lump in your jaw. (Sorry, I just watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Seriously, though, I'm sure it's nothing bigger than a bridge.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Entsuropi on August 18, 2004, 01:22:51 PM
The aliens missed when they tried to anal probe you.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on August 18, 2004, 01:29:09 PM
Those are some pretty stupid aliens. Maybe the dentist IS an alien and he wants to try to correct the situation.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: 42 on August 18, 2004, 01:37:07 PM
Actually, there is a super-secret micro-chip imbeded in one of your teeth. The chip contains the plans for low-cost, efficient, environmentaly safe cold fusion. The chip was made by the Illuminati and accidentally lost in Godiva chocolate factory. Stacer picked it up from a cherry cordial. The dental assistant noticed the chip in the x-ray and as a super-secret member of the Illuminati is positioning to take back the chip.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on August 18, 2004, 01:47:01 PM
oh, I think that's the most plausible answer yet.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 18, 2004, 01:59:28 PM
Or one of your teeth is a hollow shell filled with deadly poison!
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: stacer on August 18, 2004, 03:13:23 PM
Wait--isn't that used in a movie from the 80s? A science fiction movie, at that.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 18, 2004, 08:33:03 PM
Well, I think the poison tooth thing is common in spy novels/movies, for suicide if you get captured.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Mad Dr Jeffe on August 18, 2004, 08:39:05 PM
Bite down on the tooth Duke Atradies
Remember the tooth...

Ahhh Dean Stockwell at his finest.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: JP Dogberry on August 18, 2004, 09:02:53 PM
Maybe he found a strange tooth tattoo on your tooth, and realised that you are the chosen one, a lost child from an ancient civilisation, frozen in time to attain temperary immortality, only to awake when the time is right in the 21st centuary, and the doctor is supposed to be your guide to teach you the way you will save the world from evil forces that rise every 2000 years.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock on August 18, 2004, 09:38:55 PM
Is this some sort of new contest open only to those who aren't?
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: stacer on August 18, 2004, 10:10:42 PM
YES--Dune is it. The ugly crunching sound.

And Jam, you just *may* have hit on it--I *do* have a filling tattoo on my gums! That must be it!
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: stacer on August 23, 2004, 12:43:29 PM
Verdict is: 6 cavities, one of which is major, possible root canal material. Went in this morning to work on it, and he said he doesn't think it will need a root canal, but with the amount of drilling he did (and 4 or 5 shots of novicaine, one of which was right up my tooth), I dunno which is worse.

I hurt.

And I have to go back tomorrow for 2 more fillings. Much more minor.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on August 23, 2004, 01:06:18 PM
youch. This is why I don't go to the Dentist. Did you hurt BEFORE you went in? No. Did you hurt after? yes. the logical conclusion is that he did it to you.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: MsFish on August 23, 2004, 01:13:15 PM
Hey, at least it's not some bizzare form of jaw cancer, right?  

But speaking as someone who's had alot of dental work done, I feel your pain.  Sometimes literally.  

Incidentally, if I were a dentist I would make a point of playing the dentist song from Little Shop of Horrors at least once an hour.  
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock on August 23, 2004, 05:21:52 PM
Yeeah, I had one done last saturday. The only thing I like about dentists is the novacaine. The rest of it can be condemned.
Title: Re: Dental work
Post by: Entsuropi on August 23, 2004, 06:58:49 PM
The thing I hate the most (apart from pain, waiting for the pain, feeling the pain and anticipating the pain) is the fluid they tell you to rinse out with. What's wrong with water? Nothing. But no, they have to make you use this blue fluid, that just doesn't want to let go of your mouth. It feels like you're being assaulted by treacle.

Argh.