Good wishes, please! I had to admit the tooth is painful and needs a root canal.

[Radio_Lady]

(Where is that smiling frog avatar?)

Filled with bonding material on Nov. 20 and again on April 9.

It's #6 if anyone really cares. Commonly called the "canine" tooth. Right now, I'd love to give it back to the dog or wolf I inherited it from....

Doc told me the bonding is just a couple of millimeters away from the main nerve. Hurts like hell. Have to get it fixed before our European trip in May-June.

7:15 AM tomorrow Pacific Time. It's going to be a Percocet day.

[BOSSHOG]

1. I had

three root canals done in 2002 and it was not painful at all. The worst part was the long time in the chair. I wish you well and hope you have a great trip.

[Radio_Lady]

2. Thank you, BossHog. You're a sweetheart. Sounds like the whole

procedure has really improved in the last three decades, 'cause in the 1970s, I underwent restoration of one molar, lost it -- then lost the three-unit fixed bridge they built to replace that one tooth. I tried everything know to science to try and fix that (operations to split the tooth and cut off the end of it inside my jaw). Ended up with significant damage to my trigeminal nerve in the left side of my face -- four years of hell!

Since the late 1970s, I've been wearing a small removable partial which replaces two lower left molars (the wisdom teeth were pulled in my teens with no problem).

Believe me, teeth were designed to go a maximum of three or four decades. The rodents have it better (teeth grow continually throughout their lives -- not a bad biological trait). Gnaw raw sugar cane instead of jelly beans...

[Radio_Lady]

3. Going to have a liquid lunch. Wonderful.

[Connonym]

4. You'll feel so good with the pain relief you won't even notice

much discomfort after. For me the worst part was holding my mouth open. I hope you feel better soon, nothing hurts like a toothache.

[Radio_Lady]

15. Really terrible toothache, sciatic pain, childbirth -- are my one -- two -- three.

I just feel better that I worked through the problem and have a doctor signed up to do the work.

How can I fly to Europe for almost four weeks and have a tooth that's been slowly driving me nutty since October 2006?

Also, found out that single rooted teeth often don't need a crown. Just another filling might do it if the tooth still has enough structure.

[raccoon]

5. It would seem so, Radio.

"Believe me, teeth were designed to go a maximum of three or four decades. "

In my 50's, I've spent mucho dinero on fillings, root canals, crowns, and 1 implant over the years.

If somebody is over 40 and still has most of their real teeth, either they are extremely lucky or have spent a lot of money on them.

[Kali]

7. I'm past my mid forties (owww I don't like to think of that), have all my teeth, never had a filling

haven't been to a dentist in more than 20 years. Probably have a bit of decay by now, but hasn't hit a nerve yet. Firstborn to a mother who was raised on good mineralized water. Now she had some fillings, but her father died at 88 with all of his teeth, no fillings either. Same water.

[raccoon]

8. You must have stars in your crown! (pun just came out)

Sounds like genetics in play there, too.

[Radio_Lady]

11. Kali, you lucky so-and-so. Was there any flouridation (natural or artificial) in the water --

you drank as a child or now? Just curious.

My husband, five years older at 72, has every tooth in his mouth, with some crowns and root canals, but he had never had a problem with anything. One second molar on the bottom arch never erupted on schedule at age twelve. But, guess what, his wisdom tooth miraculously "floated upright" into the space where that molar was supposed to be! Never required any treatment! Amazing!

Good genes overcome everything. My mother had one top denture when she died at 71, and so did Dad on his death at 76. I know he used to complain of toothaches a lot.

I have been told by dentists that I have "short teeth" and a "small mouth".

But here on the DU, I'm a big mouth sometimes!

Thanks, Kali.

[wildhorses]

6. good wishes

:hug:

[Radio_Lady]

12. WH, I can always count on you, and I don't mean the White House!

Mustang love to you!

[NewWaveChick1981]

9. I hope it gets better soon...

:hug: :hug:

[Radio_Lady]

13. Me, too. Otherwise, I'll be sitting in dentist's offices in France, Belgium, England or Scotland.

The endodontist is confident; I'm scared sh**less.

Thanks, NWC1981.

[GenDem]

10. I just had a root canal a few weeks back

I suffered with a tooth ache for literally months. Now I'm in the process of having a bridge put in.

I have a fear of sitting in the chair for any prolonged period. The noises of the drill, gag reflex, and the jaw ache from keeping my mouth pried open for a couple hours all send me over the edge. I do have to say that it was all worth it, for I am now pain and infection free.

Good luck and positive thoughts -- it will be over before you know it and then you'll be 100% better :hi:

[Radio_Lady]

14. NY therapist Linda Rodgers put out a disk with music and calming messages...

especially for people who are facing any kind of surgery. Originally on cassettes and then CD, this has helped me immensely since 1991.

The electronic music fills your ears with sounds and her affirmations in voice is designed to literally drown out any of the noises in the operatory. I now have Linda's cassettes and disk copied onto my MP3 player. She is a delightful woman.

This music and a little anti-anxiety medication worked very well the last few times I was being "worked on" and anesthetized (local and general).

If you want Linda's information, PM me. She lives in upstate New York. She is the daughter of Richard Rodgers, who was well known for his Broadway musicals (Rodgers and Hart -- Rodgers and Hammerstein).

See her bio here: http://www.rnh.com/org/index.php?page=biographies&person_id=289

Thanks for your post! You're a peach!

[Radio_Lady]

16. Kicked by me -- thanks for your moral support.

Good night and good luck.