Second Opinion Comes In....And God Provides.

After my gut-punching prognosis at the generic dentist, I was in agreement with everyone. A second opinion, and demanding some options were our next course of action. My husband was just as upset as I was, and wanting some choices in the matter.

We agreed, I need to see my dentist, Dr. Awesome, and admit my mistake. I saw him today. I LOVE my dentist! I will never ever deviate from him ever again, I will always suck up my pride, admit my fault, and subject myself to his expertise.

First thing, when I walked in, Dr. Awesome's assistant was with the receptionist. She took a look at the bill from the previous diagnosis. She tells me she used to temp for that exact office, and their prices are "steep" in her words. That gave me hope.

I showed Dr. Awesome the "Treatment Plan" given to me by Brand X dentist office, which has offices nationwide by the way. I also picked up a copy of my x-rays from them earlier today to take them with me to my appointment today. I also said, please be kind. I handled this badly. He said, "Oh, you know me, I am not like that!" It's interesting how our own perceptions cloud the reality of what the person is really like.

Dr. Awesome went down the list, and checked each thing that they prescribed. He set down his tools he used to probe my mouth and just said, "I disagree with a lot of this." Please tell me more!

Here we go:

Tooth number four, the one giving me the most pain. He agrees it needs a root canal and a crown. I agree too. BUT! He can do the root canal, and put in a temporary filling to stop the destruction and get it "healthy" until the insurance renews after the New Year and will pay for the crown. Thank you, Lord! You provide! I know You do, but this is just another example of Your provision where there was nothing.

He caught a few stray cavities as well. In general, when I go to the dentist, I have cavities. I honestly brush my teeth 2-3 times a day. He absolutely recommends rinsing just as many times a day with flouride. Studies Dr. Awesome has read show that rinsing can really build up your teeth and almost make a protective barrier on them. People like me who have bad teeth genes seem to respond well to this. Guy at Brand X office didn't tell me this. I'll be making a trip to the drug store in the next day or so, and I'll get back to you on this.

Receding gum needs a graft, but Dr. Awesome will do it differently than prescribed by Brand X. Again, to be preventative and cost effective. He showed me how if I pull back my gum enough I can see an exposed ligament. He also said don't do this incessantly, but that is where we need to fix that. Interesting huh? Brand X didn't give me a lesson in anatomy.

Here is the big one. Tooth 12 and 13. Brand X says I need a full root canal and crown. That is the tooth that has an abscess, is dead, and should be considered for an extraction in the future.

Dr. Awesome says he doesn't see at all what the fuss is. Yes, it has lost the filling, the nerve is probably dead. But it's a decent tooth. A good filling, and it's good to go. Dr. Awesome took a pencil and lined through about half of the "Treatment Plan" from Brand X and wrote "filling" over all of it. It doesn't need to be considered for extraction. It certainly doesn't need a root canal and a crown.

I cried for a different reason when I got in the car. I might be able to actually do this in such a way to pay minimally out of my pocket, insurance to pay for most of it, and get good dental care. I won't have to finance yet something else in our budget, setting us back $5,000+ dollars.

For those of you who live in my city, I should have seen Dr. Awesome sooner rather than later. I should have swallowed my pride. If anyone wants to know who he is to see him, you just let me know.

I also got a prescription for the radiating pain I have been having until we can get to drilling here in a few weeks. Also I will be taking an antiobiotic to prepare for the root canal. It has a lot of gunk in it now, and that will help prevent infection when we do this. At the end of August, if you hear buzzing sounds for two hours straight hanging over my city, don't be alarmed. It's me getting my bazillionth root canal, and I am happy about it!