(Sweezie, Queen of All She Surveys?) I made my (next to last) trip to the dentist to get, hopefully, the last in a long line of crowns done earlier this week. I am all about squeezing the last penny out of my dental insurance (and my wallet, apparently) before I venture into the unknown Medicare territory. As perverse as it sounds, I love my dentist. I don't particularly like any form of dentistry but, if dentistry needs to be administered, then I vote for Svetlana B. She is all of 4 feet 10 and is a human dynamo. Her dental assistant works with her so well, it's like a dance. Sometimes the dance of pain, but it is still fascinating. Other than the dreaded numbing shot, she is fast and exact and gets me in and out in sound-breaking time.
I remember my first dentist - he was a gentle, kindly fellow, who wore a white, short-sleeved medical jacket, tie, and smelled of Brylcreem and cigarettes. Since neither of my parents smoked (although dad did smoke a pipe from time to time), this seemed to me a very exotic thing. Also, there was the Treasure Chest. If you were good (translated as didn't scream or bite him), you got to choose a treasure on your way out. I always went for the gaudiest, largest ring I could find.
When I was in my mid-20s to mid-30s, I went to my dentist's nephew. I liked him because of his propensity to use nitrous oxide at the drop of a hat. A little nervous? Pop goes the gas, on go the headphones, up goes the volume and off you go to a nicer place than the dentist's chair. He had a fine selection of music - classical, pop, rock, jazz - there were times that I was actually disappointed when the procedure was over.
After that, I had a series of unhappy experiences with a number of bad dentists that ranged from just rude to barbaric. I had found a very nice one just down the street from the office, but he retired and sold his business to an Egyptian butcher who apparently got his dental degree through the mail, if he had one at all. The next one was a woman who seemed so ill at ease and unsure - case in point, I got no less than 7 novocaine shots in the roof of my mouth at every visit - that I couldn't face her. Then I found Svetlana and have been 'happy' ever since. I am very chummy with my hygienist, too - who will, sob, be retiring soon. We traded cell phone numbers so we can keep in touch.
As much as I like them, however, I do hope that this is the last procedure I will be having for at least ten years.
17 comments:
Rarely a fun experience, going to the dentist! You shall henceforth be addressed as "Her Majesty", fancy mouth! I loved my dentist so much I married him.
I am not loyal to my dentist but I'm sure loyal to my dental hygienist. I've been going to her for two decades and when she is sick or not in the office, they know to call me and automatically reschedule it for when she is there. Since I'm a few years older than she, I hope that means she won't retire until maybe teeth are not a concern for me anymore.
i worked in dentistry for many many years and there simply should be no pain, even the injection, if they know what they are doing. period! people loved me because i was painless.
OMG, that is too wonderful!
Oh I so know how you feel. I went through a line of less than stellar dentist from the time I was a kid and yes I did buy a few but that’s another story. When my second oldest child was about 16 months old and we had the need for a good pediatric dentist. And I took her to one less than impressed me.
my idea of holding my child at a visit was in my arms his idea of holding my child was placing her and strapping her to a papoose holder and letting his hygienist hold it in me sitting in the waiting room and no that wasn’t happening.
So I consulted the ladies at my Leche league meetings at the time and came up with the name of a wonderful dentist I was told went to him end it was love at first sight. My entire family went to him for years including my children and their spouses and my grandchildren even saw him early on.
I swear to you not it was like going to Mr. Rogers neighborhood I’ve never met anybody that was so generous and forthright and kind who had no agendas he was just an amazing person and then he retired. And I’ve never found anybody quite the same yet but what the heck it’s just teeth?
Eee; dentists. I wonder if Svetlana travels to Oregon.
I bet I have more crowns than you do. an accident at 16 busted up my teeth. 8 on the bottom and 2 on top. I've had good and not so good dentists. I went to my brother-in-law for a long time and then we had a falling out, nothing to do with teeth, more to do with him being an asshole and third time's the charm so I don't interact with him anymore. new dentist does great work but after 4 new crowns in less than two years with another two he wants to do it seemed like crowns was his go to instead of just a filling. I've decided to get a second opinion on the last two. plus I'm not thrilled with the hygenist. she keeps telling me I need to go to a specialist about one tooth which is a little loose and I keep telling her I can't afford a specialist, I can barely afford a regular dentist because I am self pay for any restorative work (the dentist does only charge me what the insurance would pay so that's good). but the hygenist always makes a point of putting in my file that I refused the recommendation and she makes sure the dentist knows it as well so it strikes me that she's more concerned with covering her ass.
Ugh, I only go when I have to; last time was a broken tooth. I average 8 to 10 years between visits. I am very thankful for the good dental genes I inherited.
Good to have a good dentist you like.
My first dentist was Dr Strange, yes, it was his name. He was nice enough but suffered from a bad back. During the procedure he would give a big sigh and sit down for a rest. Unnerving for a child. I recently ditched a dentist in favour of a very nice young man, very serious but excellent technique and I am still talking about his dentistry skills. Sadly I haven't seen him in an age because immune compromised folks like me are still advised not to go to the dentist. I see a two hour cleaning in my future.
Laughed out loud at Jaz. "People love me because I'm painless." No one has ever said that about me. I frequently hear just the opposite...that I'm a big pain.
My dentist passed away. I loved him. I haven't found another.
Yes milk it while you can!! When I have hit my out of pocket max I get things like an Epi pen, etc. Stock up!
As a working dentist, I tell my patients several mantras:
Brush and floss only the ones you want to keep
Be true to your teeth or they will be false to you
Brush only on the days you eat
The more you do, the less I do
You make them, I fix them........
LOVE YOUR BLOG !!!
A good dentist is worth his or her weight in gold!
Wow did that bring back memories - Brylcreem and cigarettes, exactly what my first dentist smelled like.
Well, Your Royal Highness, you certainly have run the gamut of bad dental experiences. :o( The dentist I grew up going to (until I was married and moved) was a sweet, gentle, wonderful man. But he scared me when he told me when I was a young adult that I would probably "have trouble" with my teeth because my gums "were so boney." And, yes, when I pull my lips away from my teeth you can see the outline of nearly every tooth and root in the gums. (Freaked out yet?) Still, at my ancient age now, I've always had "good" teeth (only one crown . . . are you jealous?) and at each dental visit, they always tell me to keep doing whatever it is that I'm doing. Despite what dear Dr. Rice told me eons ago, I seem to be doing okay.
Yes, I am getting another crown in 3 weeks - temporary crown in my mouth right now. I almost have a whole set because I get cracks in my teeth due to growing up in the "drill and fill generation" and old fillings are big and teeth are weakened. Even a bit plate at night doesn't entirely save me. I have a wonderful dentist - well I had a wonderful dentist until he retired and he did all my crowns. This current crown is being done by his son! He took over his father's practice - and they are very much alike. Putting in crowns is an art form - it can be done badly and I have heard horror stories, but none of my crowns were a problem. My oldest crown is 26 years old - and typically crowns are supposed to be good for 10-15 years so if you have to have crowns find an "artist" with a dental degree who only settles for perfect!!
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