Root Canal Done Today

[MickinMD 5,301]

I went into the specialist's office at 1 pm and walked out at 1:50 pm with the root canal completely done and a temporary crown which I can't chew on for two weeks, at which point I get a permanent crown.  There was no pain at all after he shot the hell out me with Novocaine and a "dam" of a few inches of plastic surrounding the tooth meant there was no water, etc. running into my mouth that had to get suctioned out, etc. as the procedure went on.

It cost $1107. I have a $25 annual deductible and insurance paid the rest, leaving $418 of my insurance's max. $1500/yr for the crown.  Insurance normally pays 80% of crowns but most of my $600 government payment will go toward it.

Before the novocaine wears off (it's still completely numb at 4:20 pm) I stopped at a supermarket to get frozen meatloaf, turkey ham and navy beans to make ham and bean soup, tomatoes, tomato soup, and other soft stuff to eat over the next two weeks  I made lots of an Italian sausage and veggies stew last night to last a few days - I didn't expect two weeks of don't-chew-on-the-temp-crown.

Here it is, the left tooth (#31, the #2 lower rt. molar) in a phone pic taken of the doc's display screen of my post-procedure X-ray. The wide white part descending down the roots (compared to the narrow dark pulp on the next tooth) is where a rubber-like material replaced the infected pulp (that's what a root canal is) - a mature tooth gets it's nourishment from surrounding tissue and doesn't need the pulp.  The pulp was becoming healthy again by the antibiotic I've been taking for 8 days, but because of damage around the tooth, it would likely get infected over and over if left alone.

 

[Razors Edge 13,226]

So this post isn't about trees nor boats???? WTF????

 

 

 

Da Meter says "10.00"

[Longjohn 34,559]

I hope you didn’t remove your mask for this procedure.

[Clark 1,413]

I'm going in tomorrow for a crown on number 4.  Hopefully, it will be a root canal free procedure.    

[BuffJim 9,901]

Good luck with recovery. My wisdom teeth extraction got infected. That was a picnic. 

[Airehead 17,935]

Do be careful with the temp crown. I am making ham and navy bean soup this weekend too

[Longjohn 34,559]

3 minutes ago, Airehead said:

Do be careful with the temp crown. I am making ham and navy bean soup this weekend too

Just be careful you don’t overdo it and have a fart attack.

[Square Wheels 23,927]

On 1/13/2021 at 7:42 PM, Taylor said:

I'm going in tomorrow for a crown on number 4.  Hopefully, it will be a root canal free procedure.    

and?

[MickinMD 5,301]

On 1/13/2021 at 9:35 PM, Airehead said:

Do be careful with the temp crown. I am making ham and navy bean soup this weekend too

Thanks for the advice.  Knowing myself, if I eat something requires a lot of chewing, I'll subconsciously shift it around in my mouth and start chewing right on the temp crown.  So steak, bacon, etc. is out for a while and sausage, turkey ham, etc. are in.

I have frozen chicken soup, 2 x of Martha Stewart's savory Fall stew, 2 x of Polish golabkis (stuffed cabbage), and Kraft Thick and Creamy mac & cheese with 8-12 oz. of steamed cauliflower and some extra cheddar cheese added in has made a great, soft side-dish where the fiber from the cauliflower keeps make my blood sugar from soaring.

I think I'm ok with chicken thighs and am going to do the next planned improvement on ranch-battered oven-fried chicken next week or so. With the batter, the skin gets crisp but not too crisp.

[Clark 1,413]

3 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

and?

Just a temporary crown.  I am currently scheduled for my permanent on March 2nd, but they told me they would call me if anything opens sooner.  I am getting another metal crown.  I will have two of them, on no. 13 and no. 4.  Same tooth on each side.  

[Square Wheels 23,927]

Yay, no root canal.

[MickinMD 5,301]

2 hours ago, Taylor said:

Just a temporary crown.  I am currently scheduled for my permanent on March 2nd, but they told me they would call me if anything opens sooner.  I am getting another metal crown.  I will have two of them, on no. 13 and no. 4.  Same tooth on each side.  

Good for your wallet that there's no root canal, though it turned out to be little more than getting a filling - there was very minor soreness for two days.

My insurance covered all of the root canal, but I'll exceed my insurance's max. with the permanent crown.