Getting Drilled
When my tooth started hurting, I thought nothing of it. I'm 25 and have never had a cavity. I take such good care of my teeth that once when I got my teeth cleaned at my former university, the student dentist called over her instructor just to see my glisteningly clean chiclets--true story.
But the bane of my toothy existance is my freak tooth. Many of you that know me have seen it. It's one tooth fused on top of another tooth. If you haven't had the pleasure, imagine there was a malfunction in the transporter on the starship Enterprise and one of my teeth was accidently beamed to the same location as another of my teeth. They're phased right through each other causing this multicusped tooth mass. It's odd.
At any rate, my freak tooth is hard to clean and makes it hard to clean the tooth in front of it too. I try. I have a special toothpick and floss like hell, but still, stuff gets caught in there, and I can't always get it out.
Still, I thought maybe my gums were infected, not that I had a cavity. My gums had been infected before. It hurts kinda like the cavity hurt but not quite. I didn't know what a cavity felt like, though, so I wasn't sure. Being that I wasn't sure (and afraid to go to a denist that doesn't speak the same language as me), I let the tooth go too long.
Turns out I had a huge cavity. I ended up getting about half my tooth drilled out, including the nerve removed. Cost me all of $17. That's Korean health care for you. One thing that's unfortunately not covered, though, is the crown. That'll be $300. Why so much, you ask? It's because Korean dentists believe that crowns made of different metal or some other artifical material are hazardous to your health. I can respect that, but I still don't want to pay $300. I will, though, I suppose.
I know a lot of you will ask, so I'll answer before you do: the actual dentist visit was just like back home. Image a slightly smaller office and a dentist with a Korean accent, and you're pretty much there. One nice perk was the view. The dentist's chair faced a fourth floor window, so I got to watch the city a little as I was drilled. Good times.
R
posted by RPShep @ 1:20 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
yikes i hate that. sorrry!!!
Ryan, I say yikes too, just coming back from the dentist myself. Nothing near as bad. Remember I use to work for a dentist and you my grandson just had a root canal done. And $300 for a cap/crown is not bad at all. Here they would start at least at $600. I hope things are better now that you have had the tooth done. Do you still have the crazy tooth in there. I do not know how you would get that done with out having it filed down and then no more crazy tooth. Anyway glad you had it taken care of and feeling better I hope. GR
That sounds like a pretty negetive on the fun scale experience.I never noticed your freak tooth. I'm 29 and have freakishly never had a cavity, but I DO still have one of my baby teeth. Yep, fun Bendress fact.But then, I'm still pretty childish.... -Bendress
Hi, Miss K Risque. It's nice to see new people posting on my blog. I'm just curious if you're someone I know or someone who just happened across my blog. In any case, thanks for the comment.
R
If one had to have several dental procedures done, it actually might pay to fly there for it. The savings might pay for the ticket. As an earlier post noted 300$ for a crown is a deal.
Really? That's a deal for a crown? I didn't realize.
Pretty much all medical stuff is cheap here. $5 to go the doctor. $17 for two hours of physical therapy (for my shoulder), each additional time only $3. $3 for acupuncture (also for the shoulder). $3 for antibiotics when I got food poisoning. $17 for my first dental visit. $3 for each additional visit. All my Korean friends always tell me how expensive all the medical stuff in the US was. One friend actually started an argument with the doctor when he saw his bill.
R
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