dental adventures

Sometimes, with the way I have to "pull teeth" to get my students to work, I think I should have been a dentist. 

Yesterday, while eating breakfast, I broke a tooth.  It's happened more times than I want to count, and it's likely to happen again.  For some reason, I have crappy teeth.  I've learned that once a tooth breaks, there is no sense in waiting to do something about it.  There is usually no pain at the time it breaks, but gradually, the filling or whatever wears away, the root becomes exposed, and then you're looking at a root canal. 

So, I was able to get an appointment for today.  I found a sub and left school about 11:30.  My husband was of the mind that I should "just pull it", but I'm kind of attached to my teeth, and when I mentioned that option to the dentist and the hygienist, they looked at me like I had lost my mind. 

So I settled in for a nice afternoon in the dentist.  Early on, I was relocated from a room that is about the average size of a cell on death row to a more spacious cubicle with a window and a wonderful view of the parking lot.  The hygienist must have had a rough week - she was telling me about all the people that had died.  I got a little confused trying to keep them all straight.  There was also an intern working with her.  She told me it was her third day on the job.  She was very sweet and thanked me for being "cooperative". 

Anyway, about 3 hours and $900 later, I left with a temporary crown - a pretty good job (so far) as far as temporaries go.  Yes, I have dental insurance.... 

Maybe I should have been a dentist....