I'm a bit of a cranky mood this week and it will be continuing into next week. 
Earlier this year I had a dental implant done to replace a cracked tooth. After waiting several months for the implant to heal it took a few more months for the crown to be fitted, made, and installed. Getting an implant is not a fun process as you are getting a screw put into your jaw.
Anyway, I thought that was all behind me after I got the crown put on about two months ago. Yay!
No.
Within a few weeks it didn't feel right. Soon it was obvious that it was loose. Touching it would move the whole thing side to side. A trip to the dentist and the x-rays confirmed it, the entire implant was loose, not just the crown. The oral surgeon who did the implant was no longer at the practice so I get referred to a different oral surgeon in town. First available appointment? Two weeks out.
The implant is getting looser. It is actually vibrating against my cheek when I try to talk. The slightest touch to it hurts the gums. Can't wait the two weeks, I need to see the surgeon now. Emergency visit? Two days later.
Oral surgeon confirms the problem and says I need to have a bone graft done. They'll remove the implant, clean the socket, and fill it with bone graft material. After several months of healing another implant can be done. Nearest available date to do the surgery? One week.
Next day the entire implant falls out!
As you can see from the pic there wasn't much blood so that was a good thing. But, hey, at least it doesn't hurt anymore. Back to the oral surgeon. Oh, and the surgery is still a week away.
So yesterday the surgery day finally arrives. Yikes! One surgeon, two nurses, a lot of instruments, a lot of blood, and about 2 hours in the chair under a local anesthesia. I think he must have been mining for gold while cleaning the socket out because it sure felt like it. At one point he had a rubber-gloved hand over my nose and, because I'm trying to breath through my nose, I can't breath. A minute later the palm of the hand ends up pressing against my eye socket. I keep hearing him tell the nurses what instrument he wants, he keeps going back and forth, the nurses are scrambling to suck up the blood & saliva and I'm just keeping my eyes shut.
With a bleeding mouth I went to the pharmacy on the way home to get my prescriptions and called it a day. Finally got hungry about 10:00PM and had some mashed potatoes for dinner. Wake up in the middle of the night and the side of my face is swollen like a chipmunk eating nuts. Time for the ice pack.
I'm back at the office today. Face is still swollen so I'm using an ice pack on it every few hours. Lunch was oatmeal. Still some slight bleeding but nothing major. Should be only a few days or so before the swelling goes down.
Oh, and I have a root canal scheduled for Tuesday with my regular dentist for a different tooth. I suspect it will be a long week.
Earlier this year I had a dental implant done to replace a cracked tooth. After waiting several months for the implant to heal it took a few more months for the crown to be fitted, made, and installed. Getting an implant is not a fun process as you are getting a screw put into your jaw. Anyway, I thought that was all behind me after I got the crown put on about two months ago. Yay!
No.
Within a few weeks it didn't feel right. Soon it was obvious that it was loose. Touching it would move the whole thing side to side. A trip to the dentist and the x-rays confirmed it, the entire implant was loose, not just the crown. The oral surgeon who did the implant was no longer at the practice so I get referred to a different oral surgeon in town. First available appointment? Two weeks out.
Oral surgeon confirms the problem and says I need to have a bone graft done. They'll remove the implant, clean the socket, and fill it with bone graft material. After several months of healing another implant can be done. Nearest available date to do the surgery? One week.
Next day the entire implant falls out!
As you can see from the pic there wasn't much blood so that was a good thing. But, hey, at least it doesn't hurt anymore. Back to the oral surgeon. Oh, and the surgery is still a week away.So yesterday the surgery day finally arrives. Yikes! One surgeon, two nurses, a lot of instruments, a lot of blood, and about 2 hours in the chair under a local anesthesia. I think he must have been mining for gold while cleaning the socket out because it sure felt like it. At one point he had a rubber-gloved hand over my nose and, because I'm trying to breath through my nose, I can't breath. A minute later the palm of the hand ends up pressing against my eye socket. I keep hearing him tell the nurses what instrument he wants, he keeps going back and forth, the nurses are scrambling to suck up the blood & saliva and I'm just keeping my eyes shut.
With a bleeding mouth I went to the pharmacy on the way home to get my prescriptions and called it a day. Finally got hungry about 10:00PM and had some mashed potatoes for dinner. Wake up in the middle of the night and the side of my face is swollen like a chipmunk eating nuts. Time for the ice pack.
I'm back at the office today. Face is still swollen so I'm using an ice pack on it every few hours. Lunch was oatmeal. Still some slight bleeding but nothing major. Should be only a few days or so before the swelling goes down.
Oh, and I have a root canal scheduled for Tuesday with my regular dentist for a different tooth. I suspect it will be a long week.
