My jaws held up pretty well (of course some valium helped) through 3 root canals and 2 crowns. There were a ton of X-rays for each tooth, and a Panorex too. My fears of losing teeth weren't unfounded, as it was discovered that 2 teeth have to come out - and I'm scheduled for those next Friday, plus bone grafts to help heal and prepare the bone for implants. I'm going to lose the 14, which was vertically fractured and in really bad shape. The other one that comes out is the 33, the lower left canine that was avulsed in the accident. I'm told this is a very important tooth for mouth structure, so it's going to be interesting how an implant might hold up there. Here's a gorgeous picture of me mid-pulpotomy:
My worst fear was that I would lose my top front teeth, and only one of them is looking poor long-term. Maybe in a couple of years I will lose it to an implant. The bottom teeth that were knocked out of place (but still in the bone) are also at risk of degenerating within a few years. So that's kind of bleak.
The disconcerting part was the results seen on the Panorex Xray. I don't have a copy...sure wish I did and maybe I can try to get one. It is showing that both of my condyles are in very poor position, and Dr. T. was concerned enough to contact 3 different specialists right away, send them my x-rays and get their opinions. Two of them got right back to her with the opinion that things are not in good shape, and in fact the function of my joints is poor. So I'm being referred to a specialist next Wednesday who is apparently a world-renowned TMJ specialist with a very long waiting list to be seen. Unfortunately, he requires a CT scan prior to being seen and they usually take 2 weeks. So I'm rushing to the clinic to get one done first thing tomorrow morning and they're promising to rush the results to him. I am really hoping all that goes well so that I can get his informed opinion on what should be happening.
Of all the things that I thought I would hear at the dentist today, that wasn't one of them. Now there's a real possibility that I could be having another surgery..and I wonder if it will involve being wired shut again. I so hope not. It was torture last time!
I also have learned a lot today about my insurance coverage. It turns out that most of this should be covered under a dental accident clause in our medical coverage, which has a lifetime maximum of $500K. I'm truly hoping that most of this is covered - I'm wondering if even braces might be covered. I'm being told by my doctors that they're not for cosmetics, they're actually truly required for function. So we'll see what claims are accepted and which are denied.
I'll post more about my CT scan experience (I've already had one when I was in the ER but this might be different.) and then of course what the new specialist says about my jaw. Fingers crossed!! For what, I'm not sure....
No comments:
Post a Comment