Dental stuff - March will be an uncertain month for me

Headed over there around noon time today, will be out for awhile, eek.

Well I've officially been poked, prodded, measured, and checked to half to death. 3 more hours of it yesterday. We have graphs of gum line and measurements to the jaw bone, bone analysis, tooth analysis and everything in between. I've never had such an examination but these peeps are the best. I got to meet with 3 of the peeps on my team yesterday, my dentist, periodontal expert, and the girl heading up my team that is an expert in all areas. They all came up with the same conclusion that I thought they would, there's just not enough good teeth to support or anchor anything to. If I want to do a lot of fixing they can but it won't last because they are just to brittle... The plan is to add a few more members to the team including someone in the oral surgery dept, and denture dept. The periodontal dept can do anything the oral surgery dept can do except cut out my 2 upper wisdom teeth that are pointed forward that are still under the skin and never came in, I never had any lower wisdom teeth thank goodness.

They are so busy that my next appt is May 2, 6 more weeks from yesterday. They still won't do anything that day except go over procedures, cost, how it all works, and possibly take an impression of my teeth and mouth for temporary dentures. After that a date will be set to get all of them out and who will be doing what. The dental surgery peeps may do it all, or they may get the periodontal peeps to do the extractions they can, then taking me to the dental surgery dept while I am under to cut out the upper wisdom teeth that are there, they aren't sure yet and have to get with those peeps now that we have a plan of what we are doing. The University of KY dental and medical centers are really first class and I feel good about them doing all of this, they have access to the best of everything plus if anything goes south the main UK Hospital is in the same building lol.

There isn't much doubt that I will be taking some time off and out of the shop for a bit after this happens, there will be a lot of pain and swelling but it is what it is. They said everything would be healed in a few weeks, then it's just a matter of time of the gums shrinking and looking at the temporary teeth so see what I would like to see as my permanent ones as far as width, height, gum line, color, etc. They said at that time we could also decide if I want to go back in for post implants to anchor the new permanent teeth as to put pressure on the jaw bone like the real teeth do. They also said I would have to adjust to the new teeth. I'm sure it will be weird but it will be sorta nice to have something there to be able to eat more things and have a nice smile lol. I think the weirdest thing will be going to sleep with this mess and waking up with brand new straight pearly white teeth after 45 years or so of the mess in my mouth now.

Next update will be around May 2 unless they have cancellations and can get me in sooner.

Lord be with you, guide the hands of those Doctors and Nurses.

I need to change the topic name, I had no idea it would be this long of a process.

Headed back over there today. I'll give another update as soon as I know more but it will be late in the day.

They changed the way things are done over there, not sure if it's policy, the new computer program their using, or insurance requirements, but I have to go back 1 more time to meet with the Periodontal team. It used to be that they would sign off on everything at my regular dentist's spot, we did that but when we met with the financial girl she told us things had changed. I did talk to the financial girl and get the info on everything price wise and we're good to go there so now the only thing holding us back is paperwork. The Periodontal team leader is supposed to call and set up that appointment so as of now I still have no idea of when everything is supposed to happen...

I am supposed to call some peeps and some are calling me this morning wondering when they can bring tractors down to restore them and now my answer is still,,, I have no idea. It's a little frustrating but it is what it is. :confused2

Some good news... The Periodontal team is less booked up than Surgery, and it can all be done in the Periodontal room. I have 1 wisdom tooth that they have to break up and take out that is still under the skin and growing forward, but someone from the surgery dept can be sent to the Periodontal dept to deal with it, then Periodontal can do the rest. More good news is that the cost when all is said and done is way way less than I had expected. I wish things could move a little faster and I could know more about the schedule but at least it's getting closer every day. I can't wait till this is over and I get my new (what I call) Hollywood pearly white teeth lol.

Geno wrote:

They changed the way things are done over there, not sure if it's policy, the new computer program their using, or insurance requirements, but I have to go back 1 more time to meet with the Periodontal team. It used to be that they would sign off on everything at my regular dentist's spot, we did that but when we met with the financial girl she told us things had changed. I did talk to the financial girl and get the info on everything price wise and we're good to go there so now the only thing holding us back is paperwork. The Periodontal team leader is supposed to call and set up that appointment so as of now I still have no idea of when everything is supposed to happen...

I am supposed to call some peeps and some are calling me this morning wondering when they can bring tractors down to restore them and now my answer is still,,, I have no idea. It's a little frustrating but it is what it is. :confused2

Some good news... The Periodontal team is less booked up than Surgery, and it can all be done in the Periodontal room. I have 1 wisdom tooth that they have to break up and take out that is still under the skin and growing forward, but someone from the surgery dept can be sent to the Periodontal dept to deal with it, then Periodontal can do the rest. More good news is that the cost when all is said and done is way way less than I had expected. I wish things could move a little faster and I could know more about the schedule but at least it's getting closer every day. I can't wait till this is over and I get my new (what I call) Hollywood pearly white teeth lol.

Two Words.....GOOD LUCK.................................................

Thanks Nappy.

The Periodontal team called this afternoon and I have to go over there early tomorrow morning. It's short notice but it was either that or wait a lot longer so here we go lol.

Not looking forward to morning Lexington traffic, or the fact that the appt is downtown but it is what it is... I'll give an update when I get back.

Sorry so late on the update. I got back after lunch yesterday then got swamped and ended up not getting outta here till after 8pm last night, again...

Anyway,,, all went well with the periodontics exam and I met the girl that will doing the actual work. We then went down to financials and all is good and done there. All that is needed now is to get an impression made and find out when the temp teeth will be ready to schedule the surgery. They said it usually takes about 2 weeks but who really knows is anyone's guess as busy and backed up as things are everywhere... By a true miracle my regular team had an opening this coming Monday to do the impressions so I will be going back then. It may be another late getting home day, but I'll get another update in here this Monday or Tuesday.

Impressions were done yesterday and that was not the most fun thing in the world, glad it's over lol. Next appt is next early next Wed the 25^th to do other measurements and things including a bite index whatever that is...

Well, yesterdays appt was rescheduled to next Wed June 1st. Seems the molds weren't ready to do the bite index and jaw alignment. I didn't even know they had to make molds for them off of the impressions they took last time. I'm learning more and more how this works and how it should be done the right way, it takes more time and work but I'm happy I'm in with the right peeps.

I'm still on a call list so it may be sooner, who knows lol.