The Truth About The Tooth

What is it about a visit to the dentist? Perhaps it is the ambience or the constant sounds of the excavation and restorative operations in progress and music. It is worth exploring some of the aspects that make this an unnerving experience.

The Chair

This is referred to as the dental engine. Its ability to recline is a brief but welcome feature allowing for some relaxation before the storm and for watching that computer screen with images of the excavation site. It is hooked up to a powerful electric current, a chilling thought. It is the generator powering all the site equipment enabling the drilling, the air blasting and water removal operations. It does tend to make all the loose change, car keys and anything else in your pockets fall out.

The Teeth

These have a numbering system to identify each tooth as well as names. This is crucial part of the site plans. You cannot start digging in the wrong spot. The incisors are for cutting, the canines are not to be confused with fierce watchdogs guarding the site premises and the premolars and molars are for grinding. Removal of those infernal wisdom teeth is a necessary numbing part of the overall site maintenance. The incessant chomping by the teeth requires regular inspection to ensure that the bridges and other structures will not collapse.

The Hygienist

This is where the surveying and inspection takes place. The hygienist’s role is like that of an engineer drawing up plans for a mining project. X-Rays, akin to seismic tomography, may be taken to probe for potential problem areas in the underlying structure. They are also experts in the disciple of surface mining. This involves the removal of a gummy substance called plaque. It contaminates the site. Scalars, probes, picks and and mirrors are some the tools used to achieve this.

The Equipment

The equipment used on site can be divided into these broad categories with details of the instruments used for each one. It provides some perspective on the operation.

1. Surveying/Examination is covered by the hygienist 2. Anaesthesia or freezing of the construction site prevents the patient from being nervous about the impending drilling. Strangely these agents’ names end in “caine”. In dire cases the use of “happy gas” obliviates all memory of the painful intrusion. 3. Excavating/Extraction. The dental dams, pneumatic drills, chisels, forceps, lasers, torque wrenches, safety glasses and burs speak for themselves in conjuring up images of intense discomfort. 4. Restoring. Amalgam is the essence of the filling and is a controversial topic due to the element of mercury it contains. An environmental assessment should be done of the site with the object of removing this toxic waste.

The Dentist

These are the brains behind the enterprise. They interpret the hygienist’s drawings of the planned manoeuvres. Injecting the right quantity of anaesthesia in the right place is essential to the patients well being and makes the operation a whole lot easier. In tricky situations like uncovering roots or faulty crowns the dentist’s expertise works wonders. It may require some innovative thinking. The drilling forms the foundation on which the building or restoration can take place. The routine procedures are easily dealt with. The dentists assistant is there to deal with the air blasting, the water pump, mixing the cement and conduct idle chatter with the dentist. On occasion the dentist will talk to the patient however this tends to be a one-way conversation. By no means is this a social visit.

Difficulties arise when roots are uncovered. They require special attention by boring into the morass of tissue to terminate the nerve ends. A canal is built in the tooth as part of the restorative process. It becomes the crowning glory of resuscitating a tooth. It is the perfect porcelain edifice. Someone called an endodontist may be called upon to complete this procedure. A periodontist on the other hand studies the supporting structures of the teeth and related diseases. The extraction of teeth may be required to rectify and prevent further deterioration of the site.

The Aftermath

The anaesthesia lingers for a while. It is not advisable to take any photographs as the smile will totally misrepresent the unhappy experience. The drinking of any beverage causes an embarrassing dribble and if the speech is slurred from a numb tongue people may find it funny except for the policeman stopping you on the way home.

The use of mental floss usually clears the memory of this necessary visit at least until next time!!!!!!!