Whoosh

So it's been ages since I last posted, and that's mostly because right now it's just a waiting game. We won't know if the Emdogain is working for a while yet, and no additional dental work can be done until the bone is regenerated to a certain point. But the office hooked me up with a WaterPick, something I've never used before but now I'll never be without. Really, it's a great appliance, once you get the hang of it.

Remember that scene from Roxanne where the firefighters are practicing with the firehose and it's totally out of control, and the hose is whipping them all over the place? That's what I felt like the first couple of times I used my Waterpick, but once I got the hang of it, by God it's a miracle. Not to be too gross, but the fact is that little bits of stuff come out from between the teeth, even after a thorough brushing. It's better than flossing, in my opinion.

I also had a silly thought the other day. I was cleaning the kitchen, the perennial chore, and I realized I spend MORE time every day cleaning the kitchen than I do taking care of my mouth. THAT's sad.

Poor little girl

I read that story about the poor little five year old girl who is now brain dead after dental sedation. Here's an excerpt from the Chicago Sun Times.:

"Diamond Brownridge, the 5-year-old Southwest Side girl who slipped into a coma after being sedated by her dentist, was clinging to life late Monday at Children's Memorial Hospital.....Diamond's sedation involved three steps. First, she was given a substance to drink from a cup. Then the clinic administered what it called "goofy gas,'' Travis said. Finally, she received intravenous sedation....the child, who had been grinding her teeth, had complained of dental pain and been diagnosed with two cavities, her mother said. She was also getting caps on some lower teeth..."

Ok my first question is why is a five year old child getting caps on lower teeth?
Second, of course, is what happened?

No one seems to know at this point.

For more information about the dangers of IV sedation, here is an article by ABC News.

But the episode led me to do a google news search on dentists. It brought up a story about sexual abuse, a story about a Birmingham (UK) dentist accused of ordering a firebomb attack on a Birmingham house which killed a six-year-old girl, and a whole bunch of other strange stories about dentists. These stories led me to look up that urban legend about dentists having high suicide rates. I found this article, which seems to refute that claim, although it has a very funny graphic cartoon.

Because I'm worth it!

Dental appt today! And there's something good, something bad, and something embarrassing to tell.

First the good, I have this molar -- I think it's tooth #30 for those who number their teeth -- which is pretty well compromised. It's always had a huge filling in it, and the pockets around it are enormous and inflammed and all that crappy stuff. So initially the decision was made to just have it out and go with (probably) an implant. But now we're going to try to save it! Yay! I say try, because it's pretty far gone, and there may not be any hope for it. But JC is going to give it a go with the perioscope and a big dollop of Emdogain and we'll see what happens.

Now the bad. I seem to be a plaque making machine! Thanks, Mom! I remember my dentist when I was a teenager telling me I had "your mother's plaque issues", by which he meant that I make plaque like a bee makes honey. No, not out my butt! Just all the time. I am admittedly going to have to be even more vigilant than ever to keep the darn things clean. As it is, I brush twice a day and swish vigourously with Listerine (ugh) at least 3 times a day. JC thinks I ought to use the Sonic Care for four minutes each time I use it. That's two cycles, because the Sonic Care is set up to automatically shut off after 2 minutes. Plus I really have to floss more. For a long time I didn't floss because it caused my gums to bleed but I have no excuses now. My gums don't bleed anymore, not since the perioscopy. (That's one good reason to consider this super deep cleaning treatment even if you aren't at the point I was -- the point of near hopelessness.) So I will start flossing -- honest!

And the embarrassing -- well, you know how you want your teeth to be super clean when you go to the dentist? I brushed last night, and twice this morning, and Dr Bursell still found a little piece of pizza from last night's dinner lodged somewhere. How disgusting is that???? but it just goes to show you that you think you're getting 'em clean but you really aren't.

More good news -- one of my pockets has gone from 12 mm to 3. That's really good.

Next I'll go back for the perioscopy on that molar, and then in six weeks' time go for another cleaning...not a super deep one this time but just to keep the plaque at bay.

No major work, though, for a few months, because the Emdogain is still working, and the healing is still occuring (we hope!).

Oh -- so I also have this little issue with occlusion, which is basically the way the teeth bite against each other. (Origin: 1590–1600; < L occlūdere to shut up, close up, equiv. to oc- oc- + -clūdere, comb. form of claudere to close]) Occlusion is a big deal because if your teeth don't clamp down in just the right way, it can cause all kinds of problems. So Dr Bursell took a diamond tipped (hence the title of this piece) dealybob and ground down the surfaces of two of my upper side teeth. Just a little. Just enough so that the clamping down process is a little evener. I was worried but it didn't hurt at all.

Tomorrow Im going to try to find some time to write about anxiety, where my anxiety is at right now, what I've learned, and how I'm learning to cope.

New problems

Oh, man, just when I thought things were looking up, and my teeth were getting back to normal, one of them started to crumble today. From what I can tell, a piece of the tooth must have chipped off somehow, and it feels really weird on the inside. I can feel the sharp edges of the filling with my tongue. I think this is the tooth that one dentist told me had a crack in it. It's probably going to have to go. Dammit. That makes 3 teeth that are going to have to be pulled soon....I hope, of course, that it can just have a crown put on it, but with my dental luck that's doubtful.

On the bright side, I really do feel that the perio treatments I've had are making a huge difference. I'm sure the pockets are getting smaller, and I'm sure I'm growing bone back again. I believe I'll be able to keep 23 or 24 teeth (as opposed to having 14 of them yanked, as the first dentist wanted to do), and while it's a long way off, I do expect to have a great looking smile someday.

After all the necessary extractions, replaced fillings, and what not, I'm still going to be faced with the question: veneers or not veneers?

Cost of Emdogain treatment

A few people have asked me how expensive Emdogain treatment is. Not being a dentist or periodontist, I don't know the answer to that. I do know one thing, though. The cost of Emdogain treatment is in direct relation to how it's applied. If your dentist/periodontist wants to do gum flap surgery with Emdogain, that's going to run you pretty good because of the surgery. The Emdogain itself will not be the most important expense in that situation.


If you're lucky enough to find someone who will treat you non-surgically, then the cost will be considerably lower. For more info on Emdogain, visit Judy Carroll's website (listed and linked on the right side), it's a font of good information.

And insurance will often pay some of the Emdogain cost, although not all of it.

IV sedation

My SO -- I'll call him P --had a tooth out yesterday, one that had been bothering him for many years. 10 years ago a dentist had told him the tooth (a far back one) needed a root canal. That dentist stuck a temporary cap on it, and P just let it go until it got to the point he couldn't stand the pain anymore. That's how much he didn't want to go to the dentist!

Anyway, we found someone who does IV sedation dentistry, and P jumped on it! So yesterday was the big day. We arrived five minutes early, had to wait about 10 minutes, then called him in to the operating room. They took his blood pressure, and taped some electrodes (?) to his chest to monitor his heart and breathing. P says he felt reassured by that because he knew they were going to be keeping a close eye on him.

Next, the dentist wheeled in a bag of IV (like you see on tv), asked P to relax, put a rubber tube around his arm and had him clench his fist. The dentist sprayed some freezing stuff on the arm and told P this is going to feel a little chilly. Then there was a little stick, then the dentist started chatting, and P remembers nothing after that.

The whole procedure took about 40 minutes, including removal of the tooth and placement of bone graft material. The dentist numbed the area around the tooth, so that when P woke up he didn't feel any pain there.

I was called in after the procedure was over, and I have to admit, P was pretty funny, he was verrry out of it and kind of dazed for a good hour afterwards. (He remembers nothing of the ride home.)

The total cost of this appointment was $901.00 (yes, I asked what the $1 was for, but the receptionist looked at me blankly!!). Not sure how it breaks down, but I know that more than 50% of that was for the sedation itself.

But it's something he totally recommends to anyone who's about to undergo a procedure that worries them!!

Oh, and the dentist sent him home WITH the extracted tooth (in 3 pieces) and you should have seen the cavity! Omigod! It was like a bullet hole. I can't believe P lived with that thing in his mouth as long as he did. We're so glad it's out now!!

Emdogain explained

Here is a link to JC's blog, with an entry that explains the magical power of Emdogain. This is well worth a look, because frankly it's not that easy to find good solid info about Emdogain on the web, and most of the information one does find talks about surgical application of the enamel matrix protein. JC does a non-surgical application that is a LOT less gory (there are pictures of THAT on her blog too - don't look at them if you're eating breakfast right now!!) and doesn't require cutting the gums.

Here's one set of x-rays that shows the incredible difference Emdogain can make in the regeneration of bone. The first picture is before, obviously, and the second is after. I'm no radiologist but even I can see the remarkable difference in the amount of bone!



Needless to say, I am a total convert to the whole process that JC uses, and I'm going to put a permanent link to her website here, so that the word gets out. This is 21st century dental care, people, and deserves a wide audience, so if you know anyone who is facing dentures, implants, extractions, "hopeless teeth", etc, please pass the link along. I can't tell you how strongly I recommend her procedures.

fourth quadrant!

This morning was my final visit with JC for the perioscopy. The fourth quadrant -- sounds like an episode of Star Trek, doesn't it? The Fourth Quadrant, where the Starship Enterprise slipped into a wormhole and Dr Spock turned into a bunny rabbit on steroids...okay I digress....

Anyway! So now all four quadrants are super duper deep cleaned all the way down to their little roots:

I asked JC if I would need to have this procedure every year or two, and she said no, not for at least five years. Hallelujah! She also recommended a SonicCare toothbrush. I used to have one but when the battery died I just didn't buy a new one. But I will now. As it was explained to me, the sonic waves disrupt the formation of calculus (that's the hard stuff that has to be scraped off teeth). And I am sick to death of calculus!! So I will go out and buy one tomorrow. They're not cheap - I think I paid $80 for my last one, and replacement brushes are criminally expensive, just like everything else in dentistry.

My next step is to go back in six weeks for a checkup. The dentist doesn't want to start any actual dental work until the Emdogain and perioscapy has had a chance to do its thing, grow a little bone and get the deep pockets reattached. I'm taking my low dose tetracycline every day, as well as a multitude of Vitamins. Particularly Im taking lots of Vitamin C which promotes healing.

(as an aside...if you're ever facing surgery of ANY kind, where you'll have an IV in your arm, DEMAND that vitamin C be put in the IV - it works miracles in the healing process!)

Here's my best case scenario: in six weeks time, my tissue, gums, bone and whatever else is in there will be sufficiently healed and strong that we can go ahead with dental work. I still want my Invisaligns!!! I need some kind of orthodontia to straighten the teeth and stop the overcrowding that is one of my big problems. I also want the teeth whitened.

Over the next few days I will try to get a photo of the teeth on this blog. Despite all JC's hard work, she hasn't done anything in terms of appearance -- all her work is beneath the surface, so to speak. So the appearance of my smile is still pretty bad. Check back in a few days and hopefully I'll have something for you.

Dental Holidays?

I heard about this on European Journal the other night. Apparently you can go to Budapest or other less expensive country and get your dental work - including implants - for up to 1/3 to 1/4 the cost of having it done in Britain. Probably cheaper than in the US as well, who knows! Anyway, here's an article - with before and after pictures - about it. The article is short, so I've copied the whole thing, but you'll have to go to the site to see the pics:

A dental holiday in Hungary

Mr Stephen Hayes, 62, a businessman from Cheshire, thought he might lose his teeth because the expensive dental treatment he needed was not available on the NHS, but he managed to save £17,000 by flying to Hungary on a "dental holiday". Mr Hayes required a long course of treatment to repair his teeth, including gum surgery, implants, bridges and crowns. Unfortunately this work wasn’t available on the NHS, and a private dentist in south Manchester told him the cost would be £25,000.

His local dentist said there was nothing he could do about his gingivitis but when it developed into periodontitis - a deterioration of the membranes holding the teeth in the bone - Mr Hayes sought a second opinion. A quote from a top dentist in south Manchester totalled £25,000 incorporating gum cleaning, five teeth implants at £2,000 a piece and on top of the implant costs, gum surgery, crowns, bridges and numerous appointments and check-ups. Mr Hayes looked into having the treatment abroad and within a week he was on a flight to Budapest where his extensive dental treatment cost just £8,000.

another appt

Back from my third appt with JC. Did the lower left quadrant today. I have one molar that has to come out on that side, so she didn't bother with it, which I think made the appt go faster. She said she did a "nerve block" today, which is much better than just shots of novocaine or whatever, and indeed, I was pretty profoundly numb for the whole appointment. That was a relief! I'm hoping the fourth appointment goes as smoothly. And then I start dealing with the other problems -- I want all my old fillings replaced. I think I need to have some kind of braces or whatever because my bite is so out of alignment that when I bite down, almost none of my teeth meet each other. That's a bad thing.

I still have anxiety, and still have Valium before each appointment. Even so, I feel myself tensing up and have to consciously relax my shoulders about every ten minutes, as I can feel they've tensed up. But it's all eminently bearable.

Today I spent a little time on google looking up dental anxiety sites. YOu would not believe how many of them there are! I mean, really! Can it possibly be true that dentists are not aware of how deep and prevalent dental issues are among the populace? I have one comment for them -- if you would gear your advertising AND your actual practice toward addressing dental anxiety, word of mouth (no pun intended) would make you the richest dentist in town.

Here are just a few sites:

Beyond Fear

Dental Fear Central (my personal fav site)

Dental Fear(actually a NY dentist's site but has some good info)

Dental Fear (looks like it's paid for by dentists, but some good info)

Web MD ( a little condescending -- for example, it says "People with dental anxiety...may...have exaggerated worries or fears". This completely negates the fact that many people with dental anxiety have painful or humiliating past experiences that make their worries or fears completely legitimate!!)

And just for fun (or a learning experience), take the Dental Fear Questionnaire here. You may find (as I do) that your level of anxiety isn't all that bad, in fact is normal.

A progress report

So it's been about a week now since the upper left quadrant was deep cleaned, and about two weeks for the upper right. Several things are happening. First, two or three distinct spots on the upper inside of my mouth are really sensitive to heat, cold and sugar. It's as if some nerves were laid bare. I'm hoping this is only temporary, as it makes it hard to drink cold water (and it's been in the 90s here) or eat ice cream!! Second, the upper gums are becoming a much healthier color, much pinker and much less red. It's easy to see the contrast between the upper and lower gums. Also, I had one tooth that you could wiggle a little bit, and it seems to be more firmly planted now.

I know the healing process is a long one, and I am doing clumsy visualization exercises when I have time -- trying to imagine the bone and gums growing and regenerating. ONly time will tell whether this will happen, but I'm hopeful.

My significant other just left for his first appointment in ten years. I'm anxiously awaiting his return. I just hope hope hope he doesn't need too much work done.

That's it for now. Next appt is Monday, when JC will deep clean and periostat one lower quadrant. She said she can give me a nerve block so that I'll be profoundly numb this time. That's an important phrase -- profoundly numb. Remember to use it the next time you go to the dentist: "Doc, I want to be profoundly numb before you start sticking sharp objects in my mouth."

cleaning redux

One of the purposes of this blog is to hopefully let other people learn from my experiences. And what I learned -- about myself, at least -- is that I shouldn't try to bite off more than I can chew (figuratively, of course!). I was hopeful that we could do a couple of quadrants yesterday, but when I got there, I realized that I am really only capable of sitting in the chair for a limited time (despite the fact that these chairs have memory foam padding, which makes for a rather more pleasant sit than most dental offices). Thinking of doing two quadrants began to seem a little overwhelming. I need to know things like "how much longer" and "when can I get out of here?" So JC and I agreed to go one quadrant at a time.

And I also think dentists and hygenists are a little like hairdressers. They need to get to know you, your needs, the way your hair (or teeth) respond. And that requires building up a bit of a relationship. JC knew this time to numb the hell out of my mouth before even beginning to clean. And whooo-eeee did she numb my mouth. I wonder if that's what Botox feels like, becuase honestly you couldn't move a muscle if you tried.

So the upshot is that we did the upper left quadrant in about an hour and a half, it was 80% less painful (I did still feel a couple of pokes, especially near the end as the numbing agent began to wear off). I tried to do a Zen kind of thing where if I felt anything, I just "went somewhere else" in my mind, which also helped a little. Believe me, any and all tricks you can use to make time go faster, and to reduce any pain, are worth it.

JC has a little radio she'll let you listen to, and a warm blanket if you want it. Some dental offices even offer movies. I've always thought it would be way cool if they brought in a foot masseuse so you could have a pedicure while the hygenist works, that way, you'd be gorgeous "head to toe", literally, when the time is up!

But seriously, the point is, do what you need to do to make your dental visits as comfortable as possible. Don't be afraid to speak up, ask for what you need, mention any concerns, do mental exercises, and most of all, keep the lines of communication open.

I go back on the 31st for the next quadrant, and the last one will be in August. Then the fun begins all over again...I want my old fillings replaced, I want some kind of braces to help with the crowding and spacing, I want them whitened. But that's all still down the road a ways.

But have you noticed I'm much calmer now? Well, I am. And you will be, too, after a few times in the chair!

2nd appt

Well, today is my second appointment with JC. I'm not so much frightened as I am just dreading it. For some reason I have a hard time getting numb in certain places and it just plain hurts. So I'm just going to see how it goes, ask for Valium, and try to relax. I hope we can do two quadrants but maybe I can only bear one at a time. I'll decide while I'm in the chair, and I'll report back when I get home -- assuming Im in any shape to type.

I need to update you, also, on the fact that I will, in fact, have to have three teeth extracted. It seems that every time someone takes a close look inside my mouth, they find something else that needs to be forcibly removed. More on this later....

A brief note...my boyfriend hasn't been to a dentist in ten years. The last time he was there, a dentist told him he needed a root canal. He never went back. This is, apparently, a common story. The tooth has deteriorated and now gives him constant pain, so he's finally agreed to go to the dentist (he's a bigger phobic than me, it turns out!) during my next JC appointment. So we'll be a household in pain for the next few months...

Dental Embarrassment

I ran across an interesting study entitled "The contribution of embarrassment to phobic dental anxiety: a qualitative research study". I mean, sometimes you wonder why they have to have these studies - they could have just given me the money and I'd have told them there's a relationship between embarrassment and anxiety!! But seriously, I'm going to quote for you the beginning premise and the conclusion of the study and then give you the URL if you're interested in reading more.

Beginning Premise:
Earlier Scandinavian studies indicated existence of a vicious circle of dental anxiety, in which embarrassment, shame or guilt have a central role in facilitating both anxiety and treatment avoidance, but they gave few details as to the exact role of embarrassment in this vicious circle.

Conclusions
Embarrassment is a complex dental anxiety manifestation with qualitative differences by complaint characteristics and perceived intensity. Some cases exhibited manifestations similar to psychiatric criteria for social anxiety disorder as chief complaint, while most manifested embarrassment as a side effect....Sensitivity and understanding about the psychosocial nature of the dental health care environment should be an aim in the education of dentists in the 21st century, in order to prevent and treat suffering from extreme or phobic dental anxiety and related dysfunctional phenomena.

In other words, embarrassment is a real factor in dental anxiety, and the degree of it is greater for some than for others. Duh! But it's still an interesting read. You can read the whole thing here. By the way, I love this chart:

Ow Ow Ow

Well, I had my first appointment. I'm not going to lie to you, it was brutal. There are so many things wrong with my teeth and gums that this is really going to be a painful and difficult process.

I had to have four Valium, and at least 5 shots of Novocaine (it isn't really novocaine, but something similar but I can't remember the correct name). I couldn't get completely numb, and that was the worst part. There were two specific spots, under the gumline, where I could feel quite completely what her instruments were doing. And that is painful. I finally decided I was just going to grit my teeth (figuratively) and not show the pain on my face. Because I knew I had to get through this.

2 and a half hours later and we had just finished ONE quadrant. Since the appointmnet was scheduled for four hours, it wouldn't have been possible to complete a second one, so my next appointmnet will be just for one more quadrant.

The tools she uses are an endoscope and perioscope. Or maybe theyre both the same tool -- but anyway, it's a tiny camera with a bright light on the tip. She sticks that way way down under the gum, inside all those pockets we're not supposed to have but we all do. The thing that's different is she can "see" a lot farther down and a lot more thoroughly than a hygenist who just sticks tools down there and "feels" for calculus. Judy can actually see - via the camera, which sends a picture to a video screen -- all the way down, and all the crap that's down there.

She also managed to get a little Emdogain applied to the upper right quadrant.

I have my fingers crossed that the next appointment won't be so painful or difficult, but even if it is, I'm determined, motivated, and hopeful.

D-day

Well, two months (plus) after my journey began, I will go for my first actual treatment today. I am already starting to panic, having shortness of breath, sweating, etc. What am I frightened about? You name it. Im afraid she'll start the perioscopy and then say it's useless. I'm afraid some of my teeth will fall out while she's working on them. I'm afraid of pain. I'm afraid of sitting with my mouth open for four hours. I'm afraid my ride home won't show up. I'm afraid...just afraid.

I'm taking deep breaths, and I have a Valium if I need it. I hope I won't. The All Star game is on tonight (if not rained out!) and I want to be at least semi alert for that. My boyfriend promised me ice cream for dinner if I go through with it. So there are reasons to ...just project past the next six hours and focus on 5pm. By 5pm I'll be home...sore, yes, but home...with this perioscopy half over...and the second treatment (a week from Thursday) should be better because at least I'll know what to expect...

Wish me well...

big day tomorrow

Well, I had a nice weekend - went to the horse races and won about $4, then out to dinner, and otherwise just relaxed. Now I'm back to reality, and facing four hours, yes, four hours, in the chair tomorrow, as JC begins the super deep cleaning, planing, whatever it's called. I can only hope it doesnt hurt too horribly much, that I can get through that length of time without choking, vomiting, panicking, crying, or dying. And then next week I have another four hour appt. Hopefully that will be the worst of it. I think she will apply the Emdogain during these appointments.

I have to give her a check for $3600 tomorrow. Insurance might pay a pittance of that, but I looked at my insurance benefits and they allow something like 50% (because she's not a "preferred provider" , and the max for cleaning/scaling/plaining is something like $150 a quadrant. I don't know if that means they'll actually fork over $75 per quad or what. I am fully expecting to be "out" the whole $3600, and am only glad that someone was able to help me out with this payment.

I will have to have a LOT more work done after this - this is just the beginning, to get the playing field ready to play on, so to speak.

Thank God I have a ride home from this appointment (I don't drive or own a car). Otherwise a cab would probably cost $30.

I am really scared.

JC

Well, I had my appointment with JC this morning -- no, not Jesus Christ, but she may be the new Messiah! I have her permission to use her name and to direct you to her website. She's Judy Carroll, her website is here, and I'm a fan. Her philosophy and methods are different from anyone I've encountered before, she's using cutting edge techniques, and she has a great attitude! And if you've been following my blog, you know I'm a cynic! Judy works out of an office in North Seattle (Lynnwood, to be exact). Not a great neighborhood, but once you enter the office you feel quite calm and in good hands. A great water feature, a comfy waiting room, and short waits. I filled out the necessary forms and went to the bathroom. While I was in there, I heard my name being called. Now that's quick!

Judy practices perioscopy, which is extreme cleaning, planing and scaling using a tiny tiny micro camera and tool. She also does Emdogain without surgery, which was a huge relief to me! I have been adamant all along that I want Emdogain, ever since I found out about it, but was not looking forward to the surgical procedure that most dentists use. So I needed no convincing about any of this. I am on board and motivated!

The dentist Judy works with (can't recall her name right now, but she's a wonderful person) stopped in and we talked about my dental needs beyond the periodontal disease. At some point, I actually may have a beautiful smile! Even if it is veneers -- at least they'll be supported by (mostly) my real teeth! I will need a couple extracted, they're just too far gone. And I'm okay with that.

Initial payments for two sessions of deep cleaning and Emdogain will run me about $4000, or a little less. Yes, that's a TON of money, and insurance will pay little or none, but again, I'm motivated and can live with that amount, for what I'll get. First appointment (FOUR hours) will be next Tuesday, July 11. I don't know what kind of shape I'll be in for blogging that day, but I'll try.

Judy accepts (and has) patients from all over the world. Check out her website before you submit to having all your teeth pulled. Or put it off for a few months, until I can give you a more complete review of how things go for me. Maybe she'll be the answer you're looking for.

It's early days yet, and I haven't actually been treated so my information is really only what I've read and heard. I will definitely keep you posted, though!

An open letter to Paul Allen

Dear Mr. Allen --

I have a funny feeling you have dental phobia. There's no other explanation why such a brilliant and wealthy man should have such a dismal smile.


I'll be happy to go with you to the dentist. All you have to do is pay my dental bills for the next three years!

I'm not kidding.

Oy

You won't believe what's happening now...the perio specialist I talked to yesterday called me today. She looked at my x-rays (they're digital so can be emailed quickly) and said "yes, you have severe bone loss, but you have a lot of bone left, and we can probably work with you." We had set up an appt for Monday but she had to change it because of the holiday.

Here's the funny part: she's giving a presentation on her methods on Wednesday afternoon, and who is on her list to be in the audience? Dr B, my dentist! We laughed about this, and she said she would like to see me BEFORE her presentation, and she would like to take a couple of pictures of me (my teeth I guess) to SHOW at the presentation! is she going to humiliate Dr B? Should I cancel all my future appointments with him?? Can she really save my teeth? This is such an interesting turn of event...no answers yet but now it looks as though there's a chance I won't have to have everything pulled...and I'm jazzed about that! There are still a lot of issues -- a couple of lower teeth that are going to have to be pulled and replaced for sure, but maybe, just maybe, I can keep most of my uppers....stay tuned! The appt is for Wednesday morning July 5. I'll tell you more about her methods tomorrow.