So in one of my other babbling posts, I mentioned that my teeth were bothering me. Well, I had today off thanks to all those veterans and although it seriously pained me to do so, I headed to the Pitt Dental Clinic wayyy early this morning in order to be seen by the emergency clinic.
This is not my first time going there, nor my first time for an emergency visit so I knew what to expect. It’s 46$ to be seen for an emergency and the wait was about an hour, not fantastic, but really, beggars can’t be choosers.
I think that the general waiting room population is pretty freaking sketchy and today was no exception. One lady pulled a bottle of vicodin out of her purse to share with one (very in pain) fella. The same lady began talking to anyone who would listen about her life and at one point even said: “My mom’s husband – I would call him my dad but he’s only 5 years older than me.” Classy patients here.
I was finally called back and he went through all sorts of painful tests to see exactly what was bothering me and where it was. The worst part was not the slamming against my teeth with a little metal stick, nor putting this little pick in my gums and leaving it there for the x-ray, but the actual x-ray itself. Maybe I just have an abnormally tiny mouth, but those stupid things that they make you bite down on to take the x-ray? DO NOT FIT. My dentist guy had to pull some pretty slick maneuvers to make it so that I was able to close my mouth. Not Fun.
It was eventually decided that I needed an extraction and a root canal. Along with the root canal, I would eventually need a post and a crown, making it an easy grand. The extraction would only be 100$ but they couldn’t do both in the same day (nor would I have wanted them too, ouch). Since both of these ghetto teeth are neighbors, they couldn’t prove exactly which tooth was the hurty one. I decided I would get the one tooth pulled and hope that it was the killer one, even though I am pretty sure it’s Mr. NeedsARootCanal.
So my little dentist takes me to make an appointment for the extraction and then we go upstairs to make a future appointment for the root canal.
He tells the lady what I need and she gives me a funny look.
“What does the rest of your afternoon look like?”
“Uhhh…”
“We just had a cancellation, we can get you in today, but otherwise you’ll have to wait until January.”
“Uhhh…”
At this point my mind is racing because I DO NOT want to get a root canal today. But at the same time, I also DO NOT want to get a tooth pulled. Since I’m pretty sure the root canal needing tooth is the angsty one, I feel like it would probably be in my and my mouth’s best interest to get the sucker done today.
“Well I don’t WANT TO, but I guess I’ll take it as a sign and just do it today.”
“Okay, just go have lunch and be back by 1:15.”
Like anyone could afford lunch after dropping 297$ at the dentist. And that’s only half of it. The rest they are letting me pay in installments.
Another little dentist hears this conversation and we get on the elevator with him.
“How’d you get in so soon? You must be VIP!”
“Oh yea, I am sooooooooooo lucky.”
Oh, and I get to go back next Tuesday to get the other one pulled. Hooray!
-All joking aside, the Pitt Dental School is pretty awesome. While they are by no means cheap, I’m sure that they are world’s cheaper than a regular dentists. The students are all very nice and explain everything they are doing. They also are very non-judgemental. Whereas the lady at MedExpress almost made me cry, this guy was all up in my grill and never once scolded me, even though I probably really deserve it.
So two thumbs up for the Pitt Dental School, two (potential) thumbs down for root canals.
cupcake supremacy 