Filling tooth 31

Just back from the dentist where I had one last filling done. This one had to be done in the back side of one of the molars, and couldn’t be done until after the wisdom teeth were removed. This time getting the filling done was a little more troublesome than the first one.

I think because the tooth is still pretty sensitive from the wisdom teeth extraction, there wasn’t any amount of anesthetic the dentist could have given me that was going to keep the tooth from reacting harshly to the drill.

First came the topical, which is just to numb the skin so the needle injecting the anesthetic is less bothersome. After letting that take effect, there was one particular spot on the tooth that reacted anytime the dentist touched it with the drill, so I got another shot. A few more minutes to let it take effect, and although there were no problems drilling other areas of the tooth, just one spot kept reacting. Then came some more anesthetic right at the tooth, but that didn’t help much either. One final shot a little further up along the jaw numbed me to the point where I couldn’t open my mouth all the way without using my hand, but still the tooth kept reacting.

At that point I just had to bite the bullet and take the discomfort of the drill. Fortunately it didn’t last long, but I have a feeling this molar is going to stay sensitive for a while longer.

Filling finally got done and now it’s just wait for the numbing to wear off.