I was involuntarily silenced today - by my dentist. The lengthy mute state was due to my dentist performing a two-hour root canal on moi. If you never have to experience root canal, you will be a better person. You will not be subjected to emotional scarring, which is a natural bi-product for those of us who have undergone root canal, since it is not the most relaxing of dental procedures.
Detailing the mechanics of root canal would serve no purpose. Suffice it to say that it involves having your jaw propped open for a very long time by a torture device that was invented in the Dark Ages, lots of Novocaine (don't think about how that gets administered), drilling, scraping, sawing, sanding, and the sensation that something is being poked and prodded - but you are not quite sure where or how far up into your brain the dentist is going - it just feels like it is reaching the top of your skull.
Other than that, root canal is no big deal.
There was a beautiful quilt, displayed on the ceiling, for the patient to study and concentrate on. I'm certain that I have the pattern memorized and that I could re-produce the quilt readily. Staring at that quilt was like counting the number of tiles on a sanctuary's ceiling during a less-than-inspiring sermon. My favorite moments were when the dentist would apply some 'thing' to my tooth, or take an X-ray. Either one of these scenarios required a brief respite in the procedure. The dentist would leave the room to perform a quick inspection of another patient's mouth and I would get to take a brief power snooze.
The most remarkable part of this morning's procedure was, as indicated in the title of today's posting, that I was silent for such a long period of time. My SO would have never believed that I could be 'tacet' for so long. At least this dentist had the good sense not to ask me questions other than the kind that required a nod or shake of the head in response.
What was my take-a-way from today's root canal? I have a healthier tooth, I got to catch up on some shut-eye, and my wallet is considerably lighter due to no dental insurance. Sadly, no pain medication was prescribed for post-procedure discomfort. I do not plan on having any discomfort, either, but it would have been fun to swing from the chandelier!
Ancora imparo
