# Osseous / Periodontal/ gum surgery tomorrow morning.



## IKE (Jun 20, 2016)

Since I retired 15 months ago it seems like every time I turn around it's something new medically.......you think maybe my retiring was a bad omen ?  

Tomorrow morning I've the first of two Osseous surgery's on my gums......he'll do the upper and lower left tomorrow and then the upper and lower right in about four weeks.

Doc said the actual surgery's will take about two hours each and to protect the gums he'll apply some sort of a hard plaster material to my gums afterwards to protect the areas which will then have to be removed in about two weeks.......then it's about two more weeks of healing before the next side can be done.

For IV sedation my out of pocket would have been an additional $1900.00 so I'm going with oral sedation using three .25 mg. tablets of Halcion, two tablets 45 minutes prior to the surgery and the last one when I get there and sit in the chair.......I've had Halcion three times in the past, twice for dentals and once to relax me so I could get in a full MRI tube and it works pretty well. 

Doc was up front and told me that for a few days that I'd be uncomfortable (which in medical terms means hurt like hell) so he impressed upon for me to stay on top of the pain medicine that he going to prescribe as well as the antibiotics........I've also got some additional pain meds put back already if I need it.

I'm certainly not looking forward to this but if it isn't done I suppose I could start losing teeth and end up looking like a Halloween jack-o-lantern.


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## SeaBreeze (Jun 20, 2016)

Good luck Ike, I hope it's not too painful for you and the Halcion help.  My gums are starting to recede, and so far I've just had a deep planing cleaning which was enough for me.  I'm doing my best to keep my gums healthy, and floss and use the proxa brush more than I ever have.  Also oil pull with coconut oil now and then.  Still just visit the dentist once a year for regular cleanings.  I hear they have a laser procedure now for bad gum disease, but I bet it's pricey.  I pay all my dental out of pocket since retirement.


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## Guitarist (Jun 20, 2016)

I have had so many teeth pulled the past few years it's scary but my dentist said one's gums get used to chewing eventually.  I am thankful that it is only molars and not any of my visible front teeth -- still have them! I couldn't afford root canals and crowns so went for extractions. 
 I have also learned from all these extractions that sometimes Advil works better than opioid pain meds. So do 1,000 mg of plain old generic Tylenol.  Not advising you to not use the prescribed opioids, just suggesting asking your dentist about adding Advil and maybe substituting Tylenol (can't do Tylenol AND Tylenol-based opioids together).

$1900 would be about like $19,000,000 for me; $250-300 a tooth take a payment plan but is more doable for me.


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## Ruthanne (Jun 20, 2016)

I never heard of that kind of surgery before.  I have periodontal disease and have had deep pocket cleaning some years back.  Best wishes for your surgery to go well.


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## Shalimar (Jun 20, 2016)

Good luck Ike. You are one tough guy. You have been through a lot lately. Hugs.


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## IKE (Jun 21, 2016)

Thanks for the well wishes everyone.

My regular dentist, that I've been seeing every 6 months for several years, referred me to the periodontist because of the gum issue.

It's not like I don't brush twice daily and use toothpicks after each meal but to be honest flossing has never been my strong suit so I guess now it's 'payback' time. 

Luckily, for the next 18 months anyway till she retires, mama has me on her dental and optical plans at her work. The total for both surgery's is $3946.00 but my total out of pocket is still $1948.00...... it would have been an additional $1900.00 per surgery for the anesthesiologist to be present and keep me under for two hours per surgery if I'd have gone with IV sedation instead of Halcion.

I hate the groggy 'not being in control' feeling that pain medications give me and normally I only just take about half of the pain meds. that I'm supposed to and just deal with it......we'll see how it goes.

Well the countdown has begun, it's a little after 7:00 a.m. and I take the first two Halcion at 8:45 for my 9:30 appointment.......if I post the next day or two and it makes less sense than it usually does just blame it on the drugs.


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## IKE (Jun 21, 2016)

Halicon worked.....I don't remember leaving the house or coming home.....woke up from a drug induced 4 hour nap at 3:45 had to change bloody pillowcase.....still groggy.....surgery was more involved, it took 3 hours instead of two.....left side of face is throbbing now and uncomfortable.....been fighting off urge to take Loritab but may at bedtime to get some sleep, will see......had chicken noodle soup and bread for supper.....can start gargling and lightly swishing a prescription antibiotic solution late tomorrow but not before, he wants to make sure good clotting has taken place first.

Can hardly wait for the second surgery.


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## Shalimar (Jun 21, 2016)

Ouch Ike. Poor baby, hugs. I hope you feel better soon. I think you are very brave!:love_heart:


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## Ruthanne (Jun 21, 2016)

What an ordeal you went through Ike!  I know you can't wait for the next surgery..Be sure to take those painkillers if you need to, that's what they are for.  Wishing you a speedy recovery.


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## IKE (Jun 24, 2016)

Update.

I've got lots of stitches all along both sides of my upper and lower gums along with that dental plaster stuff here and there.....the stitches come out July 5th.

I'm not terribly sore but am tender......let's just say I ain't eating a lot of popcorn and tater chips or crunching on ice. 

It took till late yesterday afternoon to shake off the Halicon, I was sleepy and wanting to nap a lot......I believe Halicon is a prescription sleep aid and probably is meant to be taken only one per day at bedtime so when a person takes three in a one hour period I suppose it would have a tendency to mess you up for a few days but for dental oral sedation it is pretty much what all of them use.

Of the 20 Loritab that were prescribed I was able to get through the roughest part by only taking one and that was the first night......I just didn't want to feel any more groggy than what I already was plus the fact Loritab causes constipation and I didn't want to have to contended with that also.

Not looking forward to having all those stitches taken out or going through the second surgery but I suppose it needs to be done.


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## WhatInThe (Jun 25, 2016)

I was told flossing is the key to preventing gum disease, more important than brushing with tooth paste. After a certain point I can see surgery. I've had crown lengthening which included cutting gums and grinding some jaw bone to seat a crown. The condeine pills gave me headaches so just used two tylenol and two motrin at once. Same for other surgeries. Seconal helped through some dental work but they would never give that casually now a days.

To a speedy recovery.


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## Butterfly (Jun 26, 2016)

Hey, Ike -- feel better soon.  It all sounds very scary!


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## Buckeye (Jun 26, 2016)

Ike - hope you're feeling better by now.  Once you've healed up a bit go to the drugstore (or Walmart) and get a WaterPik.  I've been using them for over 20 years (they only last 2 to 4 years) as an alternative to flossing.  I think the last one I bought was about $70.


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## WhatInThe (Jun 27, 2016)

Hoot N Annie said:


> Ike - hope you're feeling better by now.  Once you've healed up a bit go to the drugstore (or Walmart) and get a WaterPik.  I've been using them for over 20 years (they only last 2 to 4 years) as an alternative to flossing.  I think the last one I bought was about $70.



2-4 years? What brand, with regular use I've been lucky to get a year. Could be hard water. I never run dry. 

 I don't like is that you still have to floss or use tooth pics on certain teeth anyway. And they can lift a crown if not careful.


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## Buckeye (Jun 27, 2016)

WhatInThe said:


> 2-4 years? What brand, with regular use I've been lucky to get a year. Could be hard water. I never run dry.
> I don't like is that you still have to floss or use tooth pics on certain teeth anyway. And they can lift a crown if not careful.



WIT - WaterPik is a brand.  And I've used them in 3 states so maybe it's your water.  And I have about a dozen crowns and never had any issues.  
Mahalo.


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## WhatInThe (Jun 27, 2016)

Hoot N Annie said:


> WIT - WaterPik is a brand.  And I've used them in 3 states so maybe it's your water.  And I have about a dozen crowns and never had any issues.
> Mahalo.



What brand of oral rinser I guess I should say. I've had several Water Piks and they don't seem to last. Dentists said as long as floss don't even worry about a water pik. I've also had dentists say put a few drops of peroxide or bleach in the water on occasion which I've done, maybe that messes them up although I was able to strip a few down to the guts, no sign of wear, corrosion etc.


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