Bryanna, I am for sure still playing golf. Didn't get out this winter because my body don't work very good when its cold but I am back playing two days a week now. I have been retired for over four years and life is good other than the news on my teeth.

I will make a decision soon on what to do next and with your help it sure make me feel better.

I want to thank you for your nice reply. Yes my Dentist does take x-rays each year. Last year everything was great and I was upset that so much has changed since. Maybe it was me who suggested I come in only once a year. Knowing how I do things it probably was. I do tend to be hard headed

Tooth # 14, the one they suggested I need a root canal on was crowned in 2005 but never had a root canal before. The referred me to Endodontist but I have not called them yet. I am undecided on what I will do.

I know the Dentist I have been using for the last 11 years has put 8 crowns on my teeth since 2005. We got into an argument a last year on how many she had put on. I checked my records on the insurance site and it was 8 she has put on.

I am not sure how many root canals I have had. I know of four and that is pretty close. I have had three teeth removed in the last 30 years. Number 5 tooth was extracted three years ago after many years of giving me problems. The oral surgeon tried to talk me into saving it after I was already in the chair. I told him no and after he removed it he told me I made the right choice because he could not have saved it. Way to many years of infection had eat away at the gum. I should have had it repaired with something because I am sure my top teeth have now moved. Stupid me but I just was not going to pay for any expensive work. Now it is probably to late .

Tooth number 18 was removed several years ago also. I don't even remember why other than a bad toothache. Number 16 and 15 was also removed years ago and so far no problem eating.

That brings me to the decision on tooth number 14. It has never had a root canal and if I said it had I made a mistake. I called today and asked if it had ever had root canal but forgot to ask just how many total root canals have been done over the years. I will find out just to know though.

You mentioned that I would need to start getting these cavity problem under the crowns ASAP but the office seems so busy they cannot see me until late May and that appointment was to do the front teeth first, not the ones under the crowns. Maybe I should think about finding another Dentist because they don't seem concerned about my health as much as I am. I hope you understand my worry about all this. I trusted this person and now I am a little worried about things.

The blood sugar thing I understand. I just posted the A1C result and didn't mean it to show that I was not diabetic but under control. I know really I am diabetic but I keep in under control with diet and exercise. The longer I stay off B/S medicine the better I am. I will mention the higher than normal after meals I have seen in the last few months when I go to the VA week after next. I just like using them because they have all my blood work except the PSA back the same day and I know the results before I leave the hospital. My PSA results have always been very low. Last one was 0.6 which I was told at my age was great. Just the enlarged issue and the flomax has helped in that great


I will post more after I read your post several times. Just wanted to update you and thank you for your reply. Tom

I talked the dentist into getting me early. Got all the cavities done in one trip instead of three.
They asked if I wanted the nitrous oxide which I had never had before. Being I was going to be in the chair for at least two hours I went for it.

Seemed like only 10 minutes instead of the two hours. I never even felt the shots I told her all I needed was Iron Butterfly playing in a gadda da vida in the background and it would have been just like back in the 60's again
The gas is the only way to go from now on if I have to had lots of work. Best choice I have ever made. They did not charge me for it because I told them I needed a trial . I did have to sweet talk them though which was not hard to do.

Now to make up my mind on the rest. Part one is over and I am glad. Down $600 and some change so I am getting there.