Steph, I validate you and agree with the previous people that you ought to follow your gut instinct here. And switching dentists mid-procedure shouldn't be a problem; it's a root canal, not a mind-meld!

I got the answer, but we're not supposed to tell. Sorry.

Epic, I sympathize. Every year I say I don't care about my birthday, and then when it comes I'm all, why isn't everyone pelting me with JOY, dammit?

(I mistyped "validate" and "validfate". Almost kept it.)

Happy birthday, Epic! I got to 42 and was told to rephrase the question.

If an antibiotic isn't showing any improvement now, it's not going to magically show improvement in 10 days. I think a second opinion is always in order and well worth it in the case of a tooth.

Happy birthday, O Most Epic of Tangents!

Teppy, go with your gut on this one. A second opinion is never the wrong thing to do. If it turns out to contain the same information, well at least you will spend less time wondering What If.

I'm going to validate you too, Tep. Seems like there should be another couple options before you pull that tooth, and the fact that your dentist is so unresponsive to that (or my more cynical self says, is interested in making good money with an expensive tooth implant later) means you get a second opinion.

At what point does a car alarm become a nuisance? There is one car in the parking lot next door that keeps going off. While I was bringing laundry in off the line, it went off three times, and twice more within ten minutes of me coming indoors. I can speak for the times I was outside that no human was near it, and no squirrels or birds were on the two sides I had clear visual contact with. I think it is the one that goes off frequently while I am eating breakfast, and may be the one that goes off repeatedly in the evenings.

Steph, I'd go to Tim's dentist for a second opinion at the very least.

Anyway, 41 today - only one more year till I finally have the Answer!

Happy Birthday!

Le Nubian is right though. I am 10 months into 42 and the answer is elusive.

Happy Birthday, Epic! Get some good ice cream, or chocolate, or something, and create your own birthday fuss!

Thanks for all the validation on my weird dentistry issue. If the tooth really needs to be pulled, so be it, but I'm very taken aback by the idea that the dentist wouldn't even try more than one antibiotic. I know how antibiotics work, and if every pathogen was able to be killed by just 1 antibiotic, well, then, there wouldn't be a kajillion antibiotics out there.

Also -- I forgot this -- she said root canals can be slow to heal because of diabetes, and I said "I don't have diabetes," and she said, "Really? Maybe you should get that checked."

HAND TO GOD.

I told her that I don't understand why she asked me the question if she's going to not believe the answer. (Also fucking inappropriate to suggest I have diabetes -- I get the connection between diabetes and slow healing, but slow healing + my fat ass does not automatically = Teh Diabeeeetus. God DAMN. I'm fat and have a parent with heart disease; I get my cholesterol and glucose tested every year.)

Anyway. I'm going to switch dentists no matter what, because I am over their shit. I just didn't know if it was okay to switch mid-root canal. Well, not mid-root canal; the actual root canal is done. Just between root canal and crown. But surely every dentist gets patients who want a second opinion, right?

my more cynical self says, is interested in making good money with an expensive tooth implant later

And this is what I was also thinking. Again, if it's so damaged (despite the total absence of pain) that it needs to be ripped out of my head, so be it. But she seemed awfully quick to jump to that option.

she said root canals can be slow to heal because of diabetes, and I said "I don't have diabetes," and she said, "Really? Maybe you should get that checked."

okay, this made me laugh. ruefully.

girl, you need a new dentist.

I said "I don't have diabetes," and she said, "Really? Maybe you should get that checked."

Wow, you're dentist is a dick.