A Tooth For The Killing...

Upper Left Mollar; First or Second One In.



When we were younger, visiting a Dentist was a 'one stop' activity.



My life long friend John will well remember our visits to olde 'Doc' Dunnett - what he lacked in bedside manner, he made up for in getting the job done. No shipping you out to some Specialist for him.



Sadly, this one stop shopping in Dentistry seems to be no more.



As Rodney Dangerfield would say; take my tooth for instance.



It all started some five years ago when I earnestly went about getting my teeth in good order prior to my Retirement. In those years I visited my Dentist 2x per year and had all my substandard teeth capped.



Not long after Retirement though, I visited my Dentist's Office for a regular cleaning and was told that a small cavity had developed under one of my new Crowns - 'First Mollar In - On My Upper Left Side'.



"We'll need to fix that one", proclaimed my Dentist.



"And how do you propose to that"? I enquired.



She proceeded to tell me that I would be sent off to a Root Canal Specialist and then I would return to her for the needed filling and new Crown. Point; Set; Match.



I told my Dentist that I was under the impression that these Crowns would preclude the likelihood of cavities but she disabused me of that thought; apparently one is more prone to cavities after Crowns are installed. A fine time to find that out.



My mind though was tranfixed on the cost. Some $1k had been spent on the original Crown and filling and now some scant years later, an entirely new Crown was being prescribed. Plus of course the Root Canal and the new Filling. It just did not seem to be worth the price.



"Pull It Out" I demanded.



Well you would think I told her ... Well anyway, the look of disbelief on her face was something to behold.



After some major negotiation we came to the following settlement:

• She would fix the cavity and work around the Crown to save it from replacement.

There was one small catch however.

I would have to go to a Special Dental Surgeon who would surgically prepare the gum to enable my Dentist to access the cavity and all the while preserve the Cap.

I wasn't too keen about this precondition but reluctantly went along with it. After all, my Dentist had met me more than half way by agreeing to fix the cavity without requiring either a Root Canal or the Destruction of the Crown.

So a few weeks later and in another part of the City I found myself in the chair of the Specialist Dental Surgeon.

"What Have We Here?" he enquires.

I bring him up-to-date and end by asking him how much 'surgery' this will entail?

Apparently quite a bit.

"Pull It Out" I demand.

This guy was a much cooler cat - he did not go into paroxyisms of disbelief. Maybe it had to do with the fact that as a Specialist he was above such common emotion.

Whatever, his response was to just let him 'take a quick look' and see if he could do the job with a minimum of time, bother and of course expense.

Needless-to-say, I was skeptical but reluctantly agreed.

The appliances in place and the work underway there was no time for me to enquire on his progress.

"All Done" he soon announced.

"What is all done - the quick look" I replied.

"The Surgery, you are now ready to have the cavity filled".

Foiled again. I try to make the best of it.

Could he not fill the cavity and I'd be done this very day?

Mr. Cool no longer. He explained to me that he does not do 'fillings' - in fact has never done a filling He is, after all a Surgeon. I thought of old jack-of-all trades Doc Dunnett.

Now back to my original Lady Dentist after having paid Specialist Surgeon some $800.

Original Dentist though is still arguing that I should first have a Root Canal and of course a new Crown.

"Pull It Out" I demand.

This time without the former dramactics she proceeds to work on the cavity. I get the feeling that when she injects the novacane she takes special delight in jabbing it in as hard and fast as possible. I refuse to flinch - but I do have a long memory.

Work done and another $200 paid, I leave her chair with her warning ringing in my ear that I will likely be sorry for not having agreed to the Root Canal - the one that she could not do herself in any event.

I decided then and there that it was time for me to engage a new - main Dentist. I figured I could not do worse and I was fairly philosophical about it - although down another $1,000 bucks - I still had my original Crown and no Root Canal.

As I see it.. part two to follow next...

"Galagher"

Shot Themselves In ...

their collective feet.

This week's vote on the gun registry was a disappointment to me but as pointed out by many pundits, it could be a boon for the Tories.

Indeed, if the Conservatives get their long sought after Majority in the coming Election - it will be due in large part to the position they have taken on the Long Gun Registry - that is to say it is a monumental waste of time and money.

I have covered the reasons why in a previous Blog but suffice to say, we here in Canada already have two gun registries and a third is simply not needed despite the protestations of the Three Opposition Leaders. Hunters are licenced, and Gun Owners, me included, must have an Acquisition Permit to buy both long guns and ammunition.

The Libs brought in this wasted registry following the Poly Tech massacre as a feel good measure that would not have stopped those deaths had it been in effect prior to that tragic event and would certainly not stop future such occurrences today. They simply wanted to be seen doing something despite the fact that it made absolutely no sense yet cost a King's ransom.

The Heads of Police are in favour of its retention - not to save lives - but to secure more money and create more police jobs. I know this may come as a shock to some but I have worked in the past in close association with the police and there is nothing they like more than increased budgets and personnel. But rest assured, the local constable - often a hunter himself - knows well the futility of the registry.

I get a particular kick out of Ignatieff saying that it is now time to "heal the Rural / Urban rift" - just after he and his anti long gun conferes poked the Rural Community in the eye by voting for the continuation of the Registry. Pretty galling to me !!

The long gun to the Rural is like the Watering Can to the Urban. They are simply tools to get the job done.

Enough said about that. But back to the Political Fall-out.

My guess is that 12 seats are now up for grab by the Tories given the naive position taken by the Opposition. Some left wing pundits state that the long gun issue will not last until the Election - "bread and butter issue of the Economy are what count".

These pundits are saying that from the comfort of their Urban sprawl - the long gun issue in the Rural parts of Canada, especially in the more northerly reaches, attains a religious zeal that is not soon apt to be forgotten.

Count me as one of those who believe that the Tories lost the vote but may well have won the coming Election.

As I see it...

"Galagher"