The Usual Drill

I went to the dentist this morning and it was a rather new experience for me since the last time I paid a visit to a dentist was in Canada nearly four years ago. It seems that time and the American penchant for bells and whistles have changed a visit to the dentist somewhat dramatically. Now, contrary to public belief, going to the dentist is not free in Canada and good dental plan is a key part of employment as it is here, but I am sure that the Canadian system of standardized medicine somehow spills over to the dental profession. A dental office in Canada is somewhat basic, not bare-bones but also no-frills. Quite the contrast to my experience this morning.

Instead of going down the hall for an x-ray, waiting several minutes for it to be developed and then having the hygenist squint at the tiny blurry images held up to the overhead lights, the digital x-rays were ready in seconds and popped up on LCD panel in front of the chair where we could both view them. A few clicks of the mouse and an algorithm enhances the x-ray mages, improving contrast so that the areas of my molars experiencing decay can be seen much more clearly. After viewing the x-ray and poking around with the dental pick, the hygenist puts a probe-like digital camera in my mouth and snap a few frames of "trouble spots" that I need to pay special attention to and need to be watched for further decay during future visits. Just like the x-rays, they pop up on the LCD screen so I can actually see what other hygenists had vaugely tried (and failed) to describe to me in the past. The images are stored in an electronic file so that the dentist has a baseline for comparison purposes during my next visit. I was so impressed by this extremely useful application of technology that I didn't even so much as flinch during the cleaning and was still feeling warm and fuzzy when the dentist told me that I needed to come back next week to have a small cavity in one of my back molars filled. A little good engineering makes the most bitter pill easier to swallow.

So Tuesday morning I go under the drill. At the same time Amy gets to have her wisdom teeth taken out. I think I got the better deal.