None The Wiser

30 Dec 2008, 1015 hrs
Klinik Pergigian, Section X, Shah Alam

I had two wisdom teeth removed some three years ago. horrible horrible experience. The dentist had both feet on my torture chair with an assistant holding his waist. The dentist was in labor, PULL! PULL! but i was the one in pain.

After many hours he managed to extract one tooth out. And then the other one. Excruciating pain. My mouth were torn on both sides. Through the ordeal, i couldnt scream as the dentist had both hands in my mouth. Horrible horrible traumatising horror! And so torn mouth and all, i became the Joker only with less wisdom than he.


THE JOKER

I have two more wisdom teeh that must be extracted out. Not for aesthetics purposes mind you, but more medical reasons than anything else. You see, my jaws are too small but my teeth are all huge ones - meant for tearing meat and gnawing timber. Like that of a carnivorous rodent. I certainly have neither room nor patience for wisdom, tooth or otherwise.

30 Dec 2008, 2206 hrs
Home


I didnt get any tooth pulled out just now. Had an x-ray taken though. Apparently, only a quarter of the teeth surfaced. The rest stays inside the gum and jaw bone. You only get to see the tip of the iceberg. The problem is larger than titanic.

Both teeth require minor surgery to have them removed. A single surgery should cost RM400 to 500 (gulp). And it wouldnt be without risks either. Tell me, doctor, what are the risks? She explained that being in the lower jaw means that both teeth are near the nerves. Okay, so if surgery went wrong and the nerves are damaged, what can happen?
'you might lose the senses in the mouth, i.e you dont taste food'
Is this permanent or temporary?
'oh dont worry, in some cases, the effect dissapears after a day or two.' Doctor smiles.
in some other cases doctor?
'my friend is still suffering from it. It has been five years now' Doctor still smiles. Aiyoh, puan dokter, I know lah you have perfect rows of picketfences, but must you smile when telling me this?
Because if i cant taste what i eat, it will be a huge loss to mankind!

I made an appointment for surgery anyway but made a mental note to go check other clinics too. I couldnt help but noticed that the doctor graduated from UiTM and i know for a fact that their Dental Faculty is new. Not that i think dentists from UiTM is less competent than other graduates, but what with the faculty being new, graduates would at the most have only a few years of working experience. Just like having a P licence doesnt mean you are incompetent, only maybe not as experienced as other drivers.
For dental surgery, maybe i want an old experienced doctor.

After the scare, i went to Serenity Spa at Concorde to claim another present from the Ibu Ratu Hatiku writing competition. Yes, full body spa treatment. Massage, sauna, scrub and then milk bath. Best. Gigi sakit jugak, tapi best.

Rehat rasa.