lao-ocean-girl

I arrived at my dental appointment an hour late because my taxi driver didn’t know where he was going.  Still, he was a nice guy as he chit-chatted about Laotians visiting Bangkok from Nong Khai and how much money they had because they could afford to do that (yeah right, the Lao are rich).  He asked where I was from, where I was traveling, who with, for how long, etc.  He even questioned why I was even going to a dentist because my teeth looked fine.  Maybe I should wait until my teeth are black with rot???

The cleaning was pretty quick, in comparison with a very thorough session I’ve had in Oregon.  I didn’t even get a toothbrush or toothpaste afterward!  Next, the dentist came in and I had a consultation about my root canals.  She said the roots would need to be cleaned out first, and medicine put in, before they could perform the rest of the procedure.  I asked how long the whole process would take to finish, even though I had a sinking feeling I knew the answer anyway.  About 3 months.  Doh! 

"Umm, I’m only going to be in Thailand for a month, is it possible to start the procedure and finish at home?" 

"No, I don’t recommend that.  You should get it all done with one doctor so they can evaluate your progress."  (sigh) "OK."  I guess it’s good to know they’re not only trying to get money out of patients.

Plan B:  I’m going to replace my silver fillings with inlays and replace one crown.  I’ve made four more appointments to finish my procedures and will be able to leave Bangkok for an island a week from today.  (Sigh)  Now I’ve got to find some touristy things to do and fill up my week.