Daniel Simmons from Herne Bay describes his root canal treatment at 99 Harley street.
Joanne, Thanks for your note. Tooth feels great! Absolutely normal. Later on Wednesday it just felt a bit grippy once the dope had worn off, but nothing to hurl down painkillers over, and as of Thursday morning there was nothing at all to suggest I’d had anything done. No sensitivity when eating or anything like that.
Also many thanks to you and Richard and your other colleague (whose name I must admit I’ve forgotten) for a very enjoyable session at your surgery on Wednesday. I’d circled ‘not anxious about dentistry’ on the form, and I’m not. But still, going to a Harley Street dentist is a bit of an adventure for me: you don’t know quite what to expect so you’re just a little bit apprehensive. And it was actually great fun. The whole mood was breezy and chatty and friendly, and also quite fascinating and massively informative. And what I suppose you’d have to call a pretty invasive procedure was astonishingly pain-free (even the anaesthetic injection, which is usually a bit wince-inducing).
Most importantly, of course, Richard was able to identify the perp. I’m greatly relieved that we should be on the way to fixing the problem. It was surprising to learn that abscesses aren’t always painful, even when they fully hit their stride. Not my experience! (Is all I can say). I think I’m pretty tough about pain – e.g., permanent severe sciatic nerve pain which I can put up with, no prob – but tooth abscesses are in a whole different league, and have given me some really desperate days and nights. Not quite suicidal, but getting along that way to a worrying degree. My tooth abscesses laugh at dihydrocodeine (I think it’s called? Like Paramol now, and high-dose DF118 back in the day). So I’m pretty motivated on this one!
I’d been sceptical about the in-chair entertainment. It had seemed highly improbable that I’d be able to switch off from the procedure and casually take in a movie or whatever, but it worked really well! I pretty much forgot about the root-canal action, and was fully engaged with the programme which was very funny. I’ll be happy to take another episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm next trip. Actually I also thought the sort of dry-dock arrangement in the mouth helped a lot. Obviously that’s to aid the dentist’s manoeuvres rather than being for the patient’s comfort, but in an odd way it did help me to disassociate myself from what was going on in my gob – which has to be a good thing.
Hope you don’t mind me going on a bit. Since I was replying anyway, I just wanted to say a couple of other things since I can’t speak highly enough of the treatment I received on Wednesday.
What Clients Say
Dear Richard, Many thanks for the work you did on my tooth last Friday. It has given me no pain or trouble at all, which is great … except that I now need to find a way to watch to the last 10 minutes of Argo! Also, Joanne, you were so super-efficient and charming – thanks! Best wishes
Dear Richard, Many thanks for this exceptional work! An amazing result in view of the particular and unusual anatomy of this tooth. Kind regards
Dear Jo, Many thanks for copying me in on Richard’s report to Tony, and for your concern. My tooth is feeling quite fine now. I took ibuprofen over last weekend and one on Monday as it was a bit worrisome, but since then it’s been pain free. I’m still being a little cautious in what I chew on that side, but other than that nothing to report. Richard did a great job; the most ‘comfortable’ root canal work in London I reckon!
Dear Richard, Great images!! Many thanks for seeing him and for the usual comprehensive report. I’ll get in touch with him and let him know that it has to go – at least he has enough bone palatal to the root for an implant. Cheers.
Dear Joanne, Please pass on my thanks to Mr Kahan for an experience which proved very interesting and in fact strangely enjoyable. Best wishes
Hi Joanne, The tooth is a little sensitive when I bite. Nothing I don’t expect to settle down over the next 24 hours or so though. Whilst I can’t say that having a root canal treatment would make my top 50 things to do before you die list, my overall experience was excellent. Please tell Richard I said thank you
Dear Joanne, Many thanks for your copy email – and I report that I am completely without pain or apparent symptoms of any kind – so well done Mr Kahan, ably assisted by Larry David! I did not use Mr Kahan’s prescription for antibiotics at all – nor any painkillers afterwards actually. Please give him my compliments – and Happy New Year to you both. Regards
My name is Anne, a GDP colleague of BP. She tells me you are the endo guru. Praise indeed especially given that she is my endo guru! Anyway, sadly, I need a CBCT scan and report of my own tooth. Thanks.
All feeling pretty sound too. I have already seen the pix and will pass on a further view. The view in my shaving mirror is enough for me. Thanks to Richard for making it all …well, not a pleasure of course, but as painless as it possibly could be. I must put on the record that I did actually fall asleep in the chair. It’s v satisfying that such a long-standing source of infection is banished from my face. Thank you.
Richard you are absolutely fantastic. Thanks for the yellow arrow in case I overlooked MB2 in my interpretation of the scan. Very grateful.
Dear Richard, Thank you for the report. Very helpful in the managing process for this slightly confusing situation. Appreciated.
Dear Richard: to add to your store of post-operative experience I would like to say that everything is absolutely perfect! No discomfort, no pain, just a feeling that the tooth is secure, happy, and as it has not been for many months! Many many thanks for your skill from a very satisfied patient!
Thank you very much indeed for such detailed consultation and very impressive report. My apologies for the delay in response and treatment. I really appreciate the great effort and time you took to describe every single tooth in such details. I have found your explanation very clear, reasoned, with a huge level of accuracy and expertise.
...it was all painless and a pleasure. No untoward after-effects and tell him I was terribly offended by those ‘Curb your Enthusiasm’ videos so will have to watch another one to reinforce my indignation.
Hi Richard, Well I have now removed the UR4 (a horrible slanting fractured tip was tricky to remove) and you’ll be glad to hear that the sinus between UR3 and UR2 has gone confirming your diagnosis! Great pictures from your Clever Bit of Computer Technology (CBCT for short!). Thank you from both of us and thought you would like to know!