BRACES!

My patient today had braces.  That is difficult to work around.  She was even sweet enough to take out her wires for me.  I was able to take Schick x-rays on her as well.  They turned out fantastic, if I say so myself.  I was really proud of myself for how awesome this pictures were.  I can finally say though that I have taken some digital x-rays.  WaHoo!  I think I could have done a better job of managing my time.  If I had made sure that I had everything set up (my x-ray room and OH aids) then things might have gone smoother.  I was the first person signed up in x-ray room 1.  I could have had that set up before I brought her back.  That would have made things go faster.  Because of this little things that I didn't make sure of I now have to have her come back to finish her last two quads.  I did get her right side cleaned.  It was hard with the brackets though.  Especially probing.  It was really difficult to maneuver the probe around the bracket on the facial.  I now know what to expect when I have her come back.  She does a really great job of cleaning her teeth with brackets on.  She also  has her interview for the program this coming Monday.  I really hope that she gets in so that I can be her peer pal.  I plan on being the best peer pal there is.  I think it is important for a peer pal to advise the first year student coming in.  I could have used a little more advise and help, but I didn't ask for it and my peer pal didn't offer it.  I'm not going to sugar coat things either.  This is a hard program.  Not impossible, but hard.  Especially with a family.  I am looking forward to graduating!  That will be a great day.

I am going to finish up my sister on Monday.  I am hoping that she can bring in her daughter for me to do a couple sealants.  I can pass off a PE and help my niece protect her teeth.  I have two quads to finish on my sister, polish, floss, and use that fabulous fluoride.  Fluoride is fantastic and can do some much for teeth, but I wish they could make it taste better.  If they are going to create something that has to stay on the teeth from 4+ hours, it should taste decent to have it there!  There you go fluoride companies.  That is your challenge for the year.  Make something that tastes better!  Not the melon flavored crap that I have on my teeth right now!

Almost Didn't Finish

I was so close to not finishing my patient from today.  I think we did a little too much talking.  I have got to learn that I need to concentrate on what I am doing inside the mouth.  If the patient is talking that keeps me from working.  Between the two of us, we just did way too much of that.  As we neared the end of the appointment, I pulled out my ultrasonic (which was found) and used that to finish up.  He had several areas that seemed like very tenacious calculus.  I felt like I was hand scaling on some areas for minutes on end and it just still felt rough. I finally got him finished up though.  I was pretty sure I was going to have some areas that I had missed, but miraculously there weren't.  I polished him up, applied the fluoride varnish and got him out of there.  I was so glad that I got him done and didn't have to ask him to come back for yet another appointment.

I am looking forward to Wednesday.  It is a lab day and we don't have patients.  It will be a nice break!

Finishing up a Class V

I completed my class V today, which counts towards my class II requirements.  I now have 8 quads of a class II, only 4 more to go.  My patient from today is even coming back in on my very last clinic day, so that will at least give me my requirements.  I was a little freaked out before my patient got there.  I couldn't find my ultrasonic scaler and he prefers to have that used.  I ended up trying out my other ultrasonic scaler by Hu-Freidy.  I HATED it!  The water wasn't flowing out of it the way it should have been.  At one point I realized that there wasn't any water coming out and I pulled the scaler out from under my patients gingiva.  When I pulled it out I saw a red hole in the gingiva from where I removed the scaler.  I asked him if that had hurt, and he said it did.  I felt TERRIBLE.  The stupid thing should be working properly.  I had made sure that the water was flowing from it and there were just times that it would stop coming out.  I had never used it before.  What a pain!  I sure hope that I can find my slim line scaler.

I was happy to complete my patient from today.  He had a presentation for some teachers today, so I didn't want to use fluoride varnish and have him look like he had cottage cheese on his teeth.  So I had the fun experience of using a tray and fluoride gel on him.  Poor guy!  The stuff tasted terrible!  I hope that he got rid of the taste quickly.

My next patient is one that I am completing from the beginning of the semester.  My good friend.  He is such a nice guy.  I am really hoping to finish all four quads in this one appointment.  He is a 1B, so I don't think it will be a problem.

Thanks Sis!

My sister Jen came in.  She fortunately needed x-rays.  Yeah!  Four more conventional films.  I was able to complete two quads on her as well.  She wanted to try the ultrasonic scaler as per my mom's suggestion.  She enjoyed it.  Now I need to pass off two PEs on her.  Ultrasonic and universal scaler.  I should be able to do both of those.  I haven't felt like I am getting very proficient at my hand scaling though, because most of my patients want to or need the ultrasonic used on them.  I really need to start practicing my hand scaling skills.

My patient from last Wednesday is coming back in this Wednesday for me to finish up his cleaning.  I will just be finishing up his last three quadrants, polishing, flossing, and administering fluoride.  It should be pretty smooth and easy.  I have already done the preliminary work.

One quad of scaling

I am very glad that I had a healthy patient come in today.  He is a moderate maintained perio patient, but I was able to get one quadrant of scaling completed.  I think he was a little disappointed that I didn't get everything done today.  But I should be able to finish him up next time.  He preferred to have the ultrasonic used on him, so scaling when very quick.  I didn't need to take x-rays, but I am getting worried about getting enough x-rays taken.  I should be ok.  I just need to start justifying the need for x-rays. 

My sister is coming in next Monday.  I am planning to chart all of her existing fillings prior to her coming in.  That should speed things up and help me finish her faster.  I hope that I am able to get her done in one appointment as well!!!

My Mother

My mom came in today.  I felt like it went really well.  I had tried to have the green chart and all of her meds looked up before she came in.  That was really helpful.  I was able to get her done in one shot.  I used my ultrasonic on her.  I know that she is grateful that she doesn't have to come back in.  I'm so grateful that she was willing to come in and see me.  I talked to her later and she told me that I did a great job and that she was really proud of me.  She told me dad that she was there for a really long time, but she would have been here longer if I hadn't been able to finish everything. 

For my patient on Wednesday, I have never met him, but I hope that I am able to at least get to scaling.  He is a student up here as well, and needs to leave early.  I hope I have a great day.