Finally, at the Office Dent, Ploiesti

Today, at 11:00 sharp, I was walking into Office Dent Clinic in Ploiesti. My brother-in-law was driving and because he knows Bucharest better than Ploiesti, of course...we got lost a bit. But we called the office and we finally found the dental clinic on 5A Laboratorului (Lab) Street in Ploiesti. The big white building was looking as good as in the website's pictures...This sign took us right to the stairs...

Once arrived, I was welcomed by Otilia, a young, beautiful receptionist who (very gracefully) announced our arrival and then asked us if we want to serve some water, coffee or some tea. Before I could answer, a young and smiling Dr. Raluca Draghici (General Dentistry-Oral Implantology competency) appeared into the lobby, greeted me and in a very professional yet friendly way shook my hand. I immediately felt at ease with her (and I could have bet she was a "Gemini" because I have a great "connection" with Geminis (being a Leo myself) and I know Gemeni women are so caring and also such...professional, almost too perfectionist, hard workers).

She then introduced me to another doctor from the same dental office, Dr. Cristian Nicolae (General Dentistry-Periodontology Specialization) who was also very pleasant and happy to meet me, the “patient from Canada”.

Then, Dr. Draghici invited me into one of their treatment rooms and, on that comfortable green chair...the real dental examination begun.

Dr. Draghici was assisted by two very young yet very professional assistants: Andreea and Petra. What I have feared all along...came true: after the doctor saw the situation of my teeth "live", after she saw what was “under that old porcelain bridge" and the nature/state of my dental bone throughout my moujth, the  whole dental treatment plan has changed....

 There are two ways of looking at my treatment plan now:

 1.    The short way which could be done in one month but has no lasting guarantee and is only a “patching” way which the doctor did not advised me to choose...

2.    Or the right way which implies...deep scaling operation, then some zirconium teeth restoration, dual bone grafting operations, then, four months of healing. Later on, when the dental bone grafts will be healed, I will have to get a few (titanium or zirconium?) implants. After a few more months of waiting for the implants to completely integrate into the new bone, I will have the final zirconium crown on implants restoration on the sides.

This second correct plan means that I will have to wait until the summer of 2012 to have everything done and finalized the right, healthy and more permanent way. In between these sessions I will have some very good looking and functional temporary "teeth"-executed in the same CAM-CAD manner (I was assured of it many times!).

The cost also changed although it is still three or four times cheaper than what would cost me for the same treatment plan in Canada (and yes, I also calculated two more extra plane tickets for two extra visits to Romania in the months to come). But yet...it is not what and how much I expected when I left Canada, two days ago.

I know (and the doctors in Canada also confirmed) that this is the RIGHT AND HEALTHY way to go. Anything else I would choose at this moment would be a compromise and a total waste of time...and money.

Needless to say that I've left the office looking a bit...fearful...but not completely dissapointed. At least....there is hope to keep my teeth and to have functional dental bone again on the sides of my mandibule...

I am still to deliver the news to my husband...in Canada. I am tired, worried and...a bit scared...but I know this is my chance to finally approach my dental care...the right way.