I realize that I don't trust my last periodontist. In my last visit I said something like, this option is less likely to go wrong. He told me nothing can go wrong in a pretty dismissive manner. I thought about that conversation a lot. A doctor claims nothing can go wrong is a warning sign. So when I needed a new implant I asked my general dentist for a referral.
Dr. Boquel exceeded my expectations on every aspect on my first visit for the tooth extraction and bone graft. It was the very first time I learned that topical anesthesia can work so well that I didn't feel the needle coming in. At some point I gagged a lot and asked him just to push the liquid into my gum quickly, even if it hurt. He insisted he was not OK with pain. He soon found a way to make it work without pain. I have a lot of respect for people who would hold up to their own standards. He even was concerned that I wouldn't tell him if I ever was in pain. I was impressed.
The extraction procedure went peacefully. Tooth extraction is not a fun experience but I was not scared at any point. I think the roots in that tooth were pretty tough and big, so he used a drill to cut them into separate pieces and took out one by one. Needless to say Dr. Boquel and his assistant Tonya were both cheerful and comforting, I really shouldn't have lost that much sleep the night before.
What astonished me was what happened afterwards. Tonya told me that I shouldn't have felt much pain, which I didn't believe. I thought after the anesthesia worn off I would feel a lot of pain, just like the last time. The truth was the opposite - the throbbing sensation stopped after 2 hours, I was almost pain free(with the help of 600mg Motrin). On the day of the surgery I slept for 12 hours and had to get up for an empty stomach, not for the very mild pain in my mouth.
This is so different from what I experienced with my last periodontist. I was in a lot of pain for days. My periodontist said I was grinding my tooth and told me to get a mouth guard from CVS. That counter in CVS was locked with no sales representative. So I ordered it online. The pain was pretty severe, at some point I started panicking and suspected I had an infection. I texted him again. He scolded me for not getting the mouth guard.
Thinking back I suspect the reason I had so much pain last time could be that my last periodontist worked pretty roughly(and was impatient when I ask him not to lean his drill on my mouth), which made me scared, and probably caused more wounds. You can say this is pure speculation. But here comes some facts. He prescribed more pain medication: 800mg Ibuprofen(comparing to 600mg I got from Dr. Boquel), and acetaminophen with codeine. In that semester I took a course on substance use, and I knew how easy it was to get addicted to opioids. I was baffled that nobody in his office warned me about it. Not even that it shouldn't be taken with alcohol. If this periodontist didn't know his work usually cause more pain, why would he prescribe so much pain killers?
In my opinion, Dr. Boquel not only understand the fear of pain, which is on the emotional level, he also pursue and excel at working with no pain on the technical level, which is crucial and admirable. It seems to me that he cares more about how to make a patient suffer less than showing what a great dentist he is, which paradoxically makes him a great dentist.
(I hope this review doesn't make it more difficult for me to get an appointment in the future)
(on a second thought, I hope I won't need another implant in the future //facepalm... good dentists - people you love dearly but wish never have to see again in their professional capacities...) read more