Dentist visit

Phyllis and I (Brian) had the great opportunity to go to the Dentist this last week.....ok, so maybe "great" is a strong word.  Either way we went to the dentist this last week.  Phyllis has been having a couple issues with her teeth so she went in to have them checked.  Well, being a good husband, I decided to take one for the team and go with her.
The office we went to was downtown so we headed out.....

Our first step was to walk to the metro.  Then, we had to put funds on our Bip! card.  This card provides access to the metro and the bus system here in Santiago.  It is a prepaid card that we have to scan every time we get on the bus or metro.  It costs just over a dollar each to get on.
 
 Here is a pic of it stopped.  It is actually a quick way to get downtown and a LOT less inexpensive.  We don't know from experience, but we have heard that parking and traffic are the two downfalls of downtown driving.
 
Then we were on our way!  We left at about 10:20 am from the Los Orientales stop, and we ended up downtown at Tobalaba in plenty of time for our 11:00 am appointment.  We walked into the office which was seven levels up, and we had to buzz in to get to the waiting room.  Below is a picture of the office.  Looks normal, right?
When I went back to get my teeth cleaned and examined, I asked if I could take a picture.....here's what I saw.....

Normal again, right?  There was only ONE thing that wasn't normal about our visit......OUR TEETH!!!

Unfortunately, this picture is a very accurate image of our teeth....they are in need of some attention and repair.  We had both been to the dentist before we left for Chile last July, but the hygienist here explained that because the water is different in Santiago that it affects our teeth differently.  In other words, even though we are brushing and taking precautions, our teeth are not used to the minerals and things in the water here. 
I (Phyllis) had a couple cavities and the problems were solved.  Brian, on the other hand, is going to need some extensive work.  He has to get an inlay on three teeth that are grouped together, and he also may need a new cap/crown.  This is very challenging when the main dentist who is doing the work does not speak English.  Thankfully there is one lady in the office that can speak English, but she is not always available to translate. 
We checked with our mission insurance coordinator and asked about coverage for dental.  It doesn't look like we have any. 
Please join us in prayer about this matter.  While the bill sounds daunting on a human level, we are CONFIDENT that Our God knows our needs and will supply them in His perfect timing! 

Comments

  1. How was the problem with adjusting to the local water dealt with? Were there other ways you could approach that issue? This is quite an problem if you're actually making things worse when brushing, so let's see if there's any way to solve it. Either way, good luck!

    Coralie Tauber @ Houston Smile Docs

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  2. It’s really hard to deal with the differences in mineral content, both in land and water, when you move from one place to another. I can only imagine how frustrated you were when you found out that the damages were caused by the water minerals in the area. I believe you could use filtered or purified water to prevent more harm to your teeth. How are you doing now?

    Calandra Novak @ Whitfords Dentist

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  3. It’s actually nice to take the train every now and then, rather than always driving. Anyway, I understand that it could be quite expensive when it comes to dealing with our health – especially with our teeth. I’m sorry to hear about the cavity problems you have encountered because of the new water supply. But I’m glad that you are doing everything you can to get through this. Thanks for sharing this post with us, Brian. Have a great day!


    Eunice Greer @ DownTownDentalSC01

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