Jon up in Tohoku wrote:

> "Paulrus" <6oo2dy802@sneakemail.com> wrote in message
> news:733c8a12.0306301351.22654b79@posting.google.com...
> > Hi all -
> >
> > I am hoping someone can help settle an argument my wife and I are
> > having.
> > My wife is from Japan & we were discussing dentists in Japan.  My
> > understanding was that Japanese dentists have you come back many many
> > times for a proceedure that American dentists would normally do in 1
> > visit.  My wife is going in to have her wisdom teeth pulled (here in
> > the USA) and she was very surprised that they'd do all 4 at once.  She
> > claimed that it isn't the "proper" way to do it and that Japanese
> > dentists would do it the right way - by taking out one tooth per
> > appointment - thus the proceedure would take 4 visits.
> >
> > What I would really love to hear is the facts from a Nihon-jin rather
> > than a gaijin.  My wife will most likely not listen to anything a
> > gaijin says about Japanese dentistry because "only a real Japanese
> > person truly understands how things work in Japan".  So, even though
> > I've read about the problems and have a good understanding, she will
> > not listen to anything I say - I'm biased towards the USA and our
> > system of dentistry.
> >
> > So can someone help me settle this?  Explain why they take so long in
> > Japan and if possible, I would like to know if Japanese dentists think
> > that spreading proceedures over several appointments is the "best" way
> > to do things, or do they do it because that's how the system works (or
> > something else maybe?.
> >
> > If possible, please CC answers to my email address - I rarely can
> > check Usenet because I can only use Google to access it anymore.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Paul
>
> Paul,
>
> Well OK if this doesn't satisfy you both, then your problem, as Kevin
> suggested, runs deeper than dentistry.
> Last night I was able to ask one of my students, he is chairman of our
> regions dental association, and this was what he said:
>
> "Wisdom teeth are the most complicated of a all extractions, as they are
> surgically removed by slitting the gum. They are not removed one at a time,
> rather on separate occasions, to limit the amount of profuse bleeding that
> most often occurs, and also to avoid stressing the patient. It is scary the
> amount of blood that can come from wisdom tooth extractions, not to mention
> dangerous."

It was cool to spit blood for a week. I do not even recall the choice of being
hospitalized or having general anesthetic for having four teeth extracted.

> Well that is what he said, I still think it is a money thing, or at least a
> combination of both. But personally I think you are a little off in thinking
> American dentists would remove all four in one shot, as a sweeping
> statement. Molars maybe, but I don't think they would do wisdom. Sometimes
> yes, and sometimes no. I know a girl back home who had two removed from the
> bottom in one shot, and the two uppers removed on separate occasions. Your
> wife had an X-ray right, well I would believe the dentists decision is based
> on that in the US. A Japanese dentist, partly on the X-ray, partly on
> customer service, and mostly on the rules of dealing with national health
> care.
>
> Again my opinion. and it is the best MY OPINION my hungover arse can do this
> morning.
>
> But I hope the answer from my dentist friend helps you. Take care,
>
> Jon