Dr. Guess was recommended to me for a root canal on NextDoor. And now, after receiving a root canal from him today, I can see why. He's phenomenal (as is his staff). I'm thrilled with the entire experience I had receiving treatment from him. He's a wonderful person, and an exceptional endodontist. He exudes a positive, upbeat attitude, confidence, and warmth. He's genuine, and genuinely interested in his patients. I appreciated very much that at my consult, and during my procedure, he was entirely focused on me. He wasn't trying to do multiple consults, or multiple procedures, at the same time. For the duration of my appointment it was all about me, my problem, and how he could fix it. It was a very very nice change from the majority of dentists who I've seen (granted, for other things like fillings) who're jumping from exam room to exam room, and who inevitably seem a bit distracted by the workload they're juggling. Not so here. Because he focuses on one patient at a time, the interaction is much more relaxed and enjoyable. So thank you for that, Dr. Guess!
The process was two steps: consult, and procedure. I enjoyed both. In fact, I'm sad that I don't have more dental work I could see him for. He's that good, and that much fun to be around. At the consult he reviewed my most recent x-rays from my dentist, reviewed the nature of the pain I was feeling, verified that the tooth I thought was having the problem was the actual tooth having the problem, took x-rays of the effected tooth then took 3D x-rays of my whole mouth, and then reviewed his findings with me. It was a nice, relaxed, informative 1.5 hour visit. At the end he discussed my options: which included waiting (except my body would be trying to get rid of the tooth and infection could be an issue), or getting a root canal as soon as possible. And he shared the cost of the procedure. Together we decided I would get the root canal at the earliest opportunity. I appreciated that he was straight-forward with regard to the cost of the procedure, particularly since it is not a cheap procedure.
Let me tell you, as the day (today) of the procedure approached, I was scared out of my mind. I remembered previous dentists telling me that if the filling then crown didn't work out, the pain of the root canal would make every other pain feel like small potatoes. So even though I trusted Dr. Guess when he assured me he'd make sure I didn't feel anything, I was still scared. After all, who hasn't heard all the horror stories of the agony others have felt receiving root canals. So today I was glad to find that when I went to my appointment, we didn't jump right to the procedure immediately. We chatted for a few minutes, he checked out the tooth again, asked if I was ready, and then gently got the ball rolling. At no point did I feel rushed, worried, or freaked out. Probably half of the overall appointment was just chatting and then getting me sufficiently numb. He was very thorough about making sure that I was absolutely numb and felt nothing when he administered the bite and cold tests. This took quite a bit of anesthetic, but clearly his priority was on my comfort, not on minimizing the cost of the anesthetic or other supplies necessary to ensure my comfort. When the actual procedure began, true to his word, I couldn't feel a thing. Not when he drilled through the top of the crown, not when he cleaned out the pulp from my roots, not when he filled the canals, and not when he filled the top of the crown. I could tell he was doing something, but felt no pain, and no discomfort. I also appreciated that the process he used meant that I didn't have to worry about swallowing during the procedure. When I received the crown from another San Diego dentist, it was a nightmare, in large part due to the fact that the dentist was drilling extensively on my rear-most molar and cooling his drill with a lot of water. All that water kept trying to run down my throat (gravity, you know), so when he told me to try and not swallow and just breath through my nose I found it nearly impossible...Which led to nearly 3 hours in the chair, and a very irate dentist and patient (me). So the fact that that wasn't an issue with the root canal I received from Dr. Guess was welcome.
Also, when I sent an inquiry email initially, Dr. Guess replied to me personally. And then after the procedure he called me tonight to check in on me and provide me with his personal cell phone number for any questions or concerns I may have. Again, this is the kind of incredible service and thoroughness you can expect from Dr. Guess and his office. They're wonderful!
So what's the bottom line? Dr. Garrett Guess rocks! If you need a root canal, don't hesitate, call Dr. Guess. I'm certain you'll be as pleased as I was. Let me assure you that if you see Dr. Guess for a root canal you have absolutely nothing to worry about. He'll make sure it doesn't hurt, and make the process from beginning to end painless! read more
