Introduction: Hi. I still have about 20 teeth, but they're supposed
to come out this summer. Age 58, M, W, periodontal case. Cash
customer. (No insurance). Otherwise vaguely healthy.

My question is that the dentist is telling me that I have to go
toothless for six weeks after extraction, i.e. no temporary plates.
Also refuses to just do the bottoms at one shot. I got an impression
that treatment was to be based on his convenience, i.e. what he
wanted to do.

I don't get it. The only explanation I could get out of him was
something about bone growing back, which sounded a little bit
contrafactual to me. Is he being lazy? Is he saving me money?
Why the six weeks, in other words? Can a human live on goo that
long? I suppose so. It'll be a culinary adventure.

Also, is it typical to do that many (20+) extractions in one shot,
in a chair, using only local analgesics? Two previous dentists saw
fit to use Valium IV and nitrous oxide inhalant in addition to local
xylocaine+Demerol gum injections, just for a single root-canal/crown
job.

I asked for a tranq for the most recent extraction run (7 molars
and carnassals or whatever the next smaller size is called), but
was met with dismissal by the assistant. The dentist seems to
expect me to tough it out on local lidocaine or whatever it is he
uses. Any comments? I've heard of people being knocked out for
this kind of work. Is there a "standard of care" for this sort of
work?

This is in PA; perhaps a dentist cannot administer certain drugs
here?

Thanks for tolerating my whining. No one else seems to!

Dave