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Things Fall Apart
For values of things that mean me.
I have always had problems with my teeth. Though many will disagree, my mouth is, in fact, too small, at least for the set of Chiclets that sprouted there. Various teeth were always partially (or in one case, completely) eclipsed by their neighbors. A long period with no dental insurance in the '80s and '90s led to the removal of several molars at the UMKC Dental School, one of which I retain as an earring.* Somewhere in the mid-'90s, I had a bridge installed in the upper left quadrant, which functioned quite well for many years.
But in January of 2007, I bit down on a slice of bread, and felt and heard a "snap"! I knew something bad had happened, but it took a couple of months to discover how bad. I had broken the tooth that was the front anchor of the bridge, and eventually the glue that held the rest of it in position deteriorated to the point that one day the entire 5-tooth piece came out. Joy.
I went to my dentist, who told me that the best thing to do was to replace it with one that would run two teeth further to the right, to cover the single crown next to the bridge and the tooth next to it, which had managed to conveniently lose the huge filling in it at the same time. The cost? Seven large or so, after the insurance. Not having that kind of green just laying around, I opted to have them cement the bridge back in, which lasted until after ConQuesT. I had it done twice more, for Archon/TuckerCon/NASFiC and Worldcon. During this time, my wonderful insurance company contacted the dentist's office to say that they considered the re-cementing process a "once in a lifetime" charge, and wouldn't cover any further claims. So I've been getting by with sticking the bridge in using Fixodent in the morning, removing it when eating, and putting it back in afterwards. Not pretty, but at least it kept up the illusion of toothiness.
So Tuesday morning, I was making a smoked turkey sandwich for Rohanna, and as I carved the turkey I grabbed a piece of skin and popped it in my mouth. On the second chew, I heard an all-too-familiar "snap," and the single crown that was the other half of the front two teeth had met the same end. So I could put the bridge back in, but there was now a large gap between it and the half-tooth on the other side.
Ro did some calling around, and this morning I went to a dentist whom she knew from her SCA days. After an exam, many many x-rays, multiple impressions (no, I didn't do my Carol Channing for them) and some discussion of options, he is making a removable partial to replace the old bridge plus the other two teeth (the permanent option was $3000+ more than the removable). Yet more impressions followed, along with the construction of a temporary crown to anchor the new bridge. Then Dr. Trevor came back and got busy. He very quickly and efficiently removed the three stumps left from the old bridge, and the half-tooth as well.
In two weeks, the permanent crown should be ready to be installed (I'm King of Teeth!), and then more impressions will be taken to get the permanent partial made. I am not certain, but at that point I might get a temporary partial. Until then, I have one tooth in the middle of the upper left side of my mouth.
So if anyone knows someone making a movie in the area that needs a character with the title "Meth Addict," let me know. 'Cause I don't need no steenkin' special effects for that one. Otherwise, I am just totally thrilled with this latest episode, since things have been so quiet around here of late. The novocaine has worn off, but the Vicodin is doing a fine job of keeping the pain away. The only plus is I didn't go to work today. Which, since I stayed up to watch all 15 innings of the All-Star game, wasn't a bad thing.
I continue to be alert for aircraft carriers falling from the sky.
*It got me out of jury duty once, but that's another story.
I have always had problems with my teeth. Though many will disagree, my mouth is, in fact, too small, at least for the set of Chiclets that sprouted there. Various teeth were always partially (or in one case, completely) eclipsed by their neighbors. A long period with no dental insurance in the '80s and '90s led to the removal of several molars at the UMKC Dental School, one of which I retain as an earring.* Somewhere in the mid-'90s, I had a bridge installed in the upper left quadrant, which functioned quite well for many years.
But in January of 2007, I bit down on a slice of bread, and felt and heard a "snap"! I knew something bad had happened, but it took a couple of months to discover how bad. I had broken the tooth that was the front anchor of the bridge, and eventually the glue that held the rest of it in position deteriorated to the point that one day the entire 5-tooth piece came out. Joy.
I went to my dentist, who told me that the best thing to do was to replace it with one that would run two teeth further to the right, to cover the single crown next to the bridge and the tooth next to it, which had managed to conveniently lose the huge filling in it at the same time. The cost? Seven large or so, after the insurance. Not having that kind of green just laying around, I opted to have them cement the bridge back in, which lasted until after ConQuesT. I had it done twice more, for Archon/TuckerCon/NASFiC and Worldcon. During this time, my wonderful insurance company contacted the dentist's office to say that they considered the re-cementing process a "once in a lifetime" charge, and wouldn't cover any further claims. So I've been getting by with sticking the bridge in using Fixodent in the morning, removing it when eating, and putting it back in afterwards. Not pretty, but at least it kept up the illusion of toothiness.
So Tuesday morning, I was making a smoked turkey sandwich for Rohanna, and as I carved the turkey I grabbed a piece of skin and popped it in my mouth. On the second chew, I heard an all-too-familiar "snap," and the single crown that was the other half of the front two teeth had met the same end. So I could put the bridge back in, but there was now a large gap between it and the half-tooth on the other side.
Ro did some calling around, and this morning I went to a dentist whom she knew from her SCA days. After an exam, many many x-rays, multiple impressions (no, I didn't do my Carol Channing for them) and some discussion of options, he is making a removable partial to replace the old bridge plus the other two teeth (the permanent option was $3000+ more than the removable). Yet more impressions followed, along with the construction of a temporary crown to anchor the new bridge. Then Dr. Trevor came back and got busy. He very quickly and efficiently removed the three stumps left from the old bridge, and the half-tooth as well.
In two weeks, the permanent crown should be ready to be installed (I'm King of Teeth!), and then more impressions will be taken to get the permanent partial made. I am not certain, but at that point I might get a temporary partial. Until then, I have one tooth in the middle of the upper left side of my mouth.
So if anyone knows someone making a movie in the area that needs a character with the title "Meth Addict," let me know. 'Cause I don't need no steenkin' special effects for that one. Otherwise, I am just totally thrilled with this latest episode, since things have been so quiet around here of late. The novocaine has worn off, but the Vicodin is doing a fine job of keeping the pain away. The only plus is I didn't go to work today. Which, since I stayed up to watch all 15 innings of the All-Star game, wasn't a bad thing.
I continue to be alert for aircraft carriers falling from the sky.
*It got me out of jury duty once, but that's another story.
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Hang in there.
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I've always thought Walter Brennan should have provided the voice for both Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Puts "Luke! Use the force, dagnabbit!" and "Luke! I am your father! Now go slop the hogs!" in a whole new light, doesn't it?
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eatgum for free down at the soup line!I've gotta find a new dentist myself. I had a good one who understood the phrases "I hate pain" and "limited budget," but he was a Marine reservist and got deployed. Now he's back, but NOT HERE. Ack.
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It was really expensive going that long without insurance or dental care, wasn't it?
Hang in there...
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If there's anything I can do, let me know.
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oh and i found out more on the neil young dvd that was said to be out at walmart. (i had not seen it yet, but was told it was there) it turns out the person was wrong and it was a neil dimond dvd. They told me they thought it was the other. Sigh....