Behind the Wall

So I'm wearing the uppers fairly comfortably right now. Still needs some minor trimming on the upper front edge so my face doesn't look so puffy.
When I first started to wear these, I felt like I had such an overbite... it threw off my balance... I had no poise... no élan... in fact, I felt just like...



Duane Dibbley?????



My Freddy Mercury comments about the overbite failed with various people... they had never heard of him. Back of my brain was saying, "WTF??????????"



The lower, well... need a little more adjustment. There are a couple of edges on the inner rear that need to be trimmed, and maybe a little more so that they can stay in when I talk/eat/move my jaw... and then there's the drool factor, which apparently is normal.

Takes some getting used to, but at least I'll be able to smile... talking coherently will come as it does...

Had a follow-up appointment this afternoon.

Got the uppers' back edge trimmed down so that it doesn't hit the gag point at the back of my throat.
I can now eat warm/hot soft foods (soup, mashed potato, etc).
Adhesives start later this week. That's when I'll wear them a bit more. I'll try eating with them tonight.
I think tonight may be either soup or a cheese omelet. Gods, I'm gagging for solid(ish) food...

Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I'll be able to chow on a burger... It's up to me to gauge what kind of food I can comfortably eat.

Permanent fixtures are six months away, since it's a really really really good idea to let the bone structure shrink down before getting those fitted.


Friday's goings on will be posted later.

What a cockup...

So I get to the dentist... sitting in the chair, everything is set...

When they said, "Okay, we're going to numb you up now," I said, "Now hang on... I thought I was getting total anesthesia for this."

Turns out -- they only do that when the oral surgeon is in the office.
I had not been advised on that.
He's not in their office on Fridays, only on Mondays.
Spiffing, since I'd still probably be in pain for two days afterwards, and not want to be on the phones, and I don't have available PTO to take to recover.


So now, after much arguing and giving them Holy Hell, I'm going to be heading for the Raynham office this afternoon to get everything done.

Down points:
1. Dad has to drive me there and back. We're talking at least an hour's drive each way.
2. Nana has to watch Marcus alone for pretty much the entire afternoon. Since he doesn't take a nap very often at all there, that's going to wear thin.
3. I had hoped to be spending the afternoon in recovery mode. Now that's pushed back a few hours.

Up points:
1. I'll have new teeth.

Compensation on the part of Aspen Dental:
1. They will cover the costs of the oral surgeon and the IV anesthesia. That's about $400 right there.

*sigh*

As I said, it's like pulling teeth...

One afternoon and evening...
Two full days...
Wakeup...

Then go back to sleep while they do their work...
Wake up...
Go to the 'rents so I can sleep (if Marcus will let me)
Go home
Sleep it off...

There's the life...

As it were...


So, after a few years of having dental problems, through a combination of genetics and neglect... my natural choppers (or what's left of them) are going to be replaced... completely.
The downside of this is I'll be a new Polident and Poligrip spokesman...
Upside is that I'll be able to eat normally once again. You can't believe the foods I've missed.

I'll be arranging the impressions appointment later on... and then two weeks or so later, it'll be knockout time as they extract, and then give me the new pearlies.

Just one more thing that's wrong with me... but I can't really blame anyone but myself on this.