Grin and bear it, you say? Well, I have to grin and bare it! No, I am not fortunate to have a Giada DeLaurentis smile. Although, I have tried to achieve one over the years.
Blind Eye
It was 9th grade, and my Momma took me into the Orthodontist office. His reply, "They aren't worth saving." I was heartbroken. My teeth were the only ones I had, and it was worth it to me! My brother, grinning in braces at the time, said I was lucky I wouldn't have to go through that pain. So, Momma opted for stainless steel cookware that year. And, I never let her forget., Ah Ha Ha...
My family has a unique tooth condition. Our eye teeth are blind. My brother, sister, a cousin, my uncle, my son, and I have been affected. They will not "see" their way into proper place.
I was in 7th grade when I noticed my front teeth were loose, and cupped under like a beaver. The dental x-rays revealed my eye teeth were pushing my front teeth out. Poor Momma felt so guilty as I had been complaining about my front teeth, and the hygienist had not x-rayed for a couple of years. Subsequently, the dentist had a heart attack over the situation, and the oral surgeon couldn't believe, "I was a patient of Dr. So-n-So."
My pallet was removed, the eye teeth extracted, and I drank a Big Mac from a straw later that day. The quandary left was, "What to do from there?" The oral surgeon said my baby teeth could last for years, or a life time. And, I was left with a less that perfect smile, yellowed by administration of tetracyclines for chronic ear infections, which turned out to be chronic candida infection. No wonder the meds didn't do any good (but that's another story.)
Ah braces...OH BRACES!!!
San Antonio afforded me the opportunity to get braces, finally! My insurance covered adult braces 100%. So, like a flash, I headed to the orthodontist. With my new pink bands, I proudly wore those braces as a testament to my long awaited prize, a beautiful smile! Oh, I had so many plans: whitening, filing, pictures, etc. But, in the middle of the process, I lost a baby tooth because the root was nearly disintegrated. I was upset, but the doctor explained, I could get veneers which would cover the gap.
After 3 years, the braces came off, and I was given my retainer which contained a fake tooth to save the space so my teeth wouldn't shift. I waited 2 weeks to get the retainer, and by that time, I was already living in Montgomery again. When the retain got there, I tried to pop it in, and the teeth had shifted enough so the tooth wouldn't fit into place, and the fake tooth popped off. I wasn't too worried because I could get it fixed when my teeth shifted back with the retainer. But, somehow, I lost the tooth.
I filled in the gap with gum at times while saving the money for a dental implant. However, the bone didn't heal ready to accept an implant.
2 down, none to go
I lost the right baby tooth a couple years ago, and had to wait again to see how the bone healed to accept the implant on the that side. Unfortunately, I'm not a candidate for implants. The bones spaces aren't dense enough to hold a titanium implant. So, at 52, I have 2 spaces where my eye teeth should be. What are my options?
Snap on Smile
I think I'm going with the removable Snap on Smile. They are a fitting that snaps on over your permanent teeth. It is kind of like the mouth protector a football play pops into his mouth, and unlike dentures which have a pallet that covers the roof of your mouth. I'm not enthused, but at least the embarrassment of "gaping gaps that get ogled at at gatherings" will cease. Say that six times!
Dental implants would be risky even if my bones would hold them due to my lidocaine allergy. I'm not to keen on bridges, because my other teeth are kind of fragile and have chipped some. And, veneers cost exclude that option at this time. Caps could work, but they are costly as well. So, I guess I need to get Snappy.
Obsession
Most people haven't had the issues with their teeth I have, and I say, "Hurray for you!" If you have a great smile, please use your high beams. Most people need to see a smile everyday to get them through however they may be feeling. Your faces use less muscles to smile than to frown.
Yes, I'm obsessed with teeth. You ask me why? Okay, I'll tell you.
It was at IGA grocery store on the corner of Park Avenue, and Lower Wetumpka Road, circa 1965-ish.
Mother and I were shopping away. Anyone who knows my Mom knows she was loud. Loud, but a lovely person, inside and out.
On the fruit aisle, she sneezed. Out came her dentures, and they flew into the buggy. I didn't know what dentures were at 4. I only knew my momma had sneezed her teeth out! And, I started screaming with fright. I never missed another occasion to brush my teeth!
Too Much Information
Yep, probably so, but people look at me and wonder, so I just wanted to put it out there. I'm not going to be embarrassed anymore for something I can't help, or fix to standards set by today's culture: the perfect smile. My only perfect smile comes from above.
Blessings my friends...
PS: For anyone interested, I have articles on the following blogs
vainworries.blogspot.com
escapeofnotions.blogspot.com
theburnqueen.blogspot.com
thewayandthewalk.blogspot.com
theglutenfreebeginner.blogspot.com
aziceeit.blogspot.com
mydietribe.blogspot.com
sign2cc.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment