The Tooth & Nothing but the Tooth

Last week I did something I never, ever thought I would do......

Many ions ago, I had what I felt was a blessed smile. Full white, mostly straight teeth. Actually they were very straight, just at a slight angle.

In my mid twenties at a routine dental appointment, I was told that my bite was off. It was causing me to grind my teeth(in my sleep) and the end result was bone loss. Now, here's the clincher...I was told that if I didn't immediately take care of this(orthodontics)that not only would I continue to lose bone, but that eventually I wouldn't even have enough bone left to accommodate dentures. Yes, I totally freaked. Being a "teeth person" (I look at smiles first, eyes second)....I became frantic.

Back then, you must know there was two theories: A Doctor/Dentist is God, and a Doctor/Dentist is God. Second opinions were not heard of. So I dutifully marched into his office, let him pull four marvelous teeth(routine for that age of orthodontics) and went off to his partner in crime for braces. Being the young married adult that I was... I didn't even feel a need to consult with anyone else...after all, didn't all my "rich" friends have braces??? This must be a good thing!

Needless to say, it has been a nearly 30 year nightmare.

In order to close the space created from the extracted teeth, I not only lost my profile, and lips to boot, but I was left with unfilled spaces and a very unstable bite. The teeth were constantly moving....Eight years later, with ridiculously caved in teeth, I returned to the same orthodontists who agreed "we" had a problem and immediately put me in braces again. Two years later I still had the same problems....no profile, no lips and teeth that were already starting to shift again.

For the last five years I have been trying to adapt with spot bonding.....and my dentist has been asking me to do something more permanent(veneers). I nearly killed him on the spot. "I have beautiful teeth....I've been in braces, twice!!! Why would I cover them up"???

"Because dentistry made a mistake...you never should have had the teeth pulled....you have a very unstable mouth, you're not happy with the changes it's made with your appearance, and it's starting to effect the health of your gums ....Bottom line...Denistry should make you happy....", he said, and you are miserable. Let's try and make this right.


This time, I did my research...I talked to a lot of experts and friends and family....I was told that we could do one of two things: Go back into orthodontics and move the teeth to their original position and then put in 4 implants and then veneers to help lengthen teeth that have been shortened from grinding(braces for the third time???I don't think so)or open my bite and cosmetically bring the teeth forward.

I chose the later....today I feel like I want to rip them out....My mouth is killing me, I'm bruised and cut, the bite needs to be adjusted(I'm waiting for the Doctor to call) and I feel like I have a mouth full of lumpy, bumpy tiles.

But miracle of miracles....I have my profile, lips, and teeth back! In short, I finally look like my dad, again.