Lin's Story - Extractions, Canine Exposure, and Weirdness :)

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#31 Post by **Lin** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 8:03 pm

Off-topic linky schtuff:

My dad's 12-Step Plan to Happiness

PS: Who else is being naughty with all that Valentine's chocolate out there?
PPS: Awesome quote for the day... "Chocolate always loves you back" (Dove chocolate fortune found on foil wrapper.)
PPPS: Um. Yes. Of course I ate the chocolate. It made me. Actually, it tried to make me, so I punished it.

#32 Post by **Lin** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 9:44 pm

I know I'm supposed to go easy on sweets with braces... but you know, I just can't give up chocolate.

Chocolate and I, we go waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back.

Glad I'm not the only one!!!

#33 Post by **Flora2006** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:10 pm

I eat soooo much sweet!!! I figure that if I brush my teeth immediately after, no damage can really be done...

#34 Post by **fyrelight** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:19 pm

OH, gosh, yes... I LOVE DARK CHOCOLATE!

#35 Post by **Lin** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:08 pm

Yeah, and the worst is when all the V-day chocolate goes on sale after V-day. I mean, you can't just let it all go to waste!! It's public service to clear it off the shelves. After all, Easter chocolate has to go somewhere.

#36 Post by **Leslie022** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 10:09 pm

I was VERY BAD this Valentine's! I ate a whole bag of Dove Chocolates by myself! Then I couldn't figure out why my pants were fitting tighter! It's sooo good, though - the way it melts in your mouth. Yum!

#37 Post by **Lin** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 12:01 pm

Today, I decided that I needed to find a dentist to get my teeth cleaned. I figured it might be smart to get my teeth cleaned now that the braces are on, and since I haven't done it since last August and probably won't be able to do it for awhile after my oral surgery.

The new dentist office I called wants to do an initial consult visit with the dentist and then I can schedule a cleaning. But the initial consult she said costs $200-$300, unless I can provide recent x-rays. I said my ortho had the panoramic x-ray... so that takes $100 off. I might be able to get more off if my former dentist can provide x-rays taken last August. I'm struggling to buy milk and bread right now, and with the cost of braces and the upcoming surgery factored in, every little bit helps. The receptionist at the new dentist office was really nice though, she said she would call my ortho and old dentist and try to obtain x-rays.

Now.......... while perusing the phone book, I found out that there actually IS another oral surgery shop in town. They emphasize addressing patient fears on their website, and I just get a better "vibe" from how they present themselves. I have really been nervous about the not-so-great and not-so-likeable vibe I got from the oral surgeon my ortho referred me to. Call me crazy, but I'm willing to cough up the $58 for a consult with this other oral surgeon to see if I get a better feel about them, their skills, their trustworthiness. They told me to bring a referral card from my ortho (marking which teeth to extract) and the panoramic x-ray.

So I called my ortho and explained that I would like another x-ray and referral card for this. The response was pretty poor. The receptionist said the dentist called them this morning and wanted a copy, and since I already gave one to the original oral surgeon I was referred, they have now given out a lot of copies. She said they are expensive and that I might have to pay for this other copy, that I would have to call back later and see. I'm not sure why I have to call back... is she thinking about it??

This is so frustrating to me. If my terror/fear of the surgery weren't enough, and the pain/nuisance of braces, and the high cost of all of this dental/ortho/surgery stuff... there is then this. I just want a copy of an x-ray so I can find the right surgeon to go pulling teeth out of my skull and drilling through bone in my mouth. Is that so wrong? To want the right person to do it? Whom I get a good feeling about? I know that x-rays aren't cheap, but I think it is the least they can do when they are ultimately getting over $5000 for my treatment. At the end of the day financially, I could probably have bought a new car instead of braces and the oral surgery that goes with it... is one stupid x-ray so much to ask for?

Was ANY of this worth it? Maybe crooked teeth aren't so bad. Maybe I should just have the damn things pulled off and spend all this money on my car loan instead.

Okay, I'm done venting for now.

#38 Post by **Granola** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:39 pm

Hey Lin!

I would be really frustrated with the response you received also. It doesn't cost them more than a couple of dollars at most to make a copy of your x-ray. They are part of your medical record and the receptionist is a jerk to act put out about it. The other thing you might consider is picking up the copy you gave to the original oral surgeon (you can just say you are keeping the x-rays for your records and will return them when you are ready to proceed) and taking that one with you. I would keep it after you consult with the next surgeon (that's what I did with my pano x-ray when I did my consultation rounds with different orthos).

I think it's completely worth it to pay the $58 for another opinion. I had to swallow two of those fees (one $40, and another for $56) for my consultations. If you roll it into the entire cost of fixing your teeth, which you should, it doesn't seem like so much in the grand scheme of things.

Good luck with finding a new dentist. I got a recommendation from the ortho I am going to and am reasonably happy with him so far (but might not stay with him forever).

How are things going with your braces so far?

#39 Post by **Lin** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:09 pm

Hi Granola!

I agree, I just don't see what the big deal is about getting another x-ray. I hope it doesn't have anything to do with possibly going against my ortho's oral surgeon referral.

I do think it is worthwhile to pay for another consultation. If it might mean my surgery goes better and is more comfortable for me, it will totally be worth it.

I picked my own dentist out of the phone book... I hope that he's nice and good at what he does. I went against my ortho's dentist recommendation too, mostly because they said they had just started referring people to him and didn't know much about him yet since he was new in town (kinda defeats the point of referrals in my opinion).

The braces are going fairly well... I'm glad that I am used to them now (mostly). They don't hurt as much, only now and then. The insides of my cheeks tend to snag repeatedly on little metal hooks on the outside of my buccal tubes, which tend to leave my cheeks pretty perpetually irritated in four places in my mouth. Wax does help until it falls off, and the peroxyl, of course.

The salt water rinses seem to help, too, but I tend not to want to do them until the irritation is really bad. This is mostly because, for some reason, the salt really makes one of my teeth ache when it touches the exposed root of that tooth. It's one of my front teeth that is pushed so far forward with the overcrowding that my gums can't totally cover the base/part of the root of the tooth.

But other than stuff like that, the braces are still going alright!

I have yet to have my first adjustment and the surgery, so I'm sure everything will change after those. Hopefully one thing that will change will be the spacing between my teeth... maybe I can actually get floss between my teeth after some teeth are pulled.

Also, at some point, I know I am supposed to get elastics. Not sure when, or how they will be configured, or what that experience will be like. Lots of adventures ahead, though.

#40 Post by **Lin** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:56 am

I liked one of the topics posted in the Metal Mouth forum, so I just thought I would include my response to it in my own braces story so I can review it further down the road.

The question posed was, how do you think your life will be changed after braces?

My reply:

Things that I think will change for me after braces:

1. Be happy when I look at my smile and my straight teeth.
2. Be proud that I was strong enough to go through all the pain & trouble to accomplish something I believed would make me happier as a person.
3. Be more confident about my looks & personal fortitude, especially the latter, for having survived the journey.
4. Smile more! And not be afraid to smile like how I feel I want to smile (big and toothy!) in front of the camera sometimes.
5. Be less afraid to face my fears, having proved to myself that I willingly faced one of my biggest fears by doing the oral surgery that went along with braces.
6. Have a TON more respect for anybody who gets braces or undertakes any challenge for the sake of making themselves healthier, happier people.
7. Stop having nightmares about "what-if" scenarios regarding an impacted canine... i.e. no more "what if I eventually turn 50 and then the impacted canine gets abcessed!?"
8. Feel grateful when I at least look over 21 again. I was just becoming comfortable with being able to look like I'm in my 20s as a 25-year-old. But I am told by strangers consistently now that I look 18 or 19 or so. I'm sure I would appreciate this if I were ten years older than I am, but as a young entrepreneur it can pose some difficulties. People are more willing to trust businesswomen who look like they have some experience, and looks are deceptive right now.
9. Maybe my improved self-confidence, smile, and destiny will see to it that I can eventually stop being single one day! Not that single is bad, it's just that it can get old when you really want to share laughter and experiences with a kindred spirit.

#41 Post by **Lin** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:54 pm

So, I called my ortho's office again today and asked... yet again... for the x-ray and referral card to take to my second oral surgeon consult. Apparently my ortho is working at another office location for most of the week, and he needs to be there to fill out the referral card. So I still can't manage to get this stuff! I just hope I can get it before my consult. Turns out that they will only charge me $10 for the x-ray copy.... I was so afraid that it would be $100 or more. Still, it seems like this should all be a bit easier.

I woke up today feeling like I had clenched and ground my teeth all night. It happens a lot... I think I must do that when the teeth get sore. Or else I push forward on my teeth with my tongue as hard as I can. I'm not sure why I do that, but I even do that stuff when I'm awake sometimes. One tooth felt completely loose and incredibly sore all day today, and after trying to eat lunch, my whole mouth was just throbbing... with a headache to boot. Two aspirin mostly did the trick, thankfully, but the teeth are still tender. It's so weird that a week can go by uneventfully, and then one day it's as though all the teeth decide to try playing musical chairs all at once.

Tooth A: Hey guys, let's get this party started!
Tooth B: Great idea! I'm bored. Wanna trade places?
Tooth A: Sure man, I could go for a window view for awhile!!
Tooth B: Super! Come over here, if I can just... urgh.. *grunt*... get around this wire thingy here...
Tooth C: Hey, stop pushing!
Tooth D: Guys, cut it out!
Baby Tooth: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh
Impacted Canine: Lordy, help us.
Tooth E: Whoa... I can make an awesome clicking sound if I just do this...
Tooth F: Um. Didn't I used to be over there?

Yes, this is actually going on in my mouth all the time now.

I'm pretty sure I've scared off most of the people who used to read this thing (but who knows), so I'll feel free to paste my reflectivey stuff below, now

Yet another reply I posted to a topic in the Metal Mouth forum today.

---

What's your motto for having braces?

You can read my motto in my signature (below).

The way I look at my own braces journey, it's a big personal challenge for me. I am one of those people with a low tolerance for pain and a lot of dental/medical-related phobias. I also have depression, and this can compound the other problems. I knew this would be tough, and the hardest part (surgery) is yet to come... but the way I see things, my life isn't worth living unless I take some risks, take on some challenges, and face my fears in forward steps to improve myself as a person, inside and out.

It might look like I'm straightening my teeth to others, but the truth is I'm straightening up a lot of other stuff inside me at the same time. I can either make the best of my life, or sit in a corner for the rest of it, wondering what could have happened if I had tried.

---

#42 Post by **Flora2006** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:07 pm

Lin wrote:
Tooth A: Hey guys, let's get this party started!
Tooth B: Great idea! I'm bored. Wanna trade places?
Tooth A: Sure man, I could go for a window view for awhile!!
Tooth B: Super! Come over here, if I can just... urgh.. *grunt*... get around this wire thingy here...
Tooth C: Hey, stop pushing!
Tooth D: Guys, cut it out!
Baby Tooth: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh
Impacted Canine: Lordy, help us.
Tooth E: Whoa... I can make an awesome clicking sound if I just do this...
Tooth F: Um. Didn't I used to be over there?

This is hilarious. I love your sense of humour!

Hang in there, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day and your mouth won't be as sore.

#43 Post by **Granola** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 2:35 pm

Hi Lin!

I'm glad you at least got some more info with respect to the referral and x-ray copies. What they are charging you ($10) is fair, based on my experience.

I'm in total agreement with the others, what you wrote above is hilarious.

Don't worry, you didn't scare anyone away (hardly!). I've been meaning to post in your journal but have been so busy lately I'm not getting much computer time!

Sorry you are in pain today and have a headache. I think I was grinding all night last night also.

It might look like I'm straightening my teeth to others, but the truth is I'm straightening up a lot of other stuff inside me at the same time.

It sounds like you are on your way to making a lot of positive changes in your life, for *you*. I'm happy for you that you are figuring all of this stuff out.

#44 Post by **Lin** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:44 pm

I went to my second oral surgeon consultation today... I really am glad I did that. If it weren't for some folks on this board I might not have. I won't know until after the surgery how good a move it was... but I have decided on this surgeon.

The surgeon and his staff were much friendlier at this office. I brought an index card on which I had written about fifteen questions (since I tend to forget everything in panic/fear situations like that) and the doctor patiently allowed me to ask all of my questions.

I am still concerned that nobody seems to know where exactly my impacted canine is... sure, they know it's up there around where it was supposed to come in, and you can see on the pano x-ray that it is kind of diagonal. But the surgeon today said he would basically have to poke around up there after the baby tooth is pulled, just to see where it is and whether it can be removed lip-side or palate-side. My ortho and the other oral surgeon seemed to think it was palate-side. But if there is any chance it could be extracted lip-side without drilling through bone, that would be great. I guess I'll have to see...

The surgery should be long as far extraction surgeries go, 1.5 - 2 hours at minimum, since the canine extraction will be tricky. I guess the other extractions should be a piece of cake compared to that.

Also, I told the surgeon about my psychological issues when it comes to waking up from general IV anesthesia and stopping taking steroids like prednisone. He said that a lot of people do have unexplained sobbing fits after general anesthesia (like I did last time, not knowing why)... I just have to hope that doesn't happen again. Also, he is going to not prescribe any steroid pills and not put any in the IV. As a result, I will probably be really swollen afterward, but I guess as long as I can still breathe and all that, it might be better than complete mental breakdown again. Maybe I can take a lot of aspirin afterward? Oh yeah, I also will get an anti-emetic added to the IV this time and get a painkiller other than Vicodin afterward, since I threw up after my wisdom teeth extractions last time.

I really hope this goes well. I want it over with so that I can start to heal and get on with my life without this thing hanging over my head. I hope that it doesn't take me the whole summer to get back on my feet, but I guess I'll see.

My first adjustment at the ortho's is in about two weeks. I'll get them to take the brackets off the three adult premolars to be pulled. Then my surgery is set for the morning of Wednesday, April 5. Somebody please tell me this will be worth it! I wonder if they will let me keep the 5 teeth they pull? Or maybe 4, since they will likely section the impacted canine. I can make some wicked victory necklace out of it or something

Add my four wisdom teeth to it and I'd have quite a trophy.

I'd give my eye teeth not to have to go through with this surgery.

I swear that was an attempt at a joke.

Ha, at work today, my colleague made some comment about how such-and-such was like pulling teeth. I asked her to please choose a different analogy

#45 Post by **Lin** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:23 pm

Thanks, Karen!

As for the teeth, I figure if I whip out the old "teeth necklace" whenever I have unwelcome houseguests and start to wax on about the ordeal, it might set them out the door right quick