Wolf Teeth
April 29, 2009
Since I won't be going to grad school this fall, I figure I should direct some of my carefully hoarded dimes towards domestic matters. I'd really love to pay off one of my loans, but I'm not quite in a financial position to do that just yet. And here we have a more pressing (ha ha!) matter: wisdom teeth! I went to the dentist last week and to my complete delight and astonishment I have no cavities. I haven't been to the dentist in six years, and in that time I've worked at Ben and Jerry's, Starbucks, Two Fat Cats, and Burdick's; not to mention going to college, which is probably just as bad for one's teeth as sugar. So I was pretty pleased. The dentist was a very nice woman who charged me the student fee for an exam and some x-rays to see what the situation is with my troublesome wolf teeth. I am showcasing them here not because I think anyone is particularly interested (except my parents), but because I REALLY LIKE X-RAYS.
The upper right tooth in this photo is the reason that I went to the dentist; although it erupted straight, it is out of alignment with the rest of my teeth and bites into the side of my cheek. It's gotta go. Fortunately, since it is fully erupted it can be removed through a simple extraction (rather than surgically).
The bottom right tooth is blessedly dormant. I can practically hear it humming peaceably to itself as it twiddles its thumbs in my jawbone.
The upper left tooth is about 80% erupted, and the problem is that although it emerged straight out of the gum, it stopped erupting. Because it sits so low, it is difficult to brush and tends to trap food particles, presenting an ideal situation for what the dentist referred to as "extreme gingivitis"--aka infection. Once she found that I have no dental insurance, she assured me that because it wasn't presenting any immediate threat, I could probably ignore it for several years. Sweet of her, but I'd rather sidestep that issue entirely and have it removed. This is the same one that was bothering me last August, and again around Thanksgiving.
The bottom left tooth is obviously an accident waiting to happen.
The upper right tooth in this photo is the reason that I went to the dentist; although it erupted straight, it is out of alignment with the rest of my teeth and bites into the side of my cheek. It's gotta go. Fortunately, since it is fully erupted it can be removed through a simple extraction (rather than surgically).
The bottom right tooth is blessedly dormant. I can practically hear it humming peaceably to itself as it twiddles its thumbs in my jawbone.
The upper left tooth is about 80% erupted, and the problem is that although it emerged straight out of the gum, it stopped erupting. Because it sits so low, it is difficult to brush and tends to trap food particles, presenting an ideal situation for what the dentist referred to as "extreme gingivitis"--aka infection. Once she found that I have no dental insurance, she assured me that because it wasn't presenting any immediate threat, I could probably ignore it for several years. Sweet of her, but I'd rather sidestep that issue entirely and have it removed. This is the same one that was bothering me last August, and again around Thanksgiving.
The bottom left tooth is obviously an accident waiting to happen.
I have an x-ray of my lungs, taken whilst in France, that I keep for exactly the same reason. :-)
X-rays are awesome!
Is that bottom left tooth... trembling?
It should be. I bear it ill will.
That bottom left tooth looks like a creature. I think something is living in your gums.
Is that a chicken living in one of your teeth?
The one filled with white stuff is a reconstructed tooth, actually. Chomped on a granola bar when I was a teenager and broke a big chunk out of a molar; there was no saving the lost half, so the dentist kind of built up the missing space with a huge porcelain filling. Looks funny on the xray, indeed.