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Beggars can't be choosers
After struggling with lousy teeth for years I was referred to a program that donates dental care to senior citizens on low fixed incomes. At the time of my application I was told that the waiting period was two years, and that’s almost exactly how long it took. Not surprising, there are many applicants; Medicare does not cover dental.
Anyway, my name finally percolated to the top of the list. The dental office took a full series of X-rays that revealed deterioration too extensive to be repaired. I would have to have them all removed and replaced. They made the necessary impressions, and when the dentures were ready I went to the oral surgeon. After the teeth were out, the dentures were inserted.
What followed was a few weeks of very soft food and frequent adjustments to the dentures. Fast forward several months, I just had the final re-line on the dentures. I can now bite and chew foods I hadn’t been able to eat in years; I can also enjoy ice cream again.
But there is a bit of weirdness. My smile is completely different, because the new teeth show a definite tilt that my natural teeth never had. It’s quite noticeable. When I asked the dentist if it could be corrected with the final re-line he told me that the dentures just follow the line of my jaw and that I shouldn’t worry about it.
Make no mistake, I’m very thankful for the ability to chew. I’m very thankful for those who donated their time and efforts - dentist, nurses, oral surgeon, the dental techs who made the dentures, the office receptionists who called and checked up on me. But with all that, I do wonder if someone who had the ability to pay for the service would be expected to not worry about having their facial expressions reconfigured.
Ah well. Happy chewing, y’all.