I should probably blame my mother for instilling this borderline obsessive compulsive fixation with teeth in me, but as I've gotten older I can't deny the importance of a great smile. Now, I think I have a nice smile but if you break down the actual composition of my teeth I almost feel like they're working against me. My teeth treat my mouth like public enemy #1. Why the animosity? It feels like no matter how much I brush, floss, rinse with mouth wash... every time I step into the dentist's office I need a filling, root canal, crown... something!
For anyone that has experienced their own set of dental woes, you're aware that just a few procedures can rack up a hefty bill. Maybe hefty isn't a strong enough word... Dental work can rack up astronomical costs.... costs that leave you fighting back tears as you struggle to make your co-pay and get out of the office before the hygienists see you breakdown... (or was that just me? lol...)
Wednesday I headed to the dentist to get my permanent crown put in, and after handling some billing issues was told that I had overpaid for my root canal/crown procedure and had a credit!! I literally wanted to cry - - it felt like the dental gods were shining down on me from the heavens. Since I'm not working and still had a list of dental things to get done (not cosmetic, but necessary things) the fact that I have a credit at the dentist's office is kinda like winning the lottery.
To make a long story short, I've been getting my dental work done in stages over the past few years with the left side of my mouth being the last thing on deck. If you're familiar with the cost of a root canal and crown then you're aware of how just 1 tooth can max out your insurance for the year. I currently have 2 (maybe 3) root canals left to get done. For the dentally hip, #13 and #15 .... with #14 being a borderline "maybe".
#13 is next up on my list and I found this picture of Dawn (Danity Kane/Dirty Money) with her #13 tooth pulled!! This was my inspiration to stay focused on getting my dental work handled.
I just don't understand why people don't invest more money into their smiles... especially teeth that are in your smile line! Like I said before, I'm obsessed with teeth/smiles and could rant about this all day long. For now, God has blessed with me with a way to get all of my remaining dental work completed this year and I'm on cloud nine.