DMD
My wisdom teeth are finally coming out of my head. I've been resistant to the idea, thinking all my dentists were just in it for the referral kickback, but my new dentist (who also happens to be the dad of one of my very favorite dogs at work) actually showed me the x-rays and yeah dude, since the last time I saw a dentist, my upper right wisdom tooth has been trying to grow into my molar. Poor molar. I put off making an appointment with a dentist for the looooongest time out of sheer laziness and because I still struggle to do adult things like scheduling my own appointments with health professionals, but one day I had a very mild toothache and I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. The toothache was from the wisdom tooth moving around.
Bottom jaw wisdom teeth never developed, which I like to think means I'm evolved. I wonder how common that is. The upper wisdom teeth are apparently much easier to remove, and one pushed through years ago, so my operation should be easy. Which doesn't stop the orthodontist my dentist recommended from having the balls to charge $1200. Ffs, it cost $79 for the "consult", which was just me having to go to the office to sign some paperwork. He talked to me for ten minutes to explain they don't do gas or pills, so my options were to be either completely out or wide awake and sober with just numbed gums. Fuck no I'm not doing it completely sober. If I got paid $79 every time I talked to a poor person for ten minutes, I would be writing this from retirement. I understand he went to school for a long time and has a lot of experience and it costs a lot of money to equip and staff an orthodontist's office and I don't resent him for trying to live a comfortable life but you can understand, to someone like me, those numbers are astronomical. I can't afford that even with the insurance I have.
So I mentioned that to my dentist when I went back in for a cleaning (which took him like 30 seconds because he sez I have excellent dental hygiene :D... makes me wonder what other peoples' teef are like, 'cause I hear that from every dentist) and he thought about it for a second and decided he would do it himself for about half the price. Later I felt a little guilty for whining about how poor I am to get my way, but ultimately it's more money in his pocket if he does it himself. The receptionist was giving me the run-down of costs later and one tooth extraction will be $83 there whereas it was something like $400 at the orthodontist's... I mean, it just goes to show how fucking arbitrary these numbers are. There are a lot of arbitrarily priced expensive things in this world, but as G is always saying, charge what the market will bear. The ONLY reason $300 jeans exist is because people will pay $300 for jeans. Wall Street high rollers don't need that much more money than the rest of us, they're just paying $5000 for their hookers.
ANYWAY. The x-rays of my teef revealed a cyst in my sinuses that is apparently common and goes away on it's own, but I couldn't help but start thinking about what else is wrong with me that I'm utterly clueless about. I get headaches a lot and especially lately, facial tics. For almost the entirety of July, my bottom right eyelid was twitching at all times. Do I have cancer? It's not impossible. I'm reeeeeeally long overdue for a visit to a doctor, but will be even more strapped for cash than I was, after all the dentistry.
A kitty just climbed into my lap. I guess that means it's time to wrap this up.
Bottom jaw wisdom teeth never developed, which I like to think means I'm evolved. I wonder how common that is. The upper wisdom teeth are apparently much easier to remove, and one pushed through years ago, so my operation should be easy. Which doesn't stop the orthodontist my dentist recommended from having the balls to charge $1200. Ffs, it cost $79 for the "consult", which was just me having to go to the office to sign some paperwork. He talked to me for ten minutes to explain they don't do gas or pills, so my options were to be either completely out or wide awake and sober with just numbed gums. Fuck no I'm not doing it completely sober. If I got paid $79 every time I talked to a poor person for ten minutes, I would be writing this from retirement. I understand he went to school for a long time and has a lot of experience and it costs a lot of money to equip and staff an orthodontist's office and I don't resent him for trying to live a comfortable life but you can understand, to someone like me, those numbers are astronomical. I can't afford that even with the insurance I have.
So I mentioned that to my dentist when I went back in for a cleaning (which took him like 30 seconds because he sez I have excellent dental hygiene :D... makes me wonder what other peoples' teef are like, 'cause I hear that from every dentist) and he thought about it for a second and decided he would do it himself for about half the price. Later I felt a little guilty for whining about how poor I am to get my way, but ultimately it's more money in his pocket if he does it himself. The receptionist was giving me the run-down of costs later and one tooth extraction will be $83 there whereas it was something like $400 at the orthodontist's... I mean, it just goes to show how fucking arbitrary these numbers are. There are a lot of arbitrarily priced expensive things in this world, but as G is always saying, charge what the market will bear. The ONLY reason $300 jeans exist is because people will pay $300 for jeans. Wall Street high rollers don't need that much more money than the rest of us, they're just paying $5000 for their hookers.
ANYWAY. The x-rays of my teef revealed a cyst in my sinuses that is apparently common and goes away on it's own, but I couldn't help but start thinking about what else is wrong with me that I'm utterly clueless about. I get headaches a lot and especially lately, facial tics. For almost the entirety of July, my bottom right eyelid was twitching at all times. Do I have cancer? It's not impossible. I'm reeeeeeally long overdue for a visit to a doctor, but will be even more strapped for cash than I was, after all the dentistry.
A kitty just climbed into my lap. I guess that means it's time to wrap this up.