Jaw update

I saw my occlusion specialist last week; he said he had gotten my jaw in the correct position and stabilized it as much as possible, now I had to decide on the course going forward. The time before he had taken 5 impressions of jaw at different positions to help him decide on the best plan of action. And the winner was:
1. orthodontics to get my teeth moved around into the best possible position. It will not be perfect - it can't be - the last ortho treatment 20 years ago screwed up an already bad bite.
2. surgery. It turns out my jaw has a "congenital deformity," meaning the bottom jaw did not develop properly and is too far back.
3. dental work, including 6-8 caps, 2 teeth pulled, implants or a bridge with a fake tooth

This will all take 2 1/2-3 years and will cost $30,000-35,000. Yes that is 3 zeroes. At the time I said let's do it right. Then I went home and thought that's a lot of money, that's a lot of time and pain. I went ahead and set up appointments with the orthodontist and oral surgeon for consultations on Sept 29 and 30. I had to go back to Doc Peppard on Tues for x-rays, but I have been going back and forth if I really wanted to do this. So I set up an appointment for today for another consultation with him.

He must think I'm a dummy because he has been explaining it very well all along. I remember when I was trying to decide about the splint and had already gotten it and was wearing it. I went back in to talk with him again, telling him I was undecided. He said, You have to do this, your jaw is never going to get any better without it. So okay then.

This time it was the same way. My options are:
1. wear the splint for the rest of my life
2. do his plan

He is quite kind, I trust his expertise and knowledge (unlike knuckle-head Slysh/office in Philly) takes all the time I need, explains things well each visit, but said this time, You just really need to do this. You're too young to try and deal with this messed up jaw for the rest of your life. Well, okay then.

He told me to bring Rick in and he could go over it all with him too. (He also said you seem to have a supportive husband, and that's very nice. I agree.)

But that is a bunch of money!!! I have always been a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone, a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner, hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire, a tight-fisted, wrenching....

Anyways, looks I'm doing orthodontics for the 3rd time in my life, then surgery, then tons of caps, digging out old fillings...I should join the Army and be able to help them with their water-boarding and other torture techniques, I will be such an expert by the end of this.