The Cons: An Amendment

#11: Getting the sides of my teeth filed down

This happened on Tuesday and is definitely a con. For those of you thinking of trying it, I would warn against it. But, it was either this or getting teeth pulled. I'm glad I still have all my teeth--even if some of them are now forever smaller than they were. Again, I bled. Don't worry, I won't go into details. For a few days afterwards I had to take pain killers it was that bad. I usually try to ride it out, but not this time.

Dr. Newman (and, yes, I must admit, in the middle of the process I glanced for a wedding ring...and saw a big gold band) filed my teeth and told me it would be about two months before the spaces completely disappeared. Honestly, I don't see any spaces--not unless I look really hard. He put another wire in and, man, was he clumsy. He actually pinched my lips with the pliers and I had to physically move them away before he even noticed. At the end of the session I told him the wire was sticking me in the back of my mouth and after putting his finger back there, he said, "I don't really notice anything." I told him it was very small, but it was definitely poking into my cheek. He had no solution and I was, for some reason, afraid to tell him what the assistants usually do in this case. So, now, I have a little over 3 weeks until my next appointment and my cheeks are a total mess. I've put enough wax back there to make my own candle. Everytime I eat the wax gets dislodged and comes out. Next time, Dr. Newman, next time...I won't be so nice!