So Yoda-speak am I.
I just realized that...huh...strike that (everyday I'm shufflin' (oh come on, you thought of that song too (even though it's not exactly the same words))); I can't remember what I just realized. I'm sure it was something very profound.
I haven't written for awhile - like 2 weeks which is forever, I know. In that space, I've had my wisdom tooth yanked by an oral surgeon. The dentist who did the crown and root canal originally had said he would do it for free. Except guess what? Oral surgeons go to an additional 3 years of school specializing in in extractions, bone grafts, and implanting screws.
Only Oral surgeons aren't free. So guess what? Our trip to Hawaii is in my mouth this year. Every. last. dime. Because even though I was a star patient and had healed further along at one week out than most people, the pain came raging back four days after surgery. And, (this is not Mr. O's favorite part) we still get to pay for the original root canal and crown that had to be yanked. Joy!
I broke down and finally called the TMJ guy even though I'd been told I didn't present as a classic TMJ patient. And guess what? I SO AM a classic TMJ case. And out of 6 levels (6 being the worst), mine presents as a 2ish. A two as in 80-90% fixable. A 2 as in why didn't I just go to him first? Except that I did have pain in my wisdom tooth with percussion (when they tapped it with something metal - just typing that makes my mouth hurt again), so it had to come out because it meant the tooth had cracked or the root canal was leaking. The theory was that since the roots were so close to the nerve there was either inflammation or infection from the root canal.
The TMJ doctor said the reason I had a day of relief after the steroids my primary care doctor gave me versus the kind my dentist gave me is because they had a stronger anti-inflammatory in them. Most of this is technical junk that is boring, but I'm recording it so that I won't forget. Basically my jaw is slammed up against my eustachian tube when my mouth is closed, and that is why I have the ICE PICK feeling in my ear drum.
Finally! an explanation.
I asked him, "So technically, I'd feel better if I walked around with my mouth wide open all day." He laughed and said I would for a bit but I'd create other problems. I had no idea how many scans and tests and electrode things they do for TMJ. I snuck some pictures on my phone when they were out of the room. I felt just like a secret agent, except without all the cool gadgets - just a cellphone camera.
They also took a bunch of impressions of my mouth and their lab made a thing to hold my jaw forward. Except I just got the thing, and boy is it ever not sexy (it makes me sound like I have a tongue piercing).
Not that I think it should be, but I have to talk through clenched teeth or else I end up biting my tongue or my cheek. "We are creating new muscle memory," the doctor said, "it will take time."
Good Heavens, I've got loads of that. I'll vlog it for you so you can see how awesome it is.
