Confessions of a Grinder

I’m a grinder and it’s catching up with me. Clenched jaw during the day; blackboard scraping, tooth-to-tooth action at night.

I wear a mouth guard at night, most of the time. It’s kind of a turn off in the sex department so I have to leave it out every month or so. Kidding!

But I cracked another molar. I say “another” because this is the second one that I’ve had to get a crown put on. Monday after work, I went through two injections of Novocaine and spent 90 minutes getting a mold prepared and having a temporary crown put on. I spent another two hours waiting for the fat, lazy tongue effect to diminish.

Until I get the permanent crown put on, I have to avoid chewing on the left side of my mouth. I’m already missing the complete, surround-sound tasteability of normal chewing. 

I agonized over the decision of whether to have a gold or porcelain crown put in. Porcelain is pleasing to the eye but can chip, damage other teeth, and requires that more of the underlying tooth be removed. Gold is a TOTALLY superior material, but sticks out like a sore thumb. Okay if you’re a rapper, but not so good if you’re not. 

I chipped my two front teeth in 5th grade and spent about four years with silver teeth. I became an expert at smiling without unlocking my lips. But since this is a lower molar, it should only be visible when I’m having a nervous breakdown, as I do every once and awhile. 

Besides, being so near Valentine’s day, I’m trying to look at the gold crown as an accessory,
a little gold bling for the big heart day.