I’m starting to outlive my teeth.  Some of them need a bit of shoring up now that I’m into my sixties and have had extensive radiotherapy.  However, there’s one small snag… due to the after-effects of the aforesaid radiotherapy I cannot tolerate dental work done to any of my back teeth, which makes me gag uncontrollably.  The dentist I was with virtually washed his hands of me, as whenever he’d try to carry out any fillings I’d retch. The receptionist always turned up the volume on the radio when she saw me so as not to put the other patients off who were waiting for their turn!

At my wit’s end I searched online and found a lovely lady dentist not too far away who offers sedation (her husband works at my hospital as an anaesthetist and helps out at the dental surgery 3 days per week), and it’s wonderful to wake up with a brand new crown that you didn’t have when you floated off to sleep.  The only drawback is that this all comes at a price (and what a price), and so it’s rather slow progress gaining a mouth full of gleaming gnashers.

However, after 2 and a half years I’ve now had three crowns and three fillings done without even a whisper to Frank, Hughie and Ralph. The last two teeth to be filled are my two upper front teeth, which I’ve left to last because the work needed was not urgent and I can tolerate it without sedation.  I’ve been given the choice of 2 porcelain veneers or 2 composite fillings, the latter somewhat cheaper than the former.

I have friends who have had porcelain veneers, and the shape of their mouth changes.  One former work mate ended up with 2 brilliant white tombstones, causing her to look not dissimilar to Ed, the Talking Horse (look him up on Google).

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Image by Nikola Belopitov from Pixabay 

Anyway, based on this scary thought I’ve opted for 2 white (composite) fillings, which I hope will do the job.  I would need sedation for the veneers, as impressions need to be taken (ugh).  If the fillings start to fail after a few years then I’ve no choice but to have the veneers.  Even the thought of having to wear dentures makes me want to retch, and so I must do my utmost not to outlive my teeth!