Giving My Wife Her Smile Back
Thirty years ago a very excited 12-year-old "Mrs. Inventing Normal" sat eagerly in an orthodontist's chair waiting to be told if she was a candidate for braces. Wanting a "Pretty, straight, and white smile" was all she ever dreamed of. Crowding was an issue. Broken teeth from previous cleanings, as well as having a greyish-blue tint to her smile had forced her at an early age to not only disguise her smile but to learn to talk in such a way that her teeth would not be visible. This appointment was supposed to change that.
The orthodontist took one look in her mouth, shook his head - and said a very confident "Absolutely not."
It was at this appointment that she would hear the term Dentinogenesis Imperfecta for the first time. Dentinogenesis Imperfecta is a disorder of tooth development. This condition causes the teeth to be discolored (most often a blue-gray or yellow-brown color) and translucent. Teeth are also weaker than normal, making them prone to rapid wear, breakage, and loss. The orthodontist explained to her Mother (Who was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta as an infant) that if he were to put braces on the 12-year-old - "Every tooth in her head would break off."
My wife would spend the next thirty years begging for dentures. "Just pull them all out!" She was turned away by every Dentist she saw. They explained of course that dentures at such a young age were not the best solution. Every cleaning that resulted in another broken tooth - would prompt the conversation again. Every Dentist would continue to say "No."
It was only after my wife turned 40 that she was able to find a Dentist that would entertain the idea of removing her teeth. The cost was prohibitive. Sure, we were able to access an FSA via her job - but with seven kids and a diabetic in the house, the money always seemed to be better served somewhere else.
Finally, 2021 prompted the day she had been waiting for since she was 12 years old. On Tuesday, June 29th, 2021 she walked into the Dentist and had all of her upper teeth successfully extracted. (Plus one bottom wisdom tooth that was sideways in her mouth) The bottom teeth were scheduled to be extracted next January when the FSA renewed for the year. A full top denture had been ordered three weeks prior and was placed the same day.
It's now been almost six weeks - and despite several repeat visits to the Dentist to adjust the fit, file down the back, and apply a soft liner, she is still not able to wear the denture for longer than 60-90 seconds at a time. Calling it her "$3,000 paperweight", she's trying to stay positive. The Dentist has now advised (Based on the issues she is having) that implants - or a permanent denture, also called an "All on 4" will be the only option in returning her to a life of a non-mashed-potato diet and not continuing to hide her smile.
All on 4 use four to six implants to create fixed dentures. They do not have a palate, which is the source of most of the issues she is experiencing. The cost makes this option seem out of reach. The confirmed total cost is $21,989.00
At the request of friends and family, as well as the TikTok community - we have created this GoFundMe in an effort to give "InventingNormal" the smile she's never had. Due to online privacy concerns, we have chosen to use her TikTok username as the identifier with myself as the organizer. (For the GoFundMe Gods, We are legally married and have a joint bank account. All funds deposited to the account from this GoFundMe will be used for the payment of the All on 4)To those friends and family who know us, - please help us keep her name private out of an abundance of caution for keeping the kiddos safe.
"Thank you" doesn't seem to be enough. Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated.