Monday, October 22, 2007

A doctor visit

Today I took Julia in to the oral surgeon's office. Since she was a baby, we've noticed that she has a very pronounced frenum - the piece of tissue that connects the upper lip to the upper gum. It wraps all the way around, between her front teeth and under her gum. We'd been told before that: it should be cut, or it should be severed after her two front teeth come in, or it should be cut when she has braces someday. Okay. So her two front teeth have been in for some time, and I thought it was about time to get it checked out. Wrong. He told us not to intervene until her eye teeth have come in - when she's about 11 or 12 years old. And if the eye teeth don't push the front teeth together sufficiently, then probably braces, and surgery are in order. Like we can afford braces!

However, 2 minutes of his time will cost us $89, unless insurance will pay, which is unlikely. This is why I don't go to the doctor very often. And as I'm trying to ask the man a few questions, he is literally backing out the door, like he doesn't have time to answer me. For $89!

Meanwhile, Julia is very eager to have something done, because she is embarrassed of the gap between her front teeth, and doesn't like to smile for pictures. She will need to wait a few more years.

No comments: