Toothy
Last week, my boss's boss's boss went around the office, making sure that everyone was taking their vacation days by the end of the year since they aren't rolling over. He came to me, and told me that I had one day left.
“How is that possible?” I asked. After all, I'd taken seven days for the holidays in October.
It turns out that when you divide the fifteen vacation days per year you get by two (I've been there since July), you get eight, not seven. Perfect! So I took my unexpected vacation day on the 23rd, and did what everyone would agree is a perfect use for extra time off—I had oral surgery done.
I'd been in touch with Dale Goldschlag. It's a little-known fact about me that I have some teeth that are congenitally missing. The only real options that I had for replacement were either massive bridges or implants. Dale and I talked a while, and I decided to go ahead with doing implants. Now that I had some vacation time, I could schedule the procedure. And Friday morning I went in.
Now, I know what you're thinking, “Avi, please describe for me what happened that morning.” Well, I'd like to, but I'm sure there are readers out there who are a bit squeamish. They might not appreciate my tales about being jabbed with needles as I was injected with anesthesia all over the front roof of my mouth about a dozen times, or about the process of drilling holes in my upper jaw, first pilot holes, then subsequent slower grindings to ream them out.
While the implants heal, I have a “temporary permanent” installed. So now if you see me, all six of my front top teeth are totally fake. But this is only until the implants heal (or to use the big words, “osseointegrate”). As Dale told me, “You get to pick your final set of teeth. How big, how small, how pointy.” That's a huge responsibility. So now, everywhere I go, I'm fixated on people's teeth.
Yesterday was Christmas, so I followed what's apparently halacha liMoshe miSinai and watched a video and had Chinese. Lit candles, opened a present from my mom.
Today I saw King Kong.
King Kong
★★★★★
King Kong is the tale of an adventurous filmmaker who finds an uncharted island with a large ape. Said ape gets smitten by a pretty blonde, showing that he is a male with a pulse.
You can tell that the movie is a remake of a 1933 movie just by some of the plot points. They find an island with primitive people, dark-skinned, with bone piercings, throwing spears?
Naomi Watts does a fantastic job as Ann Darrow. She had to create an emotional bond with a creature that was only added in post-production, but she definitely succeeded. Her teeth are kinda funny—her top central incisors are much bigger than her top laterals, a bit beaver-like.
Jack Black was Carl Denham. I'm less positive about him. He held the part competently, but didn't give much of a compelling performance. His two top central incisors have a gap between them.
Adrien Brody didn't smile during the film, and so I didn't see his teeth.
Overall, it was a great film. Watts held her own against a well-made ape, and the recreation of 1933 New York was fantastic. A must-see.
Comments
What, no commentary on King Kong's teeth? :)
Posted by: Eric Albert | December 26, 2005 9:10 PM
Kong definitely needs some work. A gum lift, some veneers, and plenty of straightening and whitening.
Posted by: Avi | December 26, 2005 9:25 PM