pain in the ear

Last night I woke with a sudden urge to dig out my ear. It wasn't an offensive urge, merely annoyance at the fact that my lower wisdom-teeth are growing in. Or tying to.

My lower jaw has become a bit swollen from their valiant effort to rise and mash up some delicious, Argentine steak, and the pain is bearable. Nonetheless, I know they need to come out and the question isn't when, but where?

I have just under two months that I have allotted myself in beautiful Buenos Aires, and I could stay longer if I wanted. However, I want to see my family and friends, share some good coffee and hop on my bike, Blue Velvet, whom I miss terribly. Within this two-month allotment, I have the option of getting my teeth pulled, instantly relieving the discomfort and allowing my gums to heal before I go home. In Buenos Aires, it is an affordable procedure but I still have some concerns: would the procedure be done to my Canadian standards?

Since moving here, I have noticed similarities between Argentina and Canada. These countries share similar terrain, the people are nice, they are multicultural (in a European-mix sense), they have MTV, hipsters and corrupt politicians, eating disorders and big slabs of beef. Nonetheless, I have noticed one pervasive difference: half-assedness. If such a word exists.

Don't get me wrong. I believe that some things don't need to be done to perfection, especially when you have bigger problems like a thieving president. However, the streets are dirty, there is dog-shit everywhere, the people litter, and have a general air of "je ne care pas". Although rates of plastic surgery are high - boob jobs and botox - I am a little concerned when it comes to my teeth. I had been told by some Argentine friends that I should just go for it, but my overall concern isn't my mouth getting messed up. The repercussions that make me hesitant. Having to deal with the half-assed aftermath dental surgery is manageable in Canada. I am a citizen there and HealthCare can save me. Although travel insurance can covers costs here, the convenience of having a system dedicated to its citizens is a bonus (if we could straighten out the administration of our taxes and make the system more transparent, well, that would be utopia).

So, I will see how it goes, weigh some more pros and cons, see where the pain goes and, as always, keep you posted.