let's talk about it: simon's face teeth
no cause like I saw a post of someone drawing the supposed anatomy of how simon iron lung's face/teeth/mouth piece would work (I'm sorry i forgot who made it!!) but they used like various other animals extendable jaws to make it work, like a pelican eel, and I thought that was really interesting!
here's how I think the anatomy would work!
[Simon's teeth are just there being uselessly sharp]
Because of how its thru his masseter muscle and buccinator muscle, I can guess he cant keep it as close as he would like (chronic dry mouth? or endlessly drooling?) so he probably likes to drink a lot of water.
There's obvious facial asymmetry but there's still like partial function (slightly harder for him to chew/grind on that side of the mouth and his jaw kind of veers a bit to the side) the sharp teeth are more of a nuisance, possibly gets constant cuts from it.
I can see them do surgery to remove the teeth, shave down the mandible, establish muscle connection via dissolvable sutures, let that jaw heal, wire it shut, and eventually he can get dentures on that or a maxillofacial prosthesis/dental implants.
but we can go even further than this.
[Simon's teeth jaw thing can move, but how?]
theres a ton of fanfics and fanart I've seen where Simon has full control of it/no control at all/runs on its own course. The anatomy of that wouldve been so so fascinating. Like, we can use mutations or smth to explain some of the movement (no control/runs on its own) like, because of how its ripped through the buccinator and masseter, the frayed ends could latch on the teeth or the gums become malleable/rubbery and the teeth isn't even connected to the top jaw and mandible, it mutated enough that the previous muscles on that side of the face is now independently moving the teeth.
Simon can absolutely still move like maybe his zygomatic muscles that it shifts the top teeth along, his platysma (muscles along the jaw and neck) move the bottom teeth, I can imagine the second tongue can curl deeper in the throat (shout-out to that one artist that drew a moray eel's pharyngeal jaw for simon, I've forgotten the artist!! my marine biology hobbyist heart was so happy to see it tho) and its all curled up where it doesn't affect his airway (or maybe the gills can kick into respiration when his main airway isn't working) and it snakes its way through left cheek.
[If it can speak, how can it?]
They share the same vocal chords, pharynx and larynx all that jazz but I can imagine it hijacks the use of it when its not in use or when his brain is finished using it physically, the 2nd tongue can make it sound wet and squelchy and maybe higher pitch than his natural voice because the 2nd tongue is unfurled and moving, changing the way how air travels thru his throat and out the opening, no lips to really control enunciations so its hissy and breathy.
(don't mind me forgetting to draw how the tongue looks curled down the throat and how the vocal folds/ air pass thru it when the 2nd tongue is out) but I absolutely stand that Simon as the main voice cannot speak when the other tongue unfurls and speaks as its more psychologically OUT OF HIS HANDS
i will add more to this rant when I have the brain power to. have a good night ! ryland grace possessed me to nerd out
got any questions about it or want to yell "objection!" absolutely yell at me so I can lovingly stare at it