Toothy Grin

I always do this; you know, just before a big trip, cram all my appointments into the few days before when I really should be concentrating on packing?!?!?

Today I saw Dominic for Zengar training, then Liz for talk therapy and Reiki, and then to the orthodontist for my regular checkup. As you may know, my two-year odyssey into teeth straightening has been lengthened to three years. We had a change in plans in that we are correcting a bad decision made by my dentist during teenage years. Instead of taking teeth out, we are going to put one back in to even out the number of teeth in my head and make my smile more purty.

I've been fine with it, but one aspect of it does bother me. I've got this huge gap on the right side of my mouth (think Grand Canyon) that is being opened for an implant at some later date. The process is okay, but occasionally I will catch a look at myself and see that gap and go Ewwwwww! Or I will see a photo and go Ewwwwwww!

So, today I saw my dental assistant, awesome woman that she is, and during our regular conversation, I mentioned that I should have come by earlier so that I could get a fake tooth to fill in the hole during my upcoming trip. Vanity's ugly head rises, yes, but I will be seeing folks I have not seen in 37 years, so I do want to present a full smile for them.

She agreed that it would have been great if we had just done it earlier.

Dr. Casperson walks over at the tail-end of this conversation and asks what we were talking about; reprising the anguish, he looks at me and says the magical words, "I might be able to make something for you today."

My reaction, with dropped jaw, was "What? Are you serious?"

He was, he did, and now I have a full smile with a manufactured tooth facade glued into the Grand Canyonesque-gap in my mouth. I'm still sitting here not believing that he pulled it off during little more than my regular appointment. I will have to be extra careful and there's a chance that I might lose it during the time in Europe, but I'm going to stay positive. Heck, I'll mostly be eating bread and more bread anyway, so that should not be too much stress for the tooth.

I am so thankful for someone as caring as Dr. C. and his staff. Now, when I look in the mirror, I catch myself saying, "Wow!"