3/19/10

Not a TGIF!

By the time you read this I will be in the chair at the Oral Surgeon to have my implant placed. There are certainly more fun ways to spend the Friday of your Spring Break!

After refusing to go down the implant road for a very longtime, I have finally had to give in to the inevitable. But my hands were more than a little tied, as it's one of my front teeth and I'm way too young still to be living with a denture.

I have had issues with this particular tooth since the age of 18, after 2 failed root treatments, 2 Apicectomy surgeries (almost unheard of) and a crown for over 20 years. But the death knell for it came when I fell flat on my face about 2 years ago and bumped it again. I cracked what little root structure was left and had a permanently draining abcess that would come and go for over a year.

Finally last September it had to go and I had a long avoided decision to make. A permanent denture at 43yrs, or the discomfort of going through an implant. After much persuasion from my Dental Technician brother, plus not wanting my teeth in a glass just yet, I took the plunge. So it was pulled, bone grafting was done and I sank into a depression for a few days at the gap in the front of my mouth.

But I have to say the healing went well, the graft took nicely and I adjusted to putting my one tooth on the bedside table at night, knowing it was just a temporary fix.

I seem to have found an excellent surgeon and so I am really not too worried about having the implant, implanted today. Plus I am partaking of a little gas and air to take the edge off the whole experience. And it means three months from now I will be able to have my new crown put in, and finally be able to quit worrying about putting my front tooth in, if we have an emergency in the middle of the night!

Only the Hubster and one other little person have seen my gap these past 6 months.

At school one day, a Kindergartner fell on her face and bumped her nose and chin. She was distraught, pretty scraped up and no amount of sitting her on my knee and talking would calm her. So finally I told her I had a BIG secret to show her, but only if she took a deep breath and stopped crying. I made her promise she wouldn't tell anyone our secret and wide-eyed she agreed. Then I popped my fake tooth out and smiled, her little face was a total picture and she instantly was full of questions and forgot her own upset. It worked a treat!

The next day her teacher told me that Baylee had sidled up to her that morning and informed her that Miss Sarah had a big secret, but she knew what it was and she could never tell anyone. And as far as I know she never has lol!

10 comments:

Pat said...

That was so sweet of you, Sarah, to sacrifice your dignity for the sake of comforting a little child. I'm sure all will go well for you today at the Oral Surgeon's office. I'll be thinking of you.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Good Luck, Sarah.... You are smart to get the implant. Sounds like you have a great surgeon. You won't regret this decision at all I'm sure. I have a partial denture---and absolutely hate it.. Because of that, since it is not the front teeth, I don't wear it much.

I have a granddaughter named BayLee... She's 16 now... (Hard to believe).... Cute story you told to that little Baylee....

Hugs,
Betsy

Anonymous said...

LOL. Hilarious! I wonder if the teacher thinks your secret is that you are pregnant!!!

Be happy about the implant and crown. I went that route with my back molar and can now chew on both sides of my mouth.

Daryl said...

I have had a permanent replacement tooth in the front of my mouth for at least 20 yrs now ... its part of a permanent bridge the does not come out at night and sit in a glass it sits in my mouth ... LOL ... I dont think front teeth do well w/root canals .. I had one and then still lost the tooth... back then implants were unheard of .. so I 'bridged' it .. things could be far worse

Anonymous said...

Hope it all went well :o)

Snippety Gibbet said...

I can't even read the whole post. Teeth...dentists...dental work...all of it gives me the heebeejeebees. Hopefully whatever happened here had a happy ending. jan

Flea said...

What an adorable way to cheer her up!

I'm so excited for you, having a permanent smile back. Not jealous, though. :)

Pam said...

Hey you gotta do what you gotta do. Sister Carole in a similar boat with her hospitalization last year; all that ventilator and suctioning and one tooth totally went missing in the process. At least the technology is there for you girl!

Kay said...

You are really wonderful, Sarah! You did exactly the perfect thing for that child. I think we're going to have to look at implants one of these days, too. Sigh.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

I'm late reading your post....work seems to get in the way :)
Hope your surgery has gone well, it all sounds so invasive, but I trust you are in the BEST of hands.
How sweet of you to share your secret, it did the trick, and she will forever remember your kindness.
Take good care,
Hugs,
Jo