This morning, I went to see the dentist to have a cap replaced. The dentist chipped the cap when he was extracting the tooth next to it three weeks ago. I was delighted because I got a free cap out of it.
A high school student was "shadowing" the procedure because she was thinking about becoming a dentist. I had no problem with that. I told her about the thirteen student nurses who watched me give birth to Chris...then came the next day to give me the baby a present.
Dr. Kraft removed the cracked cap and turned to his new toy. All guys have to have their toys, but this one was so, so cool. He put a camera in my mouth, took several photos of the area and turned them over to the computer which designed the new cap and created it. Then it was baked in some kind of very small oven for fifteen minutes until it was porcelain..
During those fifteen minutes of baking time, I went over more memories of dentistry. There was my father who would tie a string around one of his children's loose teeth, the other end on a door knob and slam the door. It was effective.
There was our first dentist who held us down with one hand and drilled with the other. In those days there were no dental assistants. I remember waiting to see the dentist. I could see him drilling my brother's teeth. His legs were flailing wildly and whenever the dentist removed his drill, Carl screamed. And I was next in line! In those days there was no painkiller. That came later. Now there is no need for it, the procedures are so fast the shot in the gums is more painful than the drilling.
Times have changed for the better. The porcelain cap was popped in my mouth and my visit was over.
A high school student was "shadowing" the procedure because she was thinking about becoming a dentist. I had no problem with that. I told her about the thirteen student nurses who watched me give birth to Chris...then came the next day to give me the baby a present.
Dr. Kraft removed the cracked cap and turned to his new toy. All guys have to have their toys, but this one was so, so cool. He put a camera in my mouth, took several photos of the area and turned them over to the computer which designed the new cap and created it. Then it was baked in some kind of very small oven for fifteen minutes until it was porcelain..
During those fifteen minutes of baking time, I went over more memories of dentistry. There was my father who would tie a string around one of his children's loose teeth, the other end on a door knob and slam the door. It was effective.
There was our first dentist who held us down with one hand and drilled with the other. In those days there were no dental assistants. I remember waiting to see the dentist. I could see him drilling my brother's teeth. His legs were flailing wildly and whenever the dentist removed his drill, Carl screamed. And I was next in line! In those days there was no painkiller. That came later. Now there is no need for it, the procedures are so fast the shot in the gums is more painful than the drilling.
Times have changed for the better. The porcelain cap was popped in my mouth and my visit was over.
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