Assembled in the USA from 100% Chinese parts.

...well, actually one of my front teeth is fine, so I just want the other one back.

Those of you I've smiled at in person the last year or so know I am missing one of my front teeth. Today, I had the second-stage procedure for the implant they installed some months ago.

What this entails is having the post (onto which the crown will be placed) attached to the implant. So if you look in my mouth now you'll see a grey post sticking out of the gum in the front of upper jaw.

In another month they'll take an impression so that they can make a crown, and after that they'll install the new crown.

Not quite in time for Christmas, but soon!

Dentist: "Congratulations, you now have an implant."

Dentist: "I need to warn you about what's coming next. It's going to feel like I'm thumping your skull with a hammer."
Me: "Well, because you are."
Dentist "Um, pretty much, yeah."

It's a wacky experience having a mallet (which looks something like a ball-peen hammer with nylon faces) and a ratchet wrench used on your skull in fairly rapid succession. Not surprisingly, I'm a little woozy.

I do a lot of my socializing over meals.

Well, that's out for a few days. :(

Edit: I guess this failed to occur to me because this is the first time I've had a tooth extracted living up here in the social whirl. All the previous ones were removed when I was down living a relatively quiet existence in Connecticut.

They extracted another wisdom tooth today.

And they didn't even let me keep it! Feh.

On the other hand, it seems to have gone well. Which is really all one can ask for.

So, that upper incisor I've been having trouble with? Imaging shows that the tooth is just hanging there, almost completely unsupported by bone, which has been eaten away by infection. It's coming out.

Tomorrow afternoon.

What a great way to celebrate my (Chinese calendar) birthday! Doped up on novocaine and with a newly gap-toothed smile.

Grumpf.

(Hugs and sympathies to my friend who's already gone through this and is already dealing with having a "flipper". I'll be thinking of you.)

Edit: And it's restaurant week! Won't be doing that this week, not while I'm on a liquid diet.

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Related question: does anyone have a dentist/periodontist they like in Eastern MA? Going to the dentist in CT has been a scheduling challenge.