My Teeth Have Earned a Blog Post

Well folks, its been 3 years since I had a full set of chompers, and I finally got my missing teeth installed yesterday! Yes, installed. Like blinds. For those who don't know the saga of my dental woes or anything about dental implants, here is the VERY abridged version.

When you are about 2, you get your second set of molars (Ingrid and I had a bet going to see who would get this set first). Fast forward 10 or so years, and some adult teeth come in behind and say sayonara to the baby teeth and everything is just peachy. Unless you are me, and you don't have any adult teeth for that set of molars (all 4 of them). (Apparently its genetic and my sister has the same situation, but she hasn't had to go through with implants yet). So, the baby teeth that were meant to last 10-12 years ended up stuck in my mouth for 20+ years, and it was not a pretty sight. Actually, they looked fine, but they were constantly getting infected and I guess it got to the point where fillings didn't make sense, nor did a crown that would last 10 or so years. So, right after I got my wisdom teeth out, I was back at the oral surgeon's office to begin the journey of dental implants.

Fast forward a bit and the 4 baby teeth have been pulled, screws have been drilled into my jaw, implants have been put it, impressions and x-rays here there, and we are just about caught up to present day. There were a few hiccups along the way- I swallowed 2 or 3 of the screws within the first year of having them, and it turns out its not really a big deal.

Yesterday I spent about 2 hours with my dental team (that makes me sound special and VIP) and walked out with a full set of teeth. My mouth was certainly stretched and perhaps not comfortable, but when I got home I really felt the pain in my sinus and neck. Having teeth is still really weird, and I constantly find myself trying to get a hunk of food un-stuck and then I realize its just my teeth. I think one of the implants might be a bit loose, but I will have to wait until Monday to call up the Doctor. In the meantime, I am living in fear of it suddenly falling out and me swallowing it, which I think is mostly just me being paranoid. I have to eat mostly gentle foods for a few days so that I don't stress the implant, so bring on the stuffing and mashed potatoes!