Dana L. Yeoman, DDS

Dentures and Implants

The Power of a Smile to Change Lives:  Mimi's Story Part 4

The two women chatted like girls in their excitement over their coffee.  It went unmentioned, but the only reason they had so much to catch up on was that Mimi hadn’t gone out to Camille’s Cafe for their weekly Latte in a long time. Mimi hadn't been going anywhere lately.  Her snaggled smile kept her hiding in her home, terrified even to attempt a short visit to the bank where she might be seen by someone.  Mimi’s daughter stirred the sugar into her coffee and asked about the dental appointment at Second Smile Denture Care.

“I couldn’t believe it, Lara.  They took just one x-ray, and my eyes didn’t even water.”  Mimi described how the machine rotated around her head and took one film instead of having to cram all those sharp little squares into her mouth like they had at her previous visits to the dentist.  “The doctor was able to see the overall picture of what is going on in my mouth.  I’m embarrassed to tell you all the details.  Let’s just say, it’s bad.”

Lara nodded, “I’m proud of you for hanging in there, Mom.”

Looking into her cup, Mimi continued, “Dr. Dana asked me questions about what I wanted my smile to look like, and we studied my high school portrait together.  She didn’t make me feel ashamed of what has happened to my teeth, she only wanted to bring back the smile I used to have.... minus that one crooked tooth on the bottom.”  Grinning to herself, she added, “We have artistic license to iron out the bad imperfections, but we get to showcase the beautiful ones.  If my teeth are just a little uneven, they’ll look natural, and then no one will have to know they’re dentures.”

“That’s cool, Mom.  Do you have to go without teeth while you’re healing?”

“Absolutely not!  Heaven forbid!  I am not going to be a toothless old lady!  The same day my teeth come out, Dr. Dana has dentures ready to go in.  She called them Immediate Dentures, and I get to wear them for six months while my mouth heals.  After my gums quit shifting, she’ll make a new set that is even prettier than the first.  According to her they’ll fit better, too.  She told me I’ll get to see what the final smile will look like before it’s finished. I want you to come with me to the Try-In appointment.  I’ll need your input Lara, and your support.”

“Sounds like fun!  I’ll certainly come along with you, Mom.  I’d love to see how that works!  Can you imagine how great it will be when you actually smile for our Holiday photos again?  Speaking of which, are you still on for your portraits with my sister and niece?”

“You bet!  I’ll have my new smile just in time.  They bent over backwards with their scheduling and are going to make it happen.”

They tried to talk about other things, but the excitement of her new smile was too much to ignore for long.

The Power of a Smile to Change Lives:  Mimi's Story Part 3 Part 5