To refresh your memory, here's a picture of my mouth:
There are 5 posts (as in little metal pieces fastened into the bone). Four on the left you can see pretty clearly. The fifth is on the right side, it's closest to the four left posts. It's just a little bit shorter than my teeth.
When Dr. Egbert put in the posts back in August, he removed a tooth where the fifth post is, so that the implants would be as stable as they could be. As you can see from the second picture, there is just a little space between the bone, so having my implant as well as the "bike chain" holding my jaw together is even better.
I've had tissue cut down from previous visits. Last time, Dr. Egbert put in little caps to save the place of the four posts so that the tissue wouldn't grow back over. When my teeth are put in for real, he'll put them in in place of the caps.
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FIRST OFF: We had a check up at the Huntsman. Everything looks great! No sign of anything new or troubling, and we'll go back there in May for another check-up.
This visit to Dr. Egbert's office was really beneficial, as well as a really suck-ish visit, explained by some pros...
- The appointment went really, really well
- I was fitted for the "bridge" (the metal piece that will be screwed into my mouth)
- What we got down in that appointment was the equivalent of about 5 shorter appointments- thank you Dr. Egbert for saving us the gas and the time
- It took a lot of tweaking and adjust because every person and every dental implant case is unique- no one will ever have a case that will be EXACTLY like mine- it's great to be unique
- Zupa's is right across the street- if you have never heard of that place, YOU BETTER FIND OUT WHAT IT IS!!!
And cons...
- We were there for about 3 and 1/2 hours
- It was a lot of back and forth... make an impression from my mouth, make a model, make another impression, make another model, try it in, tweak it a little
- Who likes going to the doctor? Or dentist? Or anything that involves some kind of a check-up
- Did I mention I was there for 3 and 1/2 hours? I was also really hungry
The next steps are pretty simple.
- Now that Dr. Egbert has a good impression of the bridge and how it will fit in my mouth, he sends it off to a place that has a very expensive machine that will make the metal part custom-fit to my mouth.
- In a month from the appointment (which will around the end of this month), Dr. Egbert's office will call and let us know what's going on... if it's going to be a few more weeks before the piece gets back, if it's on it's way, etc. We'll schedule when to go up.
- Dr. Egbert explained that he likes to fit the piece in before he puts the teeth on it... in the end, it's better. He'll make sure it fits (vs. putting the teeth on, putting it in, and then having to adjust it more than necessary)
- Another appointment after that try-in is scheduled. They will put the teeth on the implant. When I come up, they'll put it in, make any necessary adjustments, and that's it!
So if things go well, we're looking at 2 appointments at the very least. And this time next month? I'll have new teeth!
It's been a pretty big adjustment to not having most of my bottom teeth. I'm just grateful that I still have a fairly normal jaw. And that I can talk fairly normal. When I show some people the empty space in my mouth, I hear, "I had no idea!" Yep. Cause I'm awesome. I can brag about myself, right? :)
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The biggest thing I've learned is that although plans are different, plans become unexpected, and plans sometimes extremely suck, it's for the best and it will all work out. I know that I am where I need to be. I seriously love my ward- couldn't have asked for better people to be surrounded by. I love the people I get to hang out with on a regular basis. It's strengthening me, and hopefully strengthening others, too.
Until next time, keep running!
