Family Dental News

So!  Tooth news!  I went to my dentist this week to get the permanent filling put in over the root canal. (Since it's a front tooth and not caused by decay I don't need a crown -- just a filling.)  That part was quick and painless -- the routine cleaning he had just finished was more uncomfortable.  I asked him about the need for root canals on all those other teeth, and glory be to God, he's even more conservative than I am.  He recommended against it -- he actually hinted that letting the canals calcify might actually protect the dead nerves from invading bacteria.  He said the endodontist is just planning for his own future convenience, and thinking that it's easier to do a root canal by drilling down than by operating through the gum, so why not take care of it now while we still can?  The main flaw with that, particularly from the patient's point of view, is that there's no guarantee that a root canal would even be necessary in the future.  So it would all be a lot of time, expense, and inconvenience for most likely no reason.  My dentist said if it were his teeth, he wouldn't have it done.  So no more root canals, huzzah!

Hey, anyone looking for a good dentist in the Springfield/Burke area?  We can recommend one!  We'd LOVE to recommend one!  We'd love to send more business his way!

In other family tooth news, Daniel has sprouted two teeth!  They're still itty bitty, but as soon as I can get a good picture I'll post one.  They're very cute.  (And sharp!!)

At the other end of the spectrum is Katie, who now officially has teeth falling out of her head!

I still can't get used to seeing her with a gappy smile.  It was only a couple weeks ago that Miriam lost her first tooth, wasn't it?

Katie seems to be on the fast track to Orthodontic Land as well -- her new tooth is already visible, coming up behind her baby teeth.  Her mouth is so itty bitty, I don't know how any bigger teeth are going to fit in there.