Dr. Jenkins is my favorite dentist of all time. Why do I say this, you may ask? What Dr. Jenkins did was like resurrection. He gave me teeth.
At my age, crowding 90, I”ve seen my share of dentists. My incisors, molars, bicuspids and all the rest of the boys have been good soldiers over the years in spite of hard use and, sometimes, foolishness and poor oral health. As the years wore on, root canals, caps, filled cavities and other last ditch efforts kept me going. All my efforts were not enough to save the hard working veterans that remained. One by one I lost teeth that were beyond rescue.
Earlier, by the time I was pushing 80, I was forced to fill the several gaps in my jaw with a snappy partial plate. Thanks to the kindness of the boys at the Veterans Administration Dental Clinic, I was given a few spare teeth; the sort mounted on a wax strip used to make dentures. I kept them as extras. When another tooth had to be pulled I replaced the gap in my partial plate with a tooth from my stock of extras. The supply was like spare tires for my automobile. It was the easiest thing in the world to glue a spare tooth into my partial plate so I could still smile without scaring children.
Came the time that comes to most of us, who are fortunate enough to live long enough to lose all our teeth, the last stalwart soldier bid goodbye. I had two choices. I could go for a set of implants … but sticking plastic spikes in my jaw seemed a little extreme. So I picked dentures. That”s when I went to see Dr. Jenkins at the dental clinic near Witter Springs.
“Dr. Jenkins, can you give me new teeth?” I asked.
He gave me a smile that reflected certainty and confidence.
“Easy as pie,” he said.
“How long will it take?” I asked.
“You will have new teeth before you can say Witter Springs Chronicles. It will take no more than a couple of weeks … or so.”
First off, Dr. Jenkins and his army of attractive and super-efficient lady assistants took “impressions.” I nearly choked on the quick-set mold plastic but that was my own fault. I tried to see what the stuff tasted like. Next, they rechecked the fit. A few weeks later they tried out a temporary set. They fit OK. Within a couple of weeks (plus the “or so” period of two months) my new teeth were ready. I came in for the grand unveiling.
“Here are your new teeth,” said Dr. Jenkins.
My eyes filled with tears of gratitude. It was like homecoming. My soldier boys had come home from the war ready for business. They worked fine. I shook the doctor”s hand twice I was so grateful. Now, when I have something to say I have no fear my teeth will fall out in the middle of a speech. I am ready to crack walnuts or chew nails.
Gene Paleno is a writer and illustrator living in Witter Springs.
