It's electrifying

Hi folks! Had to go to the dentist the other day. Time for my six month teeth cleaning visit. Go to Red for all my dental needs. That man's a dern good dentist. And I'm not just saying that because he's family. He's got himself a nice touch there with all those instruments of his. Barely know he's even in your mouth. 'Specially after those numbing shots take effect. Yes sir, real nice touch. Likes to keep up with the latest developments. Reads up on all them new technology things and all. Just got himself one of them new electric fillin machines. Cutting edge tech ... experimental even ... might be the only one in the state to have it.

Well now the way Red explained it, that machine uses electricity to kind of melt your tooth to refill smallish cavities. Remineralization he called it. Don't even need to drill and use that amalgam fillin stuff. Used it the other day for the first time on Missus Sullivan. Said she was developing a small cavity in one of her back molars. Nothing serious, but still something that needed to be taken care of. The old way would have been to numb her up real good and then drill away until he'd got it out. Then he'd put in some of fillin material and shape it up real good to make sure the bite was like it was before. You know ... usin that carbon paper stuff they have you bite down on to see if they's any rough spots.

Well he got Missus Sullivan all settled down real nice in the dentist chair. Funny how comfortable those things are when they's put back at the right angle. Manys a time I find myself fallin asleep sittin there while waiting for Red to finish up with one of his other patients. Sometimes I'll be so relaxed even while he's drillin away in there that I almost forget I'm supposed to al tense and bothered by what he's doin.

Well like I said, Missus Sullivan was all nice and settled in, real relaxed like, when Red did his initial examination. Let her know that she had a cavity developing back there on the right side that needed to be taken care of. I understand she's real skittish of needles and such so I imagine she jumped at the chance to get that thing taken care of without gettin shot up with that Novocain stuff. Well Red took out his new toy and got it all set up while Missus Sullivan settled back to enjoy this new painless, no shot treatment.

Red got it all set and gave it quick test run on an extra set of false teeth he had in the office. Seems Bill Myers had come in to get a new set. He's misplaced his and needed some new ones. Found them a few days later and canceled the order. Red was real good about it. Kept the set when they came in just in case. Come in real handy when he wants to demonstrate something to folks or maybe test out something like new equipment. Seemed to be functioning just fine.

Well he got Missus Sullivan to open up real wide while he cranked up the power on that EAER thingy. Funny name for a dental tool but ... well anyway he got to work there inside her mouth. Everything seemed fine at first. That EAER thing just hummed away ... 230 volts and all ... kinda like that background noise you get from a transformer. Magic was happenin in her mouth with Red coaxing them minerals to coagulate there where the cavity had been cleaned out. I guess a wire or something came loose though in the middle of it cause Missus Sullivan got hit with a full dose of voltage all sudden like. Shot five feet straight up in the air. Hair standing up on end. Joanie, Red's dental assistant, said there was this kinda burnin smell in the air ... like burnt insulation. Sealed up that tooth all nice and neat. Still she seemed pretty confused there for awhile. Red was real good about it. Gave her the appointment for free. Heard he called the EAER rep right up and gave him a piece of h is mind. Can't say I blame him. Can't go around fricasseeing patients. Just isn't good for business.

Me? ... Had a perfect checkup. Just had to have some plaque buildup here and there cleaned up but other than that everything was A Ok. Red offered me a chance to try out the EAER on a small spot on my left incisor but I figured maybe I wait just a little longer 'til he'd had a chance to practice with it a little bit more. Nooo. Wasn't sceared a bit. Just being prudent. That's it ... prudent.

Anyways ... 'til next time. Jon