So I'm still not done with my dental implant . I recently went back for Stage 3 - the "unmasking" of the base. This is where the oral surgeon cuts open the gum tissue that has grown over the implant in order to access the base and put in the screw that will hold the fake tooth.



The process took 40 minutes and required about 8 stitches. (And Tylenol with codeine!)

My oral surgeon wanted to do this BEFORE my trip to Aruba. Considering the fact that I'm still in pain four days later, I'm very glad I postponed it until I returned.

This has been going on since April, when they first pulled the baby tooth that was there, and it won't be over until roughly Thanksgiving. I have to wait 6 weeks until this new surgery heals, and then I go in to have a mold made for the tooth. Then I have to wait for it to come in from the lab.

So the upshot of all this is that I'll be stuck with the "Pirate look" (the term used by my oral surgeon) for a few more months.

I feel like keelhauling someone.