Thursday, April 24, 2008

Going to the Dentist tomorrow...


St. Apollonia was one of a group of virgin martyrs who suffered in Alexandria during an uprising against the Christians c. 249. She and others were beaten by the crowds. Her teeth were knocked out in the process. She was dragged before a bonfire, and told by her captors to renounce her faith and blaspheme the Lord, or she would be thrown into the fire. She paused for a moment as if she wanted to ponder...and then voluntarily jumped into the fire, choosing the victory of martyrdom over denouncing her true Faith. She is the patroness of dentists and of those who suffer with toothaches.
St. Apollonia, smile down on me tomorrow! I have to have some old bonding on my front teeth replaced with veneers...all because I was self conscious about a teeny gap between my front teeth that came back, despite years of orthodontia, while I was pregnant with my oldest. (Yes, friends, EVERYTHING spreads!). Because I am the child of a retired dentist, I am a habitual flosser....which has chipped the bonding, catching coffee stains, necessitating repairs...and now after 14 it's just gotta all come off. In order not to look like a deranged rabbit, the adjoining two teeth are being made over to match. Not covered by our dental plan. Dad's too far away and 10 years into retirement. It's gonna cost more than sending a kid to Catholic school for a year. Yuck.

6 comments:

Larry Denninger said...

Prayers for a successful (and relatively pain-free) dentist appointment, Kit. It could be worse, though. Your dentist could be this guy

the mother of this lot said...

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity! Hope it goes well Kit. Hate the dentist myself.

Kit said...

Thanks, my friends.

I survived. I currently have a custom made plastic sleeve-like thingy on over 4 shaved-down teeth, so that they look like real teeth until the porcelain veneers are done. Had 7 shots, so my upper lip is really quite full and lovely. Who needs collagen? Spend $1250 a fang and you too can look like someone punched you in the lip and you decided to stick Chiclets to your front teeth...

The worst...NO COFFEE, TEA, or RED WINE (gulp!) until I get the real ones in 2 weeks. Waaaaahhhhhh!

Kit said...

PS Larry - OY!!! That's awesome!

I'd forgotten to mention in my initial post, but I love the long, cast iron medieval dental pliers - with molar - in St. Apollonia's hand, don't you?

Autumn said...

Hope it's worth it!

I've added you to my blogroll :)

AR xx

Larry Denninger said...

As long as those pliers aren't attached to my mouth!