Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - Today shortly after 2:30 PM, kbartram got the exquisite pleasure of visiting his local dentist again, for the third time this year, at a bargain price of $179. As anyone who knows kbartram can testify, he is not an aficionado of fine dentistry.

kbartram, on several occasions has remarked, "I would rather slam my dick in sliding glass door than spend one minute in a dentist's chair!" Although, when questioned on the comment he concedes, "Well, I suppose my genital region is rather safe now, as I haven't ever been offered the choice."

His most recent dental difficulties happened as a result of a recurring gum infection. It was discovered upon closer examination, and a new x-ray, that a wisdom tooth that kbartram swore up and down was already removed was, in fact, still in his mouth. Actually, only the portion of the tooth that resides below the gum line was still intact.

At the time of the discovery of the broken, and heavily infected wisdom tooth (third molar), the dentist wasn't certain that the tooth would be easily removed. According to kbartram, "He told me that it might come right out once he was able to grab it with the pliers, or like the molar I had pulled last month, it might have to be broken into pieces and taken out one by one."

Luckily for kbartram, the latter was not the case this time. After receiving a small amount of topical anesthetic and then two shots in the gums of another anesthetic, kbartram was ready to go. The dentist successfully removed the damaged tooth on the third attempt, which was miraculously quick and painless.

"That's it?!" kbartram asked. The dentist replied that it came out completely and commenced to examine the extracted tooth. He informed kbartram that this tooth had probably been the cause for the recurring infections, and that there probably would be no more in the area.

Another appointment has been set for 8:20 AM on Tuesday, April 12, 2005, after kbartram informed the staff at the dental office that he cannot have another appointment in the afternoon. "That little shindig cost me forty dollars in gas for two round trips from Benson to Tucson and back! I can't go from home to work to dentist to work and back home again! It's just too damned expensive," kbartram stated.

During his next appointment the three top center teeth will be renovated. All three, apparently, have cavities, only one of which is obvious to the "naked" eye. All three will be repaired, and then he will go to work.

Subsequent appointments will address less pressing matters. The dentist warned, however, not to delay the appointments too much or root canal procedures will be necessary to save some of the teeth.