Why I Love My Job

 I love my work! "Why ", you say?  Thank you for asking; let me tell you why: As a dentist, what I do makes people feel better and look better.  What could be better than that! And there are, almost on a daily basis, new ways to take care of people.  Including, but not limited to:  Tooth-straightening without metal braces ("Invisalign"); Tooth-colored porcelain crowns that have no metal in them and are subsequently dramatically more attractive and natural looking;  Porcelain veneers (Lumineers) that improve alignment, color, and evenness of front teeth with no tooth structure removal (no drilling, no anesthetic); Anesthetic that doesn't make your heart beat faster or numb half of your face; Painless root canals that take only one appointment, or implants for when the tooth isn't going to be strong enough, even after a root canal; Lasers (Waterlase MD) that remove decayed tooth structure, like for a filling, without anesthetic (the shot) or the drill; Treatment of canker or cold sores with a laser, dramatically shortening their life and discomfort; Gum surgery with a laser (Periolase), not a knife, that is much more effective and way less uncomfortable; Removable dentures (false teeth) that are anchored to implants, preventing them from falling out and allowing normal chewing. We're all living longer, and we'll need our teeth longer.  And we have all these good things we can do to make that happen. To paraphrase my pastor, it'll be good to have teeth left at the end of your life, rather than life left at the end of your teeth.