Quinn Minute – A salute to my dentists

by Rix Quinn Every morning, when my mirror smiles back, I am grateful to two dentists who have helped me for decades. They must be darn good because, thanks to regular visits, I’ve retained excellent cuspids, bicuspids, plus a host of workable molars. I am not the best patient. I nearly always brush my teeth at least once daily and sometimes use toothpaste. But I am an excellent flosser. The hygienist complimented me on the last visit when she dug junk food from my molars. Over the years, dentists have worked miracles on two upper front incisors. I call these my “smile teeth.” Those are the first things people see when I greet them with a semi-sincere grin. The problem is, in high school, I was in a car wreck. Back then, there were no shoulder seat belts, so my front teeth slammed into the dashboard. This left me with half an incisor…very noticeable when sipping a milkshake. But my amazing dentist quickly made me a crown, so I looked presentable enough to pose for senior pictures. That crown held up for over 35 years, but it came off a few years ago when I bit into a sturdy dinner...