Healing

Dorian adjusted the worklights. “Alright,” he said as he took his stool, “Let’s have a look. Numbah two probe please.” The tool landed in his outstretched hand. “Good,” Dorian nodded as Jacy opened her mouth. “Miss Jacy, please turn a little ta tha right. Perfect. Dillon, can yah see?”

He hooked an index finger inside her mouth, gently pulling the cheek wide for a better look. “Checkin’ tha gum…now, ya remembah there wasn’t a lot of good tissue when we put that mesh in there.” He tapped a small spot through which the surgical repair mesh could still be seen. “See how quickly that gum is growin’ back? Ya see here,” the dentist tapped another spot, “those were two separate remnants, now grown back together. Numbah five, please.”

He waited as the tools were changed out in his open hand. “Now,” Dorian said, “we’ll check tha underlying grafts. Miss Jacy, you’ll feel a little pressure. Ah’m gonna push on the graft to check it’s healin’ up solid. “Let me know if anything hurts…alright?” When his patient offered the classic “thumb’s up,” he continued. “Yah remembah we used bridging grafts to protect the roots of these two teeth,” he said to Dillon. “Ah’m pushin’ on each end of tha bridge. Should feel solid beneath tha probe…that one’s good.” He tilted his head to meet Jacy’s eyes. “Yah doin’ alright? Good. Almost there. Mr. Dillon, a little suction, please. Yah see where the saliva’s pooling?"

He pushed against the final graft. With no reaction from Jacy, Dorian pointed toward a small squirt bottle. “Now we’ll irrigate the gum. Mister Dillon, kindly direct a small stream of that solution onto the healing site.”

Dorian took the suction tube, playing it to and fro as Dillon irrigated the healing gum tissue. Jacy continued to breathe evenly throughout. After a few seconds, the dentist lifted his eyes. “Alright,” he said. “And we’re done fah today. Get her a cup of water, if yah would.” He undid his mask and cap. “You’re healing very nicely, Miss Jacy,” Dorian said. “Ah’d say we’ll be ready fah completion within a week. In tha meantime, yah can add soft food tah yah diet. Stews, porridges, pudding, an’ tha like. Warm salt water gargle twice daily.”

He waited as Dillon served the water. Once Jacy had rinsed her mouth, Dorian said, “Ah would like a moment tah discuss tha next steps of yah treatment. Mister Dillon,” he asked, “have yah noticed the gargantuan steel beast ovah there on tha counter?” he smiled, pointing toward the shiny new Denta-Kiln-Twenty-Five-Hundred. “Our next magical trick will be boltin’ that bad boy tah tha countertop. Ah need yah to swipe a drill, some bits, and sockets from our mechanic. Head on up and Ah’ll finish with Miss Jacy.”

>>Tag Dillon

A moment later, having removed his own treatment gear, Dillon slipped through the infirmary doors. “These things have a way of flying open,” Dorian said as he locked them. “That should give us a few minutes.” He removed the tight fitting gloves and sat upon the stool next to Jacy. “Before we say anythin’ else,” he began, “Ah wanted tah apologize fah this mornin’. Ah was harsh with you, fah no good reason other than some jangled nerves. Yah didn’t deserve it,” he said, "and Ah do regret mah behavior."