They are only teeth, right?

Sometimes we get a chance to give someone back a piece of themselves.  It is easy to become so busy as adults that we kind of forget to take care of ourselves. In one of my patient’s cases he had put his own needs on hold for years as his wife struggled with her fight with cancer. She ultimately lost her battle but before she did she made her husband promise that after she was gone that he would take better care of himself. In keeping his promise he came to see me a few weeks after his wife passed. He told me that he wanted to have his teeth fixed because he knew that one day he would remember how to smile and he wanted to be sure that he had the proper equipment for the job.  I finished his case this week and upon completion I handed him a mirror and then we both had a good cry together. I realize that I gave him back so much more than just his teeth, and he realized it as well. It was a wonderful moment, and one that I will never forget.