Show me your teeth

Yesterday I had the most wonderful surprise!

Last year I had two wisdom teeth out, and two symmetric supernumerary teeth removed. In January I was able to go pick up the autoclaved teeth, for science, of course. (I also had two wisdom teeth removed more than a decade ago, but not sure where they are, so couldn't donate them.):

I had 2 lower wisdom teeth removed as a teenager. Recently I had upper 2 & 2 supernumerary teeth removed! #orangutan pic.twitter.com/WHxT4NSt2N

— Melissa WilsonSayres (@mwilsonsayres) January 28, 2016

Then, I dutifully delivered my teeth to the lab of Gary Schwartz. Yesterday, he very kindly showed my my prepared teeth!

Look at those wise teeth!

Teeth are sectioned, then set, in preparation for thin slicing.

There's my tooth! Prepared for slicing.

To my understanding, after a thin slice is made, it will be polished down and vacuum sealed in a slide. Then, it will be ready for analysis.

Science is so cool.