Fifty-five-year-old Carl Brooks did not know Dr. Tim Kosinski a year-and-a-half ago, but the singer and the dentist now share a special bond.
Dr. Kosinski gave Brooks the gift of a new smile – a complete set of upper and lower teeth through bridges and implants.
THE SINGER MEETS THE "SMILE CREATOR"
The process started back in May of 2015.
Brooks was a truck driver for the Salvation Army who was singing on the weekends at Café D’Mongo’s Speakeasy in Detroit.
While he was performing one night, a person in the audience noticed something about Brooks.
“I don’t show my teeth when I smile. I just smile with my lips closed,” Brooks explained.
He had lost a number of teeth in the course of his life, and he was in danger of losing the rest.
It was hard for him to eat, and he didn’t feel comfortable smiling.
The fan called her friend Dr. Timothy Kosinski– a dentist in Bingham Farms, Michigan. He focuses his practice on cosmetic dentistry and dental implant therapy.
“We brought him in, and we could immediately tell that this is a special person that just needs help. He’s talented. Maybe he’s fallen on hard times a little bit. These are the people we really want to help,” said Dr. Koskinski.
After evaluating Brooks’ dental situation, Dr. Kosinski agreed to give Brooks a new set of teeth…for free.
Because of the time it takes for numerous surgical implants to take, the process lasted about a year-and-a-half.
Now, let’s fast forward to October of 2016. It was time for the last step.
GETTING THOSE PEARLY WHITES
“This is a 2-dimensional image of all the x-rays we’ve taken of your jaw,” explained Dr. Kosinski, pointing at the image. Carl Brooks watched on from the semi-reclined dental examination chair.
With more than half-a-dozen implants in place, this is the moment Brooks has been waiting for.
The last step was to cement the bridge onto the implants. The work does not take long at all. The ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures are stunning.
“I haven’t had a beautiful smile like this in years!” said Brooks with a huge grin on his face.
“I think it’s beautiful. You and your staff did a remarkable job,” he added, turning his attention from the mirror to Dr. Kosinski.
Our cameras caught up with him a few weeks later when he was performing with his band Carl & Co. and Café D’Mongo’s in downtown Detroit.
It was a packed house. And there he was…all smiles…singing to his daughter Rheanon in the audience.
The 23-year-old has definitely noticed her father has changed since his dental transformation.
“He’s just been more confident if that makes sense -- just more able to shine. You know what I mean? [He is] able to show his talents and have everyone appreciate them,” she said.
When his set was over, a big hug was in order. It was great to see him so happy.
I asked him what he thought was the best part about having his new teeth.
“I can smile and show my teeth again. I can eat apples again. I can eat corn on the cob again. I haven’t been able to do that for years!“ exclaimed Brooks.
It’s a Thanksgiving he’ll always remember.
THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF A SMILE
Carl Brooks wants to thank Dr. Tim Kosinski and his entire team in Bingham Farms for this life-changing gift.
It’s a gift that’s impacted his daughter’s life, too.
Rheanon says her father’s dental transformation has inspired her to become a dental hygienist. That way she can help others to smile, too.
