the long version

[disclaimer] if you're one of those people that's squeamish at all about blood, or just doesn't like to read my long rants, skip this one.

so, last tuesday my orthodontist (dr. hernandez) says that in order for them to take my braces off, i have to have this little procedure done by my dentist. they won't take my braces off until 6 weeks after the procedure, so i was pretty pissed that the only time they could fit me in at my dentist was the 28 of august. but they called me up at 3 and said they had an opening, and to get my ass down there.

see, i believed dr. h when he said it was a "little procedure". my dentist however told me that he hates doing this. this set me on edge, why should my dentist hate doing a little procedure? i found out when they sat me down and said "ok, we're gonna have to numb you up with shots quite a bit". they sure weren't kidding. (sidenote: the last time i got shots in my mouth was in second grade when this whole tooth fiasco started). it's quite something to hear him say "you're gonna feel a little pica" and then not feel a damn thing, until i feel the pressure inside my gum and the needle feel like it hit my tooth (i don't think it did...). after the second shot my eyes started watering. they apparently thought i was in so much pain i was crying, i told them later it was an involuntary response to getting the shots, but i don't know if they could understand me. all in all, i got 10 shots, two on each tooth. now the easy part.

see, the "little procedure" was that they had to cut the fibers (i could get more in detail but that would take another paragraph) on five of my teeth. this required my dentist to get under the gum on the front and back of the five teeth with one of those metal pick-like things and, well, rip cut the fibers. oh yeah, not that bad until you hear the popping sound when he rips cuts them. thought when this started: "they're RIPPING THROUGH MY GUMS!!!" and it's a good thing i like medical stuff, or else i would've freaked when i saw them suck up the blood through that straw thing. it's really weird when i couldn't feel anything they were doing to me, but i could taste the blood in my mouth. and then all was done and i was left to go home with a numb mouth. my nose is even numb. it would freak me out, except that i find it all pretty cool.

all in all, it wasn't painful. discomfort, yeah, a bit at certain points. but i have a pretty high threshold for pain. the only thing i really have a problem with is when my joints hurt, or i have a headache (go figure). like everything else that has had to do with my braces, i found it quite fascinating (i actually entertained the thought of going to college to become an orthodontist when i was at one of my appointments. i thought it was that cool).

the interesting part now: i can't feel my lips! i can't feel if my teeth are touching each other or not! the bottom of my nose is numb and slightly tingling! ok that last one is a little weird. wow, i actually just thought that i could get my nose pierced right now and not feel a damn thing. for that matter, i could get my lip pierced too. and a labret piercing (aren't those uncomfortable??). holy shit i'm hooked. i just went to bme to look at labrets. oy.

what was i talking about? oh yeah, being numb. anyway, all the discomfort and (interesting) numbness is totally worth it. why? because if all else goes well i'll get my braces off in about six weeks, or my closest appt. after that.

that will be one hell of a long post.

i'm off to surf bme. (sidenote: i just realized i don't have bme on my links. will change that shortly.)