Last week I underwent oral surgery to get my two bottom canine teeth removed, thanks to a case of internal resorption. Yesterday I had the stitches removed. I’ve had a week to reflect on it, while also managing the initial pain and the current idle soreness in my jaw.
Do I look as shockingly different as I feared I would look? No. It’s certainly weird, but it hasn’t changed the composition of my face and smile as dramatically as I’d imagined it would. Even when I smile, and I tend to smile big when I’m happy, I don’t normally display my bottom teeth. So it’s mostly hidden.
Does it feel weird? Oh my god, so freaking weird. I’d been on a predominantly smoothie diet since my surgery, and only within the past few days ventured into more solid albeit soft foods, like pancakes and pastas. Feeling food pass between my remaining teeth is bizarre to say the least. And on top of that (or below that, as the case may be) I can kinda-sorta feel the implants that were screwed into my lower jaw.
Am I relieved it’s over? Yes and no. Yes in that I’m glad that procedure is done and I’m in recovery. No in that it’s not over yet, and I have to wait four months for the surgery to fully heal so I can get crowns to permanently replace my missing teeth. Yes in that the doctor said everything looks to be healing quite well. No in that my imagination has begun to wonder “what if this happens again to another pair of teeth?”
I don’t look as different as I feared unless I really want to show it off, but I’m still managing a small but persistent amount of pain as I recover.
Here’s hoping my gums don’t decide to do this to more of my teeth.