I had another topic in mind for my blog tonight but just now I decided to talk about something else. My gums are still throbbing like crazy after having endured a great ordeal with my recent dental work. I've been stressing about it for a week because it's really true that a smile can be priceless... or in my case, paving the perfect way to insolvency.

What did I do now? Nothing really. I just opened my mouth for what seemed like forever while the good doctor drilled, contoured, and God knows what else he did to give me back my self-confidence. Apparently, I'm one of the unfortunate souls who aren't blessed with enviable pearly whites.

A quick history. Nine years ago I got myself a fixed bridge. What is that? Well, it's like dentures but the permanent kind, so you don't have to worry about chewing gum sticking to it or worse, losing it at the beach when you're out swimming. I got 4 false teeth that is. Too much information, huh? Well, for those who can relate, it really is a pain in the neck (or the oral mucosa) having to deal with it.

About a week ago, I was brushing my teeth under pressure after getting alarmed when my mobile phone kept ringing while I was doing my nightly hygiene ritual. (Note to self: Turn the phone off or put it in silent mode when getting ready for bed.) So then, my gums must have bled when I accidentally brushed too hard. My anger management skills and patience were nowhere to be found that I bit my faggot pink toothbrush so freaking hard that it basically broke my tooth! Actually, it was a porcelain tooth so it didn't really hurt... but damn, when I looked at the mirror and smiled, I swear the mirror could have broken to a billion pieces. Okay, so I'm exaggerating. Bottomline: I was really furious at my reflection with one missing tooth! What the #@*%!

Eventually, I was able squeeze an appointment at the dentist the very next day (lucky me, the clinic is just 100 or so meters away from my house) and got it checked. Alas! There's nothing else to do but replace all 4 teeth since it was a fixed bridge. Don't bother asking how much it cost me. But I'll tell you this… it could have bought me a new laptop. There goes my one month salary!

I spent almost an entire afternoon fighting urges to stop squirming at the dentist’s chair as we took off the 9-year-old fixed bridge. When he finally succeeded in getting it all off, I stared at my reflection and it was a million times horrendous compared to that night I broke that one tooth! Thus explains why I sentenced myself on house arrest for a week…

So today, I received an SMS from the secretary at the clinic with good news that my new teeth may be installed today. (Hahaha! Installed! It’s so techy!) Anyways, there I spent an hour or more hoping the pain won’t require me anesthesia but to my dismay, it was really too much to handle. The doctor was even surprised at my actual pain tolerance and the fact that I didn’t bleed much. But after a while, I had to ask for it to block the now considerable amount of pain I was experiencing. And mind you, it wasn’t as sweet as the kind of pain that getting a tattoo brings!

All in all, I’d say he did a very excellent job. The pain was worth it… and now I have a very good reason to smile again.

So here it is… my brand-new smile. Tee hee!

Looks pretty "normal" and ordinary to me. HAHAHA! But that's the point!!!
And what better way to celebrate it than with a pint of ice cream! Hurrayy!!!



Wouldn't you say my dentist did a helluva job well done???


Now, can you guess where's the fixed bridge? ^_^


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