Sampung Taon ng Rehas

It has been 10 years or so since I started wearing braces. I had it the year I resigned from my first job as an elementary teacher. Normally, it would just take two years to straighten one's teeth depending on how bad they were. Mine's not that bad, but it took a decade for two reasons.

First, my gums are not at their best health. Nasa lahi na namin ito particularly from the David's side. Kaya naman kinailangan muna gamutin ang gums ko bago i-full blast ang paglalagay ng braces. There were times that the movement has to be stopped because my gums were acting up. Inabot din ng ilang taon bago tuluyang umayos ang gums ko. (Though it still isn't at its best condition.)

Second, major reason ay ang katamaran ko to visit the dentist. The dentist's office is just a ride away from our place, pero tamad na tamad akong magpunta kadalasan. There were times that five months (or more) would passed by that I haven't visited my dentist especially kung may pinagkakaabalan (sa school or wherever). I'd be visited by dreams of falling teeth just so I'd be pushed into going to the dentist.

The waiting time in the dentist's office is so long kasi. Kahit na may schedule ka, it isn't like in the US na 'yun ang sinusunod. Kung sino ang unang dumating, 'yun ang unang aasikasuhin. One patient's treatment would last 30 minutes to an hour plus break time of chika and phone calls. Sometimes I would wait for two hours for just a less than five-minute procedure. So once I started thinking of those long waiting hours (may reading materials and TV naman sa clinic), I'd rather not go. Pero tulad nga ng sinabi sa isang episode ng Sex and the City, you put off going to the dentist, but once you do, it feels good.

Last Wednesday (April 18), it finally happened! The braces from my upper teeth were taken out!

Ang weird ng pakiramdam when I get to feel my teeth through my tongue. Hindi ko na maalala kung ganu'n nga ba talaga ang pakiramdam niya nu'ng hindi pa ako nalalagyan ng braces. Aside from that, natatakot ako na baka mawala rin sa ayos with one sudden move or kapag nakakagat ako ng matigas na pagkain. (My doctor warned me against such kind of foods.) Ganito siguro ang pakiramdam ng mga retokado ang katawan. Ingat na ingat na huwag mabunggo ang pinaayos nilang ilong o boobs o kung ano pa man.

Naalala ko tuloy na the ex has been bugging me several times na ipatanggal na ang braces ko. Ilang beses din kasi siyang nasugatan sa labi nu'n. Pero hindi nga ganu'n kadali 'yun noong mga panahon na iyon. This would've been a good day for him, as well, if we were still together. We will share this day together. Pero hindi na nga kami. So sinarili ko na lang siya.

Anyway, hindi pa naman din totally tapos ang treatment. For six months, I have to wear a functional retainer.

The retainer will make sure to keep the teeth in place. At para rin naman hindi mabigla ang mga ngipin sa pagkaalis ng braces.

Wearing braces feels weirder. Paano ba naman, it lies on the gum ceiling at ang hirap magsalita. May twang-twang na tuloy ako. Natawa nga si Angel when she heard me speak. Ang lakas pa magkalaway. Parang laging may candy sa loob ng bibig. For sure na weird din ang pakiramdam sa pagkain sa simula.  At hindi na rin muna ako makakanguya ng gum for six months! (I do it in school. Iwas antok kasi. Saka there's a study that says chewing gum stimulates the brain. I have forgotten why. It must have something to do with the movement.)

(I am also wondering how to do a certain "job" if I am wearing it. Hihihi.)

I still have braces on my lower teeth. Siguro ay hindi na rin magtatagal at aalisin na rin 'yun. Hopefully, in a year or two kung magsisipag lang akong bisitahin si doktora.

In the meantime, mag-e-enjoy na lang muna ako sa pagkakawala ng mga ngipin ko sa rehas ng bilangguan.