Brace face and saying goodbye to chronic TMJ pain forever.

This week I had a very intense doctor’s appointment that determined a lot of good and a lot of bad. I really believe, after speaking with Dr. William Hang of Face Focused, that double jaw surgery with total joint replacement CAN cure me. That chronic pain will be another notch added to my belt of battles overcome. But this upcoming year is going to be especially challenging. 


Not only do I need surgery that requires 4 overnights in the hospital, 6 weeks liquid diet and 6 months of a swollen face, but I also need adult metal braces for an entire year. I’m a 28 year old, single woman trying to put myself out there, date, be active and enjoy life already masking excruciating pain every second of every day, but now with brace face?! In preparation for surgery I will wear upper and lower old school metal braces with palate expanders for 6 months until surgery and about another 6 months post surgery. I am set up to balance self consciousness about the way I look on top of debilitating physical pain. However, only one of those struggles is truly out of my control.


If I’m getting braces, I’m going all out. Make them rainbow and add some sparkles. Instead of feeling bad about the way I look and feel physically, I’m going to choose instead to feel great about the way I look. Yeah, I have adult braces and they’re awesome. They are going to cure me of something I’ve been fighting my entire life. These braces symbolize my new life. Tightly screwed into what my pain free future will feel like, confident and colorful. Just as with every other challenge I’ve overcome, I will emBRACE this journey. Do what I have to do and try my absolute best to make the rest easier on myself, not harder. 


While I may be stuck with this horrendous process to a pain free life, I always have freedom with how I handle my cards. How I rearrange the deck to present a winning hand. My immediate thought was another year of my life given away to TMJ disorder. My afterthought though, a year where I can rock adult braces and inspire others to embrace whatever it is they might be insecure about. Insecurity is an illusion after all, and so is confidence. How you feel about yourself is what projects onto others. Why should I feel embarrassed about braces? They’re an accessory to my character. Just another unique quality that makes me special. Braces to me means 6 months more pain for a lifetime rid of this nightmare. A success story with a hopeful map for all of those suffering from TMJ disorder still stuck hearing it’s in their head or there’s no solution. Another story to look back on when a new challenge arises. Life is what you make it and I’m making these braces rainbow.

https://smileangels.com/blog/orthodontics/braces-colors-for-2020/