got mine done 4 years ago. was gonna get it done 8 years ago and was still up in the air about it, then i joined the Marine Corps, no piercings allowed. had to take out my eyebrow ring and all the earrings.
couple suggestions....wait until all the swelling goes down (1-2 weeks, 3 for some) then go get a shorter bar. try to find a bar that's threaded internally. it's a bit more gentle than sticking an externally threaded bar into the hole. get a bunch of acrylic balls too. they're softer, so if you accidentily bite down on them, you'll just crack the ball and not chip your teeth. it's a huge bonus when you're still getting used to the bar.