Front brake pad troubles...

[RavenousPirate]

Heya guys, I'm trying to replace the front brake pads on my bike as the old ones have worn down to pretty much nothing. I've run into a problem while putting the new pads into place, however...

There doesn't seem to be enough room for them. An earlier topic on this forum suggests that I use the old pads and a screwdriver or pliers to pry them apart and push the piston back so that I have room for the new pads, but I don't know about that. As an alternative, couldn't I drain the brake fluid to make the piston easier to push out of the way, and then replace the fluid once I'm finished?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I'm pretty new to bike maintenance and such. Thanks.