Do you ever catch yourself covering your teeth when you smile or laugh? You’re not alone. Almost everyone has something that they are a little insecure about – body hair, weight, skin blemishes, big ears, etc. Everyone deserves to have the confidence that comes from feeling good about their appearance. And that doesn’t mean trying to achieve some unrealistic, air-brushed, standard. It’s just about feeling comfortable in your own skin. Here are the top 5 reasons why people choose to straighten their teeth, in no particular order:
Did you know that misaligned teeth are harder to keep clean and therefore more likely to develop cavities and gingivitis? In severe cases, misaligned teeth do not contact the opposing teeth evenly which can result in the premature wear of the teeth.
A wedding. A college graduation. A high school reunion. A big overseas vacation. There are certain events in our lives that we will remember forever – if for no other reason than that we typically take a lot of photos during these events. It’s only natural to want to be at your best for a big life event like this. Your smile is the first thing people are going to notice in those photos.
You may be totally comfortable with your appearance. But what if your professional opportunities are limited because of the way others perceive you based on your appearance? Do clients perceive you to be less trustworthy because you have a few crooked teeth? Does your boss perceive you to be a little less intelligent? Does that investor that you’re pitching your idea to just not look at you as being very successful? Like it or not, your teeth and smile can have an impact on all of these things (see #5: Perceptions).
We all know the power of a first impression. In a world with dating apps like Tinder, first impressions have never been more important. It’s possible that crooked teeth could be making it harder to meet that special someone. In addition to the superficial aspect, people are also attracted to confidence. If you’re a little insecure about your smile, that can project low self-confidence and make you less attractive when meeting new people.
We all have subconscious biases through which we view other people. Here are some eye-opening numbers from a recent study about how people are perceived based purely on their teeth and smile:
Whether it is how we perceive ourselves, or how others perceive us, our smile is one of the first things people notice about us. If something is off with your teeth and smile, it can affect your self-confidence and the way that other people view you.
By Featured Writer Dr. Maxwell
If you had braces before but your smile isn’t as straight as it used to be, you might be a particularly good candidate for clear aligners. When teeth become crooked again after braces, Orthodontists call this “relapse. “Relapse usually happens because a retainer is lost or not used. Many people find out the hard way that if left out too long the retainer no longer fits, or it is too uncomfortable to use again. Of course, teeth then continue to drift further and further away from being straight.
Many patients have told me that they were embarrassed or felt guilty after they or their family had spent so much money and time straightening their teeth. The logical assumption is to think that re-straightening, or “retreatment”, would be as difficult and expensive as it was the first time. The good news is that is usually not the case.
There are several reasons why retreatment is easier and less expensive than the initial braces. First, the advances in dental technology in recent years have exploded. New methods and materials that save time and money are being developed every day. Clear aligners aren’t that new but since there are more choices than there used to be, competition also helps make the treatment more affordable.
One reason why retreatment works particularly well is behind why teeth become crooked again. Without faithful wearing of retainers, teeth move because the muscles in the mouth push them together and forward. It’s often said that the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body. Whether that is true or not, it certainly moves teeth around. In fact, it does not require strong forces to move teeth. Accurately placed, consistent, and directed mild forces are very effective in moving teeth.
Whether straightening or un-straightening teeth, they move largely by tipping. The tips of the roots stay in place unless very controlled forces are applied. Fortunately, the lips and tongue muscles do not apply such controlled forces. The teeth are typically tipped and pushed together. This is fortunate because un-tipping such teeth do not require heavy metallic hardware. This is one reason why re-straightening smiles are less time-consuming, costly, and uncomfortable than it was the first time around.
If you are one of the many people who have had braces before and would like to have a better smile again, I hope that you will give Strayt a try. I think that you will be very happy with the results!
Whether straightening or un-straightening teeth, they move largely by tipping. The tips of the roots stay in place unless very controlled forces are applied. Fortunately, the lips and tongue muscles do not apply such controlled forces. The teeth are typically tipped and pushed together. This is fortunate because un-tipping such teeth do not require heavy metallic hardware. This is one reason why re-straightening smiles are less time-consuming, costly, and uncomfortable than it was the first time around.
If you are one of the many people who have had braces before and would like to have a better smile again, I hope that you will give Strayt a try. I think that you will be very happy with the results!
Everyone wants to have a smile that they love and are proud to show off. A straight smile helps boost confidence, achieve better oral health, and more. Today many adults are looking to straighten their teeth but think they are too old to wear braces or have their teeth straightened. So how old is too old for straightening your teeth?
Simple answer - you are never too old! Straightening your teeth isn’t limited to adolescence, and no matter your age, there is the opportunity to improve your smile. We have had patients as old as 75 straighten their teeth! As long as you have healthy bones, gums, and teeth, it's never too late to straighten your teeth. As a child, you may not have needed teeth straightening or may not have had the opportunity. Adults are great candidates for clear aligners or invisible braces because of the following:
1) Affordability - It is now cost-effective to have clear aligners, and some insurances accept this treatment option. By cutting out office visits, we help customers save around 65% of the typical cost of orthodontic treatment.
2) Motivation - As a kid, you may not have had wanted to wear a retainer or have braces. They didn't want to be made fun of or may have just not understood the benefits of a healthy smile. However, as an adult, you are motivated by wanting a straighter smile and willing to put in the time to wear the clear aligners to get the results you want. With options like nighttime aligners, even those who don’t want to wear aligners during the day can experience the benefits of straight teeth.
3) Correct Adult Teeth Shifting - You might have worn braces as a teenager, but as an adult, there is a good chance your teeth have shifted over time. This commonly happens to adults regardless of their dental habits, resulting in gaps, misalignment, or crowding. Luckily as an adult, you can still correct your smile.
4) Convenience - You don't have to go to an orthodontist's office for regular check-ups and get braces adjusted. The treatment is customized from start to finish and will take you through each straightening stage. The best part is how discreet clean aligner technology has become. No one will know you are wearing your aligner, and it’s all done without pesky wires, metal attachments, or rubber bands.
No matter your age, if you have healthy gums and teeth, your smile is ready to be straightened. Many men and women, just like you, are looking to straighten their teeth. Strayt is making it easy for everyone giving you confidence and convenience with every order. We send everything right to your door, and you can do your FREE scan at home, or you can check to see if you live in an area where we offer convenient mobile scanning. Our Clear Aligners are easy to use and start showing results fast. View our clear aligners, find the best aligner pricing plan, and start showing off your confidence with a smile!
Teeth aligners are a popular choice for those looking to straighten their teeth or correct a different orthodontic problem to achieve a better smile. They work just as well as braces in many cases and offer the advantages of being more discreet, convenient, and affordable. The better fitting the aligners, the better the results. If the initial model of the teeth isn’t accurate, the aligners won’t properly fit the teeth, and the teeth may not move as expected. If you want better-fitting aligners, 3D teeth scans are the best option.
3D teeth scans provide an incredibly accurate digital model of your mouth and will lead to better-fitting aligners every time. When it comes to your teeth, do you really want to roll the dice by trying to make your own impression using a kit? Not only is the impression process annoying with the putty that has to be mixed and then removed from your teeth after hardening, but impression trays can be too big or too small, and impressions don’t capture your bite alignment.
The superior fit aligners made from a 3D teeth scan will produce better results – fixing crowding or a gap, straightening teeth, aligning teeth, et cetera – because their fit is much tighter. You may think that a tighter fit means they’re not comfortable to wear, but that isn’t the case. Better fitting aligners will be more comfortable and virtually invisible, thanks to the accurate fit.
Once an orthodontist has the digital image from a 3D teeth, scan they can begin to start planning treatment immediately and improve your smile sooner.
To deliver a comfortable and perfect fit, Strayt clear aligners are made from a state-of-the-art, high-quality transparent plastic material that’s molded onto sequential printed models of your teeth. To make the process convenient for you, we offer mobile scanning units that will come right to your home for an appointment! Get better fitting aligners from us and see if we offer mobile scanning in your area today!
"I only need to straighten my upper teeth. How much does it cost if I just do one arch?" We are frequently asked some version of this question, along with the inevitable follow-up question: "If I'm only treating half my teeth, it should be half the cost, right?" On the surface, that seems like a reasonable and logical supposition. In this post, we go a little deeper to explain why it doesn't exactly work that way. (more…)
Your aligners are on their way and you're excited to get started. Here are a few important things you should keep in mind as you step onto the path to straight teeth and a more confident smile...
The aligner therapy process starts with an accurate model of your teeth. There are two ways to do this:
