A Smile Well Worth the Wait

Like so many people, this particular patient was focused on his family first and the thought of attending to his own smile was not even on the radar. Overcrowding had altered his smile through the years and it was definitely something he wanted to take care of, but how could he do something for himself when his family still had financial needs? His first reaction was that straightening teeth was more of a cosmetic procedure that would potentially require years of braces or appliances that would be both painful and expensive. What was it that caused him to change his mind? How was he able to overcome his own objections? Did straightening his teeth in this modern era of dentistry require the same painful, terribly inconvenient metal braces that he wore as a kid. How would he keep his teeth clean with all of the cumbersome metal brackets? He knew he had to maintain his level of oral hygiene throughout the straightening process.

A Family Connection

His now grown son went the way of metal braces for straightening his teeth. Wow! What a result his son now had with such great straight teeth. However, it required a lot of maintenance, a lot of painful adjustments, torn skin from the metal brackets catching during his daily meal times. More than that, he did not like the appearance of braces on his son. Simply put, it reminded him of all the awkward comments and photos he had to endure as a kid. No thank you. In modern Oklahoma City dentistry there had to be another option besides metal braces! There had to be a better option, but the fact he was even considering a straightening solution was a huge step in the right direction. Is it, finally, time to take the next step forward for himself?

Correcting the Smile

Severe crowding on the bottom teeth led to multiple conversations over the years about correcting his smile. Every now and then at his cleaning appointments we’d talk about it. He was very clear that he did not want metal braces. The appearance, mouth pain, constant appointments, again, the whole program of metal braces was not an I suggested that he look into Invisalign. He would be able to straighten crooked teeth, correct bite issues with comfort all while no one could even tell he was wearing an appliance. Invisalign is so – so much easier to maintain, clean, keep up, etc. They are designed for constant wear, yet they are easily removable for eating, brushing and flossing.

Why He Went with Invisalign

Invisalign was able to straighten all of the teeth, while also resolving all of the crowding issues. He absolutely wanted more control over how he cleaned and maintained his teeth with the clear aligners. That is why the Invisalign process was so easy and smooth – crazy smooth. His routine fit the program to change the trays every couple of weeks. He had little to no discomfort. He often remarked, “You hardly know you are wearing them.”

The Results

He achieved the desired aesthetic result. More importantly, the unintended consequence was straightening the teeth that led to a more cleanable mouth.  It became much easier to clean and floss his lower front teeth after the crowding was resolved. His problem now is that he smiles so much that sometimes his cheeks get a little sore. That is a good problem to have and it is such an encouraging “life moment” for me to see a patient fully confident once again in their smile. He is “over the moon” with the results and would absolutely do it again without hesitation. Success achieved.

A History of Success with Invisalign

Reflections Dental Care has offered Invisalign since 2006. In that time, more and more people have realized their smile goals using this system due to improvements in technology and technique. We offer the full breadth of dental services at Reflections Dental Care in Oklahoma City. Call 405-751-4556 to set up a consultation or visit www.backup120517.mystagingwebsite.com for more information. Lance R. Schmidt D.D.S. is the owner/proprietor of Reflections Dental Care. Follow us on Twitter./