How many times have you seen this scene on the big screen?

The hero of the story arrives somewhere with a big group of people. As he scans the crowd, he sees a beautiful woman. She smiles, and he smiles back. This is the start of a relationship that will play a major role in what we see over the next few hours.

Their smiles have something common. They are both perfect. Both characters’ teeth are perfectly aligned, evenly spaced, and probably pearly white, too, if we’re being completely honest.

Those perfect smiles don’t have to be the stuff of stories. You can create one for yourself with some help from our dentist, Dr. Jerry Farrell.

Call our office in Johnson City, NY at 607-304-3993 to set up a consultation. We will be happy to discuss which of our orthodontic options could be perfect your teeth.

Why Having Straight Teeth Matters

In our experience, there are two reasons a nice smile is important.

The first reason is the one that many patients are concerned about — self-confidence. Whether you are interested in orthodontic treatment for yourself or for your child, many people want their smiles to look nice. This can affect your life in a variety of ways.

When people feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their smiles, they may feel compelled to hide their teeth. This can lead to some behaviors that become obstacles in everyday situations.

As a few examples, we can recall patients who would put a hand, a book, a tissue, or anything they find to hide their mouths whenever they spoke. We’ve also had patients who would keep their heads down when they talked so their mouths were hard to see.

And we remember patients who would mumble because they opened their mouths as little as possible when they said anything.

At our practice, we understand why patients may feel compelled to do these things. Even so, you can understand why those same behaviors could become a problem for someone at a job interview, in a sales meeting with a potential client, or on a date.

We are happy to report that orthodontic care has helped more patients than we can count feel more relaxed in social situations. When they started to feel better about their teeth, they started enjoying the moments they were in rather than worrying about whether they were being judged based on their smiles.

We have watched people’s personalities emerge as they became more comfortable with their teeth. We also have enjoyed hearing people tell us about getting new jobs, successes at work, and — yes — meeting the loves of their lives.

The second reason for straightening your teeth is just as important: good oral health.

We don’t want to mislead you. Having straight teeth is not going to magically prevent cavities or gum disease. However, it is easier and more effective to clean your teeth when they are straight and evenly spaced.

That means you will remove more bacteria and plaque each time you brush and floss. It also makes it easier for us to remove plaque and tartar when you come in for your regular checkups.

To put this another way, orthodontic care can give you a confident smile and make it easier to keep your smile healthy, too.

Three Options to Straighten Your Smile

If we’ve learned anything in our years of helping people in and around Johnson City, NY, it’s that no two patients are the same. Knowing this, it’s good to give people options.

And at our practice, we have three different services that can help you transform your smile. The one that is right for you will depend on your specific issues, the severity of those issues, and what you are comfortable wearing.

 

  • Braces — These have set the standard for what the outcome should be from your orthodontic care. When someone is finished wearing traditional metal braces, their teeth should be perfectly aligned and equally spaced.

 

Braces start with brackets, which are bonded directly to your teeth. Then archwires are used to connect the brackets to one another. Together, the wires and brackets (sometimes with the help of small rubber bands) will push and pull your teeth where you want them to be.

Typically, braces take about two years (give or take a few months) to get your teeth into their final positions. If you want results, braces will deliver.

 

  • Ceramic braces — As effective as metal braces are, many people would prefer to wear something less noticeable during their treatment. Ceramic braces are not invisible, but they can do the same things as metal braces while being a little less distracting.

 

By using ceramic brackets, your braces will more closely match the color of your teeth. As a result, your braces won’t be as visible in photographs or even in person. For several patients, this is a good option in between metal braces and our final option.

 

  • Invisalign® — If you want to straighten your teeth while being as discreet as you can, then Invisalign is the option for you. Rather than brackets and wires, Invisalign uses a series of custom-made aligners to gently push your teeth into new positions.

 

Each aligner is made with clear plastic. As a result, the aligners blends in with your smile rather than calling attention to itself. Many adults (and some teens) consider this one of the most important features.

Invisalign has a few other advantages as well. Since the aligners are removable, you can and should take them out during meals. This means you can continue eating all your favorites food throughout your treatment.

The drawback is that Invisalign is not as effective on more severe alignment issues, so it’s not an option for everyone, unfortunately.

Create a Better Smile

Regardless of what alignment issue you need to fix, we have a solution for you. To find out which one(s) could give you the smile of your dreams, start by calling 607-304-3993 or contacting us online.

Scheduling your consultation with Dr. Farrell is your first step toward your new and improved smile.