ONEAll over the internet you’ll see people flashing their pearly whites, bragging about how they achieved the perfect Hollywood smile in a matter of months. But the journey to big teeth is not easy. Quick fixes don’t work and a great smile requires ongoing commitment and patience.
If you’ve considered getting your teeth fixed, you’ll know that private orthodontic work is extremely expensive (unless you can afford a quick trip to Turkey and a risky result). For me, the lower cost of digital teeth straightening was much more attractive. I wanted to put the digital process through its paces – I continued Straight Teeth Direct – and here are the results.
To give the experiment some context, I suffered with a small palate and crowding from a young age, resulting in protruding, crooked teeth and really protruding canines. Even after an 18-month period of fixed braces as a teenager, my teeth were so stubborn that they quickly fell back into place. I thought all hope was lost.
Straight Teeth Direct had their work cut out for them to convince me that my crooked smile could make me feel beautiful again.
Being an online-only digital brand, Straight Teeth Direct was extremely professional and engaging. Nothing like stock-text. They basically walked me through the process, arranged for me to have a 3D scan and digital impressions of my teeth, which not only helped model my aligners accurately, but it’s also a digital imaging process that helped simulate how it would my teeth were moving.
I have an extremely busy schedule and found the prospect of teeth straightening at a traditional dentist quite daunting. Most dentists are not able to offer a multitude of appointments just after work throughout the week. But like most people, I can’t just carve out time in the middle of the day to walk around town to my appointment.
I was intrigued to see how Straight Teeth Direct could address this and was excited to see that they were using an app-based approach where I could contact my dentist anytime, from anywhere. This was especially helpful as a few months after starting my treatment, the first Covid lockdown came into effect. At that time, I heard a few stories from friends that braces were put on hold or offered refunds because they couldn’t attend their in-person visits. I quietly enjoyed the fact that my treatment was online.
When speaking to the team about the approach behind their app, they explained that the app has been “built entirely by a team of dentists and dentists / fine-tuned to specifically cover the intricacies of aligner therapy and teledentistry. It seamlessly integrates messages, photos and videos, ensuring interactions are not bound by time constraints. This level of flexibility benefits both users and dentists, as communication can evolve at a pace that suits everyone involved.”
So how did this play out in my busy daily life?
On day one, I eagerly put on my first set of retainers. I chose the 3D scan option as the aligners were a snug fit and I would have been devastated if they were a bit off. Straight Teeth Direct reassured me throughout that if any aligners do not fit, they have the ability to quickly make changes to the design of any aligner and ship it quickly.
To get the best, longest-lasting treatment results, you should wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day, for two weeks. Given my history with teeth moving, I was skeptical that I would even notice anything! But once I started comparing the before and after photos at each monthly review, the positive change in my smile was evident.
Each monthly review was quick and easy, with helpful guides on how to take your review photos. And if you occasionally, like me, were a few days late in responding, the team would send you a friendly reminder. The dentists would then process the images, check how your regular aligner was doing, and then let you know what stage you are at. Passing each milestone was a great feeling. The app has a great interface, with all your photo files and a tracking percentage to let you know where you are in your smile journey.
During my treatment, I actually experienced an impacted wisdom tooth, which was sliding sideways onto my back molars. After emergency surgery to remove it, Straight Teeth Direct adjusted my aligner treatment and wear to cover the time I spent unable to wear them. They were able to adjust my treatment based on the prediction of the 3D simulation of my teeth and plan the next steps from there. From then on, whenever I had concerns about the stubbornness of my teeth moving, issues with aligners fitting, or any sensitivity, I brought them up during my monthly checkups. And each time the dentists made small adjustments for me or advice on how to get the best fit from the aligner and even information on the science behind the way my teeth were moving.
Did you know that your tongue, lips and cheeks can cause your teeth to shift over time? Apparently small forces on the teeth (like your aligner) cause compression and stretching of the periodontal ligament, which can trigger blood vessels and attract immune cells, and these cells break down and rebuild the bone, gently reshaping the alignment of the teeth .
Since the process with Straight Teeth Direct is so virtual and tangible, it made communication so effective. I never waited for a date and never felt rushed by it. Instead, I could access the team online whenever I needed and the responses were always quick, informative and understandable. When you’re constantly busy and on the go, the last thing you want to do is stress about an appointment in the middle of the day. And I never felt rushed to ask my questions at a scheduled appointment, there was always an opportunity to engage with the inner workings of my treatment and learn about my own teeth from the company dentists.
I also really enjoyed having the 3D simulation video of my teeth to look back on as it was constantly available to me in the app. Whenever I hit a low patch with the speed of my teeth moving or felt frustrated with a bit of toothache, I watched my experience through the 3D scan simulation video. And now, my progress pictures show a huge change and I am thrilled with the results.
Now that my teeth straightening procedure was complete, I was curious to see how Straight Teeth Direct would support me. I’ve heard from friends who have used other online only teeth straightening companies that the aftercare doesn’t always live up to the experience.
Interestingly, Straight Teeth Direct has a comprehensive and clear approach to aftercare. Their Maintenance Plan allows you to get extra sets of retainers after treatment to keep your teeth aligned. And this design also offers an extended warranty to deal with any minor movement despite constant wear and tear on the device. Given my difficult, stubborn teeth with their history of receding, this service was an unlikely job for me.
Throughout my journey, my teeth were stubborn, slow to move and I had some major surgery in my mouth during my treatment – and the team was patient, accommodating and informative the whole time. I have left this experience with a straight, natural smile and I am perfectly me.
For more information on teeth straightening, visit www.straightteethdirect.com
