Take a good look at your teeth

First, let me knock on wood, but I have never had a cavity. Now I know that a cavity doesn't necessarily always go hand in hand with poor oral hygiene, but it's something I always proudly tell my dentist. However, what I'm less proud of is my teeth. In elementary school, I really wanted braces (because I thought it was cool), but I was too young for it then, and in high school, I absolutely didn't want them again (because I didn't think it was cool anymore), so I just left it. And looking back, I could really kick myself for that.

Because in recent years, it increasingly irritated me that my teeth weren't completely straight. In photos, it was the only thing I looked at. And sometimes I complained about it to friends, but they always said it wasn't that bad. But honestly... Isn't that what friends are supposed to say? I noticed that their words didn't convince me and I remained insecure about it. So I decided to see what the options could be to get those straight teeth. I still didn't feel completely comfortable with it, so I decided to really do something about it.

‘A traditional brace is really a no go,’ I immediately agreed with myself. It might sound a bit silly and superficial, but I just really couldn't see myself doing that. After many Google searches, I ended up at PlusDental, which seemed to me the best option in the end. There were two reasons for that: the costs were significantly lower and the duration of wearing this brace was the shortest of all providers: just half a year. Whut? Did I seriously postpone this for half a year? Besides, I also liked the feeling that they collaborate with dentists at every step, have their own clinics, and maintain high standards.

And, I'm not talking about a traditional brace here, no, this is about an ‘invisible brace’. Now I can already hear you doubting that word ‘invisible’, but you seriously can't see this one. When that half year was over, many people I occasionally saw didn't even realize I had ever worn braces.

By the way, there was of course a step-by-step plan before that half year: you visit a dentist who makes a complete 3D scan of your teeth, including photos. Warning: those photos are confronting, but for me, they were the extra confirmation that I really wanted to do something about it. This appointment is completely free of charge, and you receive it shortly after in your mailbox. Quite bizarre, such a 3D scan, but also very nice: you can see exactly how your teeth will look afterward. That's also how it goes when you find out how long it takes; only after that do you decide whether to go for it or not. Then you keep track of your progress in an app with photos, and you can also keep track of how long you've had your current brace in, because every two weeks you need to switch to a new one. Everything can be done online, which I preferred, but you can also make an appointment at one of their locations. Just whatever you prefer. And if you need a personal conversation in between, that's also very easy to arrange.

You might understand that I was quite happy it only took half a year, because I really thought more about a year and a half or maybe even more. All that fear for nothing. Funny: doing something about my teeth was my New Year's resolution last year, and for the new year, I'm already done with it. Side note: I did wear it honestly about 22 hours a day, which they also recommend at PlusDental. It only came out when eating and drinking, but I got used to that surprisingly quickly. It was also good for my diet because I snacked much less.

Is it done? Almost, I have one step left: when the treatment period is over, there will be one last check-up. So if you are also hesitating like I was: go for it. This is your sign. I was really surprised at how much a change in your teeth can do for your self-confidence.