If you have ever wanted to improve your smile, you’re not alone. A recent study found that over half (57 percent) of Americans cover their mouths when they smile because they are insecure about their teeth. Concerns surrounding teeth appearance include crookedness, spacing issues, and alignment, all of which can be resolved through orthodontic treatment. While orthodontic treatment needs are often identified in childhood, the American Association of Orthodontics has found that one in four orthodontic patients is an adult. It’s never too late to improve your smile, and college is a great time to consider improving your smile.
More time for appointments
As the semester comes to a close and you have taken your last exam, written your final paper, and submitted all of your work, you may find yourself finally having a moment to breathe. During the academic semester, your schedule can become packed with studying, club activities, sports, and exams, which makes missing school difficult. Some colleges have strict attendance policies, which makes missing days, even for critical doctor and orthodontic visits, challenging.
Summer is a great time to attend to the important medical and dental appointments you’ve been putting off all year due to your hectic schedule. You will have more time to fit in the appointments and follow-ups that are required as a part of orthodontic treatment.
Beat the crowd
The college semester usually ends an entire month before younger kids get out of school for the summer. You can take advantage of this extra time by having a consultation with your orthodontist and beginning treatment in May. It will be much easier to get into the office for an appointment than it will be in June. If you go to your parents’ home for the summer, select an orthodontic office near their area so you can use your summer and holiday breaks to schedule treatment.
Improve your smile discreetly
There are many treatment options to improve your smile, several of which combine convenience, discreetness, and effectiveness. Invisalign works similar to traditional braces, but uses a series of plastic trays to align teeth rather than brackets and wires. You wear the trays for 22 hours a day, only taking them out to eat and drink. Ceramic braces are another great option if you want to improve your smile without calling attention to your braces. Ceramic braces work similar to traditional silver braces, but use less visible clear brackets instead of metal ones.
If you have minor orthodontic issues, your orthodontist may recommend Invisalign Lite. It treats mild to moderate issues and can fix minor crowding, crossbites, overbites, and underbites with any of your teeth, including your molars. It works the same was as regular Invisalign, but takes less time.
Time to heal
No matter if you choose traditional braces or Invisalign, getting them put on during the summer offers you more time to adjust to having treatment. Most clients do not experience pain while wearing braces, but there may be some minor discomfort in the first few days after getting them on. You can deal with the discomfort much better if you can control your activities and rest when you need to. It also doesn’t hurt that summer is synonymous with delicious frozen popsicles and ice cream, which are perfect for soothing a sore mouth.
One final benefit for college students getting braces now is still being covered under your parents’ insurance. While insurance doesn’t cover the entire cost of treatment, it can reduce the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket. Here at Smith Orthodontics, we will work with the insurance policy holder to figure out how much they cover and the best option for payment.
If you want to improve your smile, don’t delay and call Smith Orthodontics today!
