As a father of six, I know how difficult it is to put myself before my family. This is even truer for the most important woman in my life–my wife. Mothers are known to put everyone before themselves and they are no strangers to sacrifice. Heck, it seems that it may as well be their motto sometimes.
While we love all of our patients, we have an extra special place in our hearts for moms who finally see that, yes, they are worth it and it is okay for them to do something that is completely for themselves. They deserve to smile confidently, too.
On a very unique Mother’s Day edition of our Irvine Orthodontist Feature, we asked our friend and patient, Nancy, to write about her Invisalign journey.
1) What motivated you to begin treatment for yourself? Is this something you have thought about doing for a while?
What motivated me to begin treatment was my daughter’s progress with her teeth. Elizabeth’s teeth moved SO quickly, and her compliance was great too! But, I had settled into the idea that at my age, couldn’t I just settle with the smile I had for years now?! After all, my teeth didn’t “prevent” me from smiling. I just didn’t like seeing my smile in pictures when my crowded teeth were close up.
I finally started looking at getting Invisalign as “self care.” Similar to getting in better shape at the gym, or having “me” time. I thought if I have a treatment that’s short term, manageable with my busy schedule, and affordable…why not try it!
2) Was it difficult to do something nice for yourself as moms tend to put everyone before themselves?
Of course! When you say “yes” to something, you are obviously looking at it as a “no” to something else. As a stay-at-home mom of three kids, and now a puppy, I enjoy taking care of my family first. I guess it was a natural reaction to think – yikes – is this ok to do? Is it for me?
My family has genuinely encouraged me from the beginning. I have never felt selfish for starting treatment, and have only felt support by my family throughout the process! And, honestly, it now makes me wish I would have done it sooner!
3) Why did you choose Invisalign over braces?
First off, I chose Invisalign for easy maintenance for sure, and of course, it’s nature of being such a discrete treatment option. I didn’t want issues with avoiding certain foods, or breaking brackets and wires as I painfully remembered from my childhood. I wanted something subtle and effective, and easy to integrate into my lifestyle! Invisalign was the only option for me. If a treatment like Invisalign wasn’t available, I probably would have been fine with my smile the way it was!
4) Why did you choose Simply Orthodontics?
I chose Simply Orthodontics probably for the same reasons that everyone does! The facility is immaculate and packed with technology, the staff is amazing, and Dr. Shung has a heart for his patients AND his community. I can confidently say I would not have gone anywhere else for treatment. His office is definitely close by, which helps, but I would have driven across town for him and his practice. Appointments are quick & easy, and prior to beginning treatment, I never felt pressure to start – even after a consult. In fact, it wasn’t until about six months after my first Invisalign consult that I finally decided to go forward with treatment!
5) Would you recommend orthodontic treatment for others?
That’s easy – of course! But, do it for the right reasons. I know numerous people who I asked for their opinion about Invisalign first and if it actually worked! The funny thing is that I didn’t realize how many people I knew that were getting Invisalign or had it previously until I started treatment. Like anything, if you are going to get the benefits and transformation out of your treatment, you have to be a compliant patient.
Now, I can’t believe how quickly my teeth corrected through Invisalign, especially when I see side-by-side scans of my before and now at the end of treatment!
Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your story! We hope this inspires others to seek treatment for themselves as well.
As always, our consultations in our Irvine orthodontic office are complimentary. Call us at 949.264.3314 to schedule your visit today!