One thing I love about being an orthodontist is that I get to meet a lot of interesting people of all ages and from all walks of life. I love hearing the stories of bright-eyed 10-year-olds as much as I enjoy those of my adult patients (Yes, big people get their teeth straightened, too!).
(Photo taken by Madeline Barr)
One patient who never fails to entertain is Tiffany Mink. Not being a big social media user myself (who has time for that when you have five kids?), I was previously not aware of Tiffany — unlike her 34,000 Instagram followers and her many thousands of YouTube subscribers— who follow her travels around the world, laughing her way from one Disney theme park to another! In 2016, Tiffany visited every Disney park in the world. Her commitment to all things Disney is apparent by her colorful princess half sleeve tattoo on her right arm, not to mention her purple hair, and her fun clothes (from her own Disney-themed clothing line, Whosits & Whatsits)!
Being in front of the camera so much meant Tiffany was always conscious of her teeth – particularly one tooth that was noticeably out of line with the others.
“Whenever I was getting my photo taken I would always say, ‘Don’t take my bad side,’ because I had one tooth that was pushed back, and it made me look like I had a tooth missing,” explains Tiffany. “I’ve never really felt held back by my teeth, but I didn’t love them.”
I started working on Tiffany’s teeth just over five months ago. After explaining the various options, she decided to go with Invisalign rather than braces. “Because I have my photo taken so much, I didn’t want to have traditional braces so when I heard about Invisalign, it seemed to be a solution that was a good fit for me,” she says.
So what does an Instagrammer who is always in front of a camera do when she’s getting her photo taken? “Most of the time I just leave the Invisalign in when being photographed,” she says. “I feel just as confident getting my picture taken with them in, as I do with them out, because you can’t even see them. It’s pretty amazing. I was fully expecting to be more aware of it. But there are pictures of me wearing them, and people don’t even notice. It’s even more unnoticeable than what I thought it would be. You just have to remember to take them out when you’re eating.”
Tiffany can’t believe she’s seen such a remarkable difference in her teeth in just four months. She says she was shocked when the buttons, that were placed on a couple of her lower teeth to rotate them, were removed after just three months. “It made such a difference in such a short time. I was amazed!”
Of course, you can’t talk to Tiffany without asking which is her favorite Disney park in the world? “Tokyo Disney Sea,” she exclaims. “It’s really special and truly the most unique park experience out of them all.”
Keep an eye on Tiffany’s Instagram account where she is documenting her Invisalign journey along with her seriously funny YouTube channel to watch her videos on all things Disney (including the time she rode on Star Tours with none other than Luke Skywalker himself).
P.S. She really is as sweet, charismatic, and funny as she seems.
All photos taken by Celia Southcombe unless otherwise noted.