Having straight teeth is a big deal in my family. It was never a question of “if” we would get braces. Instead, it was only a matter of “when” since crooked teeth run in our gene pool. Well, I happened to pass that same trait onto my daughter. That’s why I’m so thrilled to announce that she is now a Uniform Teeth Ambassador! I can’t wait for her to finally have straight teeth!
An Almost Decade-Long Debate Over Teeth Straightening
It hasn’t been an easy road to reach this point, though. For the past several years, I have been wanting to get my daughter’s teeth straightened. But, during most of that time, both my husband and daughter were against it. They, being the clones of each other that they are, were convinced that her teeth weren’t that bad and that the whole process wasn’t necessary. Unfortunately, the longer we delayed treatment, the more my daughter’s teeth shifted. She had so much crowding that one tooth is now almost completely sideways. At that point, we opened the conversation about her teeth once again.
We did end up reaching a unanimous decision at last to straighten her teeth. The next step was agreeing on traditional metal braces or invisible aligners. Munchkin often heard her friends talk about the pain, discomfort, and complications they had with braces. Hearing so many of those stories, and from different people at that, kind of traumatized her. She dreaded the thought of getting braces!
It seemed like clear aligners would be a better option. We went to a couple of consultations and tried asking around for recommendations. Sadly, we weren’t able to settle on a dentist or orthodontist we could trust and at a price that fit into our budget. Then, a few months ago, Uniform Teeth asked me if we would like to give their service a try. Oh, and we are also able to extend a $200 discount to you (keep reading for details on that)!
Straightening Teeth with Uniform Teeth Clear Aligners
Uniform Teeth has two locations in San Francisco (one recently opened in Chicago as well) and offers custom clear aligners at an affordable price. Their orthodontists see patients a few times through the treatment to make any needed adjustments. That sounds appealing but straightening my daughter’s teeth is certainly not something we wanted to take lightly. Before committing to anything, we wanted to meet the orthodontist and find out what kind of treatment they proposed. Since Uniform Teeth offers free consultations anyway, we decided to book an appointment.
Our appointment was at the 605 Market Street location, on the 12th floor. The clinic was clean and bright and featured decor that fit the theme of straightening teeth. Check-in was easy since all the “paperwork” we had to fill out was on a tablet.
Our treatment coordinator, Bob, led us into a room and asked about our end goals and concerns. He then placed a super funny guard in Munchkin’s mouth to scan her teeth. The scanner he used took several photos and stitched them together to create a digital 3D model of the teeth.
When he finished that, we went to another room to take a 3D X-ray. We were told the radiation is minimal but they still put a protective shield on Munchkin. The machine then rotated around her head and that was it. I couldn’t believe how fast and easy it was to get such a detailed 3D x-ray! This x-ray allows the orthodontist to check symmetry, bone levels, roots, and more.
Orthodontist-Created Custom Treatment Plan
As we returned to the first room, our orthodontist, Dr. Yoo, greeted us and sat down to discuss our daughter’s treatment. He looked at the 3D x-ray and shared his initial take on what needed to be fixed and how to do that. Then, he examined Munchkin’s teeth to get a better idea of what kind of treatment plan would work for her.
Dr. Yoo even took the time to explain various options. These included possible extractions and whether jaw correction was necessary. Munchkin has a teeny, tiny mouth that doesn’t fit all her teeth, one tooth is very rotated, and her bite is slightly off but only on one side of her mouth. Gladly, Dr. Yoo said that an extraction is not necessary. He can use a method called “polishing” to create enough space between the teeth to make everything fit.
As for the bite, Dr. Yoo went into detail about the aesthetics of straight teeth versus 100% perfect bite. Munchkin only has a slight misalignment on one side of her jaw. The other side is fine and her front four teeth currently line up nicely with the middle of her face. If we try to correct the one side using hooks and rubber bands, her bottom front teeth might flare out and the shifted teeth could make her smile look off-center. Or, we could leave the bite as-is. Her case is so minor that it won’t affect her chewing or jaw health. And, for any concern of nighttime grinding, the retainer that’s provided at the end of the treatment will take care of that. We opted to NOT correct the bite at this time but that’s not set in stone. If we change our minds within the next few months, we just have to let the orthodontist know.
We appreciated how clearly Dr. Yoo explained everything and how willing he was to answer all our questions. It eased our worries and we felt confident enough to go ahead and proceed with the proposed treatment.
Uniform Teeth Treatment — How It Works
So what happens now? Since the treatment plan is finalized, the first set of clear aligners will be made and shipped to us. Munchkin will wear those for 8 weeks to expand her arches. She will add photos in the Uniform Teeth App so the care team can check her progress. Then, we’ll go into the office for a check-up and Dr. Yoo will get my daughter primed for the next set of clear aligners. She’ll wear those over the following four months. Since she has that “trouble tooth,” we’ll visit the clinic once more and pick up her last set of aligners for extra refinement.
That might sound like a lot but it’s really only a few office visits spread out with several weeks of changing trays at home in-between. Of course, I’ll be updating you along the way. So, make sure you follow along here on the blog and on my Instagram channel, @cookiesANDclogs, using the hashtag #ShareYourSmilestone.
Get $200 Off Your Uniform Teeth Treatment
Uniform Teeth is also offering a $200 discount to all my readers/followers. All you have to do is book a free consultation here, fill out a brief survey, choose a time and location, and mention my handle (@cookieandclogs).
Stay tuned and let me know if you have any questions in the meantime!
This post is in partnership with Uniform Teeth and treatment is being provided for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
