Parent’s Point of View
Engineering and Design – Product. Process. Progress.
Engineering and product design is fascinating. As a family of engineers, it is interesting to observe and analyze the engineering and design of products; this includes Invisalign. Most people do not pay much attention; but when you invest a substantial amount of hard-earned funds into braces, retainers, or Invisalign, it is always good to know what you are getting.
I did not know what to expect with Invisalign. I had researched the product but until I saw my first set, it was like a blind date; I did not know what to expect. When I held my first set in my hand, my first impression was the sturdiness of the trays. And when Dr. Kubo placed them on my teeth, they fit like a glove.
The glove is tight and form fitting, but this is only way to reach the goal of straight teeth. From an aesthetic point of view, no one really notices them. They don’t modify appearance much. They do modify speech, but it simply takes time to get used to talking with them. They do modify daily habits; you get used to having to take them off, eat, and put them back on. They limit my ability to snack because I don’t want to go through the off, rinse, and back on process; but that is not such a bad thing. It’s actually a very good thing. Over all, my attention to my general health and oral hygiene has been more of a priority, which is a good thing.
Back to the design of the product. The engineering of the trays is solid. The materials are strong and made with precision. The process of producing the tray by scan is efficient and the trays are customized. The tray was much stronger than I anticipated; sturdy and designed for each individual.
You can see the shift with each tray. As each week passes and I change my tray, the alignment of my teeth improve. The trays reflect the weekly progress. When I peeked ahead at a tray 4 weeks ahead, the tray was closer to being straight. This was the visual I needed to keep going; it’s always nice to see the end goal. The progress is gradual, and the shift is healthy. There is a level of uncomfortableness, but it’s just like the glove is tighter. You get used to it until the next set. Then it may get tight again, but it is worth it.
Through research and discovery, there are many products out there. After holding my Invisalign and wearing them on my teeth for 8 weeks into the process; I am impressed with the product, the process, and am seeing results.
We are all stewards of our finances; and as we invest in our orthodontic care, it is a good feeling to know the product we choose is what is best for our children and ourselves. Discovering what is the best product and process is essential. The effort, time and financial investment is worth it.
We are worth it. The product is worth it. The effort is worth it.
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Teenager’s Point of View
Quarantine. Missing happy normal smiles.
Ah the quarantine. Yes, it has affected us all. I am still in shock that it has happened and is still continuing. Everything is surreal in my mind; I cannot wrap around the idea that people all over the world and their families are struggling through this horrible time. My heart and prayers go to everyone going through it.
My experience through this has been pretty normal. At first, it did not feel much different from a normal break. It was kind of like spring break came early and we just got an extra week off. Then after spring break ended, I feel like it has been different. I know stores are only letting a certain amount of people in. I know that everyone is exhausted of staying inside and not being able to see friends or socialize. I mean, I get it; I am too.
I would even say I miss school a lot. Being without school has made me realize how much I miss it. I cannot imagine how it is affecting parents and adults. I have heard that many companies cannot afford to have workers anymore so parents of children, college students, and others are losing their jobs to this terrible incident.
I know Dr. Kubo is taking great care of his co-workers and is still in business. This makes me happy knowing that there are still places that are still working around this situation they were put in; and still doing their job. I know it is hard, but I think they are doing a great job.
For a time, I had to wear the same retainers because Dr. Kubo was trying to figure a way around all of this. Eventually, he came up with a curbside pick-up and is just having customers pick up their next set of Invisalign by driving by and getting what they need. This is very efficient and I think it can work well for the clients; it has worked well for my mom and me.
Once I got my new set it was like back to normal. I change them and keep them clean; then change them the next week. I am sad that I did not get to see any of the normal happy smiles I usually see in the office, but I know they are working through this to provide for their own families and make the best of this quarantine life.
