Parent’s Point of View
It takes time… Trust the process
Timing is everything. We all what we want, when we want it, and generally we want it now. Life does not always work the way we want; immediacy. When I started this process of orthodontic care, there were visions of a great smile and straight teeth and I wanted it to happen fast. But the reality is that it takes time for teeth to move; after all, they have been in place for 50 years and shifting takes time, movement takes time. Life has its own timing. There is a process for everything and this process needs time. Learning to trust the process is key.
After a few weeks into the process, living with Invisalign had become second nature; consistently wearing them 24/7 and only taking them while eating; learning to enunciate succinctly while speaking and keeping my trays clean became habit. At this fourth appointment, my question to Dr. Kubo was, “How long will this process take?” The answer was not simple nor concrete. “That is the X factor, the unknown.” Such is life. There is an unknown to many of our questions and this was one of them.
I wanted to know how long this would go on before my smile became what I envisioned. But the answer was the X factor, unknown to us; unknown to Dr. Kubo and unknown to me as a patient. Only time would tell. Depending on the structure and state of teeth, we can anticipate 18 months, but this is only speculation.
We as patients can control time wearing our Invisalign; we are the Y factor. We control the frequency that we wear our Invisalign. With braces, we do not have the ability to remove them. There is no choice, they are wired in 24/7. With the ability to remove a retainer and Invisalign trays, we have control over how frequent or infrequent we wear them. If we develop inconsistent habits of not wearing them, there is a delay in outcomes.
We, as the Y factor, have direct influence on how much time we wear our Invisalign. The more we wear them, the more effective the treatment. If we habitually remove the trays, our teeth are not moving towards what we desire. Visualizing my straight teeth motivates me to wear my trays at all times, only taking them out to eat.
The human element directly influences outcomes. Dr. Kubo assesses and prescribes a customized treatment plan and our role as patients is to follow and execute the plan. There is a level of discipline and accountability on our part as a patient. And over time, with consistent follow through; there is progress.
Human element. Effort. Discipline. Timing. Progress. Trust.
Our power and influence as people is great. It takes effort. It takes discipline. It takes time. Progress takes time. Trust the process.
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Teenager’s Point of View
Nice to know someone cares… like your teeth are going to the spa… feeling confident about your smile
This was the first time we were going during the afternoon. We had to book later because the schedule was almost full and that was the only time that worked. This told me that the Kubo’s have many clients, so it must be good.
Going during the afternoon gave me different vibes. I have a feeling that a good percentage of Kubo’s clients are probably just like me; young kids in high school and middle school getting their braces, retainers or Invisalign. They all probably wanted to book appointments in the morning to not conflict with their after school activities or their involvement in school. I can relate to this, because I am the same. It’s nice to know I am not the only one.
When we got there and got inside, it was pretty quiet except for the music. We signed in as usual and waited to be called back. I was pretty tired from school and practice and I also had practice after the appointment too, so I was exhausted. When I sat down, I finally had some time to relax.
When they called us back, I saw Dr. Kubo and he called us over to a chair. He had me sit and started looking to see if anything fell off, like a bracket. He always asks how I am, how school is, and just checks in. It is nice to know someone cares enough to ask how we are. Even though we are just there for the appointment and my teeth, it never hurts to ask how someone is feeling.
Anyways, he started working on my teeth and to be honest, I just closed my eyes and almost fell asleep. I find this funny because you would think the orthodontist is just like the dentist. May I just say, it is so much more relaxing then the dentist.
I find them working on my teeth actually very soothing. It is honestly nothing to be scared of or worried about. I find cleaning and putting brackets on, almost like your teeth are going to the spa.
After it was all finished, we said goodbye and went to the front desk ladies; and they were as nice as they always are. After leaving, I felt good about my teeth. I think that’s a major thing that Dr. Kubo and the team is really good at, making you feel confident about your smile.
