It's time orthodontists move away from braces

The history of dental braces goes far, far back to the point when cats' intestines were used instead of the commonly known metal wires. And that's when we thank the divine power for blowing life into us at the tail of the 20th century and whatever time after it. 

For around five years, I was one of the many unfortunate kids who wore the hideous, uncomfortable, and saliva-inducing braces. One medical visit at school dictated I ought to straighten my teeth. With a little financial hesitation and almost zero concern regarding whether I wanted them or not, my mother took me to a dentist — whom I later discovered is called orthodontist. Great start. 

Don't chew gum (yeah, sure, as if there's anything else to do in class). Don't bite into an apple (thank God Snow White didn't have to wear braces; she's a cartoon anyway). Don't forget the elastics. Don't eat this. Don't bite that. At some point, it felt like I had to memorize the 10 commandments of wearing this horrendous metal punishment. 

Most days were cool, though. Maybe not most, but that's all repressed memory now.

Things have certainly changed over the decades, but metal hell is definitely still a thing. 

Some people, who willingly surrendered their teeth to a professional in 2018 - a decent decade for medical advancement - dealt with the pain like responsible adults. These individuals are called unicorns in my world. 

Anas, a Saudi-based sound engineer, didn't enjoy the two-year ride of metal-mouth. Putting resentment on the side, his words were quite wise when asked about what he would tell his orthodontist. "All I can say is please tell your patients to constantly come back every week to cut the excess wire from the back, because patients don't usually know that, and my cheeks ended up getting butchered from the wires," Anas told me. 

One year short of a decade later and I discovered the existence of transparent braces that can repair the alignment of one's teeth with no pain, no self-consciousness when smiling and after eating, and surely no dent in the bank account. But lucky me, irony had it I would live the pain of glued silver boxes on my teeth instead of indulging in "not even you can see them" teeth-straighteners. 

Browsing the interwebs, I find OneTwoSmile ... as in "1, 2, and smile for the camera." Cheeky.

Turns out, no one has to feel any sort of discomfort or agony when going through the process of straightening their teeth. And the process is easy and fast. 

Some people called it a "hustle free smile" while others are "very happy with the end result," and these are only a couple of ecstatic patients online.  

So to all orthodontists out there, pick up your notepads and write down some ideas on how to fix your old and painful ways of putting on braces. 

OneTwoSmile offers a three-step online form to all interested patients. 

1. Select the problem you want to fix.
2. Select the photo similar to your teeth.
3. Fill in your information.

Easy, fast, free, and no human contact. 

Visit a OneTwoSmile-certified clinic for a 3D scan of your teeth to design your customized clear aligners. This step is also free of charge. 

All around the UAE and other Arab countries, OneTwoSmile has partnered up with several dental clinics so that no patient is far away from achieving their dream smile. 

Your orthodontist will design a custom treatment plan just for you. When it's set, you'll receive an interactive preview of your teeth straightening in a step-by-step guide, delivered to your inbox.

To this point, you have paid no money and have successfully identified the problem with the alignment of your teeth. 

First of all, you choose the payment method that you find the most comfortable. You can pay in one go 6,250 dirhams ($1,700) or go for installments that can stretch from two to 24 months. And hey, you're guaranteed your money back if the results aren't as promised. 

After this step, you receive your OneTwoSmile clear aligners 10 to 14 days after approving your treatment plan. Here's what's inside the box:

• Custom-made clear aligners
  
• Convenient aligner storage case
  
• Easy-to-use guide
  
• Specialized aligner removal tool
  
• Chewies to help improve the aligner fit

On average, treatment time takes around six months, which is actually three times quicker than metal braces. For the duration of the treatment, the OneTwoSmile team will check up on your progress to make sure everything is on track.

A OneTwoSmiler ought to wear the clear aligners for 22 hours a day. It seems like a lot, but they're invisible and you can't feel them much ... so all is good. 

Only when eating and drinking should you remove them. And after every meal, make sure to brush your teeth before putting them on again. 

Other than that, it's all easy.