I had braces for the first time when I was in 6th grade.  They were those great metal bracket and wire things.  After they were taken off, my next job as a responsible 13 year old (yeah right) was to make sure I was wearing my retainer.  Let's just say I've rummaged through the high school cafeteria garbage more times than I'd like to remember.  And like my retainers in the garbage, there went my straight teeth.

As an adult, I realized that having my teeth straight again was a priority.  Not only for cosmetic reasons, (that is part of it,) but it's a lot easier to brush and floss teeth when they're straight.  It's easier to prevent cavities when you're able to practice proper oral hygiene.  And I would love to keep the teeth I have for as long as I live.  After a consultation at Gallery Dental I decided that I'd give straight teeth another shot with Smart Moves, an alternative to your traditional "braces."

What is Smart Moves, you ask? It's a near-invisible method to straighten your teeth without metal braces. With clear braces, a custom-molded set of transparent, removable aligners will progressively reposition your teeth. You can simply remove the aligners before eating, brushing, flossing, or special occasions. It's more comfortable, convenient, and less noticeable than traditional braces.

I went in to Gallery Dental about three weeks ago to get fitted for my first set of trays, my "soft trays" and now I've been wearing them for the past three days.  I'm still getting used to them, which is why you may have heard me struggle with some of my "s" words on the air.  Sorry.  It will get better as I master my Smart Moves!  They sent me home with another set of trays I'll change out in three weeks.  After six weeks, I'll go back to Gallery Dental for my next adjustment trays.  Sounds easy, doesn't it?  Well it is!

Even celebrities have some orthodontic work done.  Take this handsome young man, for example:

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So cute!  I guess Zac Efron decided to have some work done, and now this is the smile we all know and love:

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And there are some celebrities who prefer to keep their teeth the way they came in, which is something I give them credit for--especially since they're always flashing those toothy grins on the red carpet:

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Jewel has recently admitted the reason she doesn't have her smile corrected, saying,

"I just don't like pain. I never wanted braces."

She's also said that it's actually worked to her advantage in the business she's in, noting, "People have always loved my snaggletooth, which is hilarious. It should be my logo! I've never felt like it didn't make me sexy."

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Kirsten Dunst, who for the longest time defended her smile with quotes like this one:

"I love my snaggle fangs. They give me character and character is sexy. People comment, but the only person who ever told me to fix them was my mom."

Maybe so, but she's recently corrected her smile with clear braces too.  Now her smile is less...snaggley.

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Brought to you by Gallery Dental:Whether for cosmetic reasons or not, if you're looking for an alternative to traditional metal braces, give Gallery Dental a call, and they can explain the Smart Moves process and get you in for a consultation!

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