A personal trainer who could struggled to close her mouth due to her crooked teeth has transformed in her smile in just six months using ‘invisible’ braces.
Mariam Al-Roubi, 33, was struggling to run her London-based fitness business because she was so conscious of her protruding front tooth, and would cover her mouth with her hand to speak.
But six months after starting an Invisalign treatment – which involved wearing a clear brace for 22 hours every day – she said she is ‘so happy’ with the results.
She told FEMAIL: ‘I was so self-conscious I often spoke with my hand over my mouth – which as a trainer trying to communicate was less than ideal.
Mariam Al-Roubi (pictured before the treatment, left, and afterwards, right), 33, was struggling to run her London-based fitness business because she was so self-conscious about her crooked teeth
By the time Mariam reached her late twenties, she says she had a ‘severe overlap’ (pictured) and was unable to completely close her mouth
Mariam says she will definitely wear her Invisalign retainer each night to keep her teeth in place (pictured after treatment)
‘Before treatment my overlapping teeth made me feel less attractive, and had started to affect the way I spoke to people.’
But as soon as the treatment finished, Mariam found she had newfound confidence and would leave her mouth uncovered as she spoke, meaning others could hear her clearly.
‘Invisalign treatment has really boosted my confidence, especially when training my clients – I have addressed my habit of masking my mouth, meaning I no longer get accused of not speaking clearly,’ she explained.
After meeting Dr Hap Gill, known as The Richmond Dentist, Mariam is also now able to ‘smile with ease’ in front of a camera.
Dr Gill put together a treatment program that saw Mariam wear increasingly snugger-fitting polymer braces to gradually shift her teeth into alignment.
Six months after starting an Invisalign treatment – which involved wearing a clear brace for 22 hours every day – Mariam is ‘so happy’ with the results. Pictured left before and right after
Mariam had perfectly straight teeth aged 11, after wearing traditional braces, but was not given a retainer and her teeth moved out of place as she grew.
Dr Gill explained: ‘It is really surprising how many people were not advised that their teeth could move back after completing their orthodontic treatment.
‘However, the vast majority of my patients would never consider wearing braces again in adulthood and so find the prospect of treatment with Invisalign clear aligners a far more acceptable option.
‘This form of treatment is acknowledged to be as effective as braces but completely unobtrusive, in fact, virtually invisible – as well as being removable and comfortable.’
By the time Mariam reached her late twenties, she says she had a ‘severe overlap’ and was unable to completely close her mouth.
She added: ‘The whole process of treatment with the Invisalign system fascinated me.
‘It looked so benign – how could a flexible piece of polymer move the teeth? I just couldn’t believe that my mouth would look as good as the digital projections I was shown and in such a short space of time.’
But she was pleasantly surprised when, each week, her smile matched the images she had been shown at the beginning of the treatment.
Specially trained orthodontists and dentists use digital scanning technology and 3D software to plot the way the teeth should move over a period of weeks.
Mariam said: ‘Each new aligner was snug at first, but after a day or so, as the teeth moved into the new position, it eased up.
Dr Gill put together a treatment programme that saw Mariam wear increasingly snugger fitting polymer braces to gradually shift her teeth into alignment. Pictured before treatment
‘Within 10 weeks I could notice a significant difference, and almost six months to the day I started my treatment had concluded, and I had the smile I had hoped for.
‘It was surreal, the results are amazing, the treatment plan had not been too ambitious.’
Mariam added that she would definitely be wearing her Invisalign retainer each night to keep her teeth in place.
For more information about The Richmond Dentist visit https://therichmonddentist.co.uk/dental-treatments/invisalign-in-richmond/