Smiling in Italy

It always feels good when someone appreciates something you've done, but it is even more rewarding when you can change someone's whole self image.

Today I was speaking to the father of one of my teen patients. He said "Oh my god Dr. Okun, I have to tell you. I have to tell you that my daughter's smile is so gorgeous. We went to Italy this summer, I'm an Italian American, but anyway, she knocked them dead over there. The men and the boys. You did it. It was entirely you."

When you feel good about your smile, you smile more often. And when you're smiling, people smile back at you. Being surrounded by those return- smiles makes you feel more confident, and then you change your posture, and how you present yourself. This is how I was able to change this young lady's life. With braces and dentofacial orthopedics, I changed the balance of her face, and how her teeth supported her lips, which changed her smile and her entire self image. This new self-confidence also changed her whole experience in Italy!

How Can You Have Fun If You’re Embarrassed To Smile?

Last night Okun Orthodontics was a sponsor for the WFAS “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” event at the Riverview in Hastings-on-Hudson. Our presentation was based on the fact that its hard to have fun if you’re embarrassed to smile (because your teeth don’t look nice) or if you’re in too much pain to smile (from jaw-joint or face pain either due to an accident or from clenching/grinding your teeth.) One of the ladies said to Dr. Okun, “It’s so true” and started relating to me the story of how she used to have horrible self esteem because she was embarrassed to smile. After a lot of dental work- which she had in her twenties- she loved her smile, and smiled all the time, and developed a great self-image. Recently, however, she has not been able to afford to go to the dentist to maintain her dental work and she said that she is now emotionally back to where she was before her dental work was done. Dr. Judith Okun is the one to see if you need to “get your smile back”. She can create the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted with straight teeth and no TMJ pain.

I love to smile

I love to smile!!! Today I heard once again "the most common phrase" that I hear from my "retention patients (when they have completed orthodontic treatment) "they look so good I love to smile now." Samara even said that I could show her smile pictures to you on my blog.

(The before picture is on the right side. The after picture is on the left side.)