When I moved to Miami to attend UM two years ago, I wasn’t sure of what I would be getting into.  I had predicted that my relocation from a small midwestern town to a vibrant and bustling city would take some getting used to.  What I hadn’t imagined was how quickly I would fall in love with Miami. The art, the music, the international flavors, the beaches, the fashion, the welcoming people and of course the magical sunrises and sunsets. The vibe in Miami is like no place else on earth and I was all about it!

I quickly settled into my new life as a university student (Go Canes!) and resident of Miami. Being able to study for exams in December from the comfort of a beach chair was nothing short of spectacular. Everything I needed in terms of shopping, restaurants, doctors and other services was within close proximity to the off-campus apartment I was renting with two other UM students, Anna and Karen.

As I was nearing the end of my sophomore year, it was time to begin the search for internships and focus on my career path. I began fine tuning my resume and preparing for job interviews. It was time to ditch my college sweatshirt and baseball cap and get my professional style together. My roommate, Anna, who is as stylish as they come, helped me select the basics I would need to look career-ready. We spent the day shopping (and eating!) on Brickell Avenue and had a wonderful time finding me a new wardrobe.

When the day came for my first interview, I stood in front of the mirror admiring my new and sophisticated look. However, there was one thing that I was not feeling confident about – my smile.  My bottom teeth had always been crooked, although I had gotten proficient at hiding them when I smiled. What I couldn’t conceal was my overbite and the gap between my front teeth. When I was younger, I was told my gapped-tooth smile was “cute”.  But there I was, dressed to impress and looking ready to take on the business world, yet my teeth made me look and feel like a young schoolgirl. It was definitely not the look I was going for!

After sharing my concerns with my two roommates, both of them chimed in at the same time, “Dr. Maria Yazji!” they both shrieked. “Who?” I questioned? Well, it turned out that my roommates (and pseudo style consultants) both had the kind of perfect smiles you see in fashion magazines, and both had been Invisalign patients of Dr. Maria Yazji. They told me that Dr. Yazji had offices in the Brickell Downtown area of Miami, West Miami, and in Weston where Karen was originally from. Without hesitation, they pulled up Dr. Yazji’s website on my laptop. They insisted I call Dr. Yazji right away for what they referred to as a free “smile consultation”.  I told them I always knew I needed braces but the thought of all that metal in my mouth kept me from making an appointment. “What planet have you been living on?” quipped Anna. “Have you not heard about clear Invisalign aligners?” Karen added. “Do you think we were born with teeth like this? I was a full-out snaggletooth growing up – for real!!! Dr. Yazji fixed my smile with Invisalign! Back in high school, every kid in Weston went to her for braces.” she said. “She’s the best of the best!”. 

Anna went on to tell me that Dr. Yazji was named an Invisalign Super Elite Premier Provider, placing her in the top 1% of Invisalign doctors in North America. As a Super Elite Preferred Provider, Dr. Yazji is a member of an exclusive group of Invisalign practitioners in the U.S. and Canada that have met the stringent Invisalign clinical education requirements and experience levels. My roommates assured me that I’d be in really good hands at Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics. They also informed me that as one of Dr. Yazji’s Invisalign patients, I would be given access to a phone app called Anywhere Orthodontics  that would let me scan images of my smile from my phone and send them to Dr. Yazji for feedback if I had some kind of concern. These are called “remote appointments” and would mean fewer visits to the orthodontist’s office. That was really important to me as a college student because I was taking a full load of classes and I was involved in several school clubs. My tight schedule left me very little free time for frequent appointments. I was lucky if I found time to sleep! When I did have to visit Dr. Yazji for my regular appointments, her office in Brickell was conveniently located just a few minutes from campus. My roommates told me that Dr. Yazji’s Miami offices are a college hotspot because so many students from FIU and UM go there for their Invisalign treatment. Anna likes to tell everyone how she met her boyfriend in the reception area while waiting for her appointment with Dr. Yazji. “Who needs Miami nightclubs to meet hot college guys when Dr. Yazji’s office is so close to campus!” She likes to say. 

After hearing so many great things about Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics, my next step was to convince my parents of why Invisalign clear aligners from Dr. Yazji would be a good thing for me.  Here is my list of Invisalign treatment benefits that I sent to them:

• According to the American Association of Orthodontists, straightening crooked teeth can improve overall dental health because it creates a better bite, making teeth fit better and decreasing the risk of future dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and difficulty chewing.
• Invisalign clear aligners have become the most popular removable dental brace.
• A better smile will improve my confidence as I go on job interviews and prepare to enter the career world.
• Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics has offices in Miami close to the university.
• Dr. Yazji is an Invisalign Super Elite Premier Provider.
• Because Invisalign aligners are removable, they won’t impede my daily brushing and flossing routine.
• I will smile more when I Facetime you and Dad.  : )
• Dr. Yazji’s Invisalign patients get access to Anywhere Orthodontics for remote appointments –  so I won’t miss any of my classes.
• Invisalign is the most advanced technology that will give me an amazing smile.
• Dr. Yazji treats tons of college kids from Miami and I might meet a really cute guy while I’m there, like Anna did.  : )
• I know, in your eyes I’m perfect in every way, but in reality, my smile is goofy and Dr. Yazji can make it look a whole lot better.
• With Invisalign, I will be able to see my teeth gradually moving into their ideal position.
• Invisalign treatment would make a very nice early graduation gift if you were wondering about that.
• Having a beautiful Invisalign smile could translate to better job offers and better pay so I won’t need to move back home with you and dad after graduation.

With so many convincing benefits of Invisalign treatment, my parents were on board with me getting my teeth straightened at Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics. I immediately made an appointment for my Smile Assessment and in no time had received my first set of clear aligners. My Invisalign aligners were custom fit using high tech scanners at Dr. Yazji’s office. They fit great and were comfortable to wear. Because they were clear, I  hardly noticed that I was wearing them. I wore them all day and night except when I was eating or brushing. It was a relief knowing that I could still enjoy all the delicious food in Miami without having to worry about metal brackets and such. I just removed my Invisalign aligners whenever I ate. How great is that? Now that I have graduated and landed my dream job in Miami, I can’t help but recognize how very grateful I am to the entire team at Dr. Maria Yazji Orthodontics and to my parents for giving me a smile that is better than I had ever imagined. Invisalign treatment was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made – next to agreeing to a date with Tyler, who I met in Dr. Yazji’s reception area.