Leave A Lasting Impression With A Standout Smile

Introductions are going a little differently these days. Instead of working lunches and client dinners, many of us are doing Facetime meetings and Zoom interviews! Whether you’re saying hello to someone for the first time online or in person, the same thing happens: an impression is formed within the first few minutes. There’s no way to accurately convey your personality or resume in that short amount of time, so this initial assessment is based in large part on psychological cues. We use these nonverbal signals to communicate with each other using gestures, eye contact, and smiles. So what is your smile saying about you? Keep reading to find out how you can leave a lasting impression with a standout smile!

When it comes to first impressions, your smile is one of the most influential tools you have. It can send signs that you are confident, intelligent, and hard-working to the person you’re communicating with, making for a memorable meeting. If you don’t like the way your smile looks, however, you may end up hiding it. This can be interpreted as you being unfriendly or standoffish and may be detrimental to you both personally and professionally.

Fortunately, Williams & Hamman Orthodontics is here to help you achieve a smile you’ll be proud to share with everyone around you! Before we get to that, let’s take a look at why smiling is so important in the first place. Keep reading to learn more!

Spread a little happiness with a smile

When you’re uncomfortable with the way your smile looks, you may hide it behind your hand or avoid genuine smiles in public. This leaves others missing out since a bright smile can spread a little spark of joy to those around you with very little effort! Because smiling really is contagious, that one spark can lead to a domino effect of smiles passing from person to person, brightening up each one’s day in the process.

When you smile, it gets your “happy” chemicals flowing. Dopamine increases our feelings of happiness, and serotonin release is associated with reduced stress. Tiny molecules called neuropeptides also come into play, along with endorphins, which are natural pain relievers. You get these benefits even if you’re faking it! You’re basically throwing your brain a feel-good party every time you smile.

Set a positive tone by putting others at ease

We place a lot of emphasis on physical appearance when it comes to our first impressions, both subconsciously and consciously. We may not be able to fully assess who a person is in the moments after meeting them, but we’ll usually be able to tell if we’re going to feel comfortable around them. A genuine smile is a good indicator of that! It puts the people we’re communicating with at ease, and also helps to set a positive tone in almost any situation.

Boost your confidence and self-esteem

When you feel good about your smile, it gives you the freedom to truly be yourself. If you aren’t comfortable with the way your teeth look, it can be difficult to stray outside your comfort zones or really let your personality shine. This means the message you’re trying to communicate may get lost before it ever reaches the intended audience. 

Orthodontic treatment with our practice can give you a smile that looks great and feels good, too! And when you love the way your smile looks, you’ll want to share it with everyone around you. It will also help you feel more confident in yourself, and that will come through in your interactions with others.

Smiling is linked to desirable characteristics

A hundred or so years ago, a researcher by the name of Edward Thorndike described a phenomenon he called the “halo effect.” This explained how our brains tend to attribute multiple positive qualities to a person based on us noticing just one positive quality. You may be wondering what that has to do with your smile. Invisalign wanted to know the answer to this question, too, and enlisted Kelton Global to conduct a perception study for them. 

This study found that straight teeth are often perceived to be an indicator of many positive qualities, such as confidence, success, and popularity. The study also showed that about two-thirds of Americans are more likely to remember attractive features than those that they find to be unpleasant. Snap judgments can be unfair, but since they happen every day you may as well take advantage of them by sharing an unforgettable smile with others!

Set your smile up for success with our exciting treatment options

Williams & Hamman Orthodontics is proud to offer patients of all ages affordable options and high-quality care. This includes the following treatments.

Traditional Metal Braces

Traditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and more comfortable today than ever before! They’re made of high-grade stainless steel, and straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. With metal braces, you also have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

Clear Braces

Also known as ceramic braces, this option is made of clear materials so the brackets are less visible on your teeth. While they are less noticeable than metal braces, they do require a bit more attention to oral hygiene as the ceramic brackets are slightly larger and more brittle than other options. For this reason, ceramic braces tend to be used more on upper front teeth than on lower teeth. We also tend to only recommend clear braces to our older teen and adult patients. 

Clear Aligners

Clear aligner systems are our most popular alternative to traditional braces. Instead of brackets, bands, and wires, we move the teeth using a series of clear, customized aligners. These acrylic trays give you a comfortable fit, along with a flexibility braces just can’t match. Because they’re removable, you don’t have to worry about food restrictions, and your dental hygiene routine will be as easy as it ever was!

Leave a lasting impression with exceptional care from Williams & Hamman Orthodontics

Our goal is to give you a confident smile that improves your oral health and leaves a lasting impression on everyone you meet. No dental referral is necessary and we offer a FREE consultation for all potential patients, so why not reach out today to set up an appointment with one of our experienced doctors? There’s never been a better time to take the first step towards a standout smile!