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Over the years, various studies have shown that a confident, attractive smile can make you stand out in a crowd and leave a lasting impression on others. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, and it’s also the feature they’re most likely to remember when recalling your face. If you’re trying to get ahead in the work world, a healthy smile can go a long way! But can you still leave a lasting impression with a beautiful smile if you’re dealing with crooked or misaligned teeth?
Here at Windy City Orthodontics, we know how frustrating it can be to feel that your oral health is holding you back from realizing your true potential. If you’ve spent years feeling self-conscious about your smile, our expert team can help! Let’s take a closer look at what makes smiles so important, and how our treatment options can help you get ahead.
Fake it ‘til you make it
Humans are very good at mimicking facial expressions, whether we realize we’re doing it or not. This behavior allows us to understand the person we’re communicating with and respond appropriately. It can also trigger a similar emotional state in those around us, and even boost our mood briefly if we’re mirroring a positive expression. If you’ve ever heard that smiling is contagious, this explains why!
A healthy, happy smile can send a signal to potential employers that you may be a positive influence on people around you. Yale University set out to demonstrate this in a study by dividing volunteers into small groups and assigning specific tasks. One team member was secretly instructed to act upbeat as they entered the room, and when they came in with a smile on their face, the mood in the room noticeably lifted! This study also found that each individual’s performance improved and the group itself was more likely to achieve its goal.
A similar study was undertaken by scientists at the University of Kansas. Subjects were given stressful tasks to complete, and some participants were asked to smile during these tasks while others were told to maintain a straight face. Researchers measured the heart rates of the participants, and the subjects were asked to self-report their stress levels as they performed the tasks.
Those who had been told to smile had lower heart rates and their bodies showed increased resistance to stress. They also reported feeling more positive overall than those who were told to keep a straight face. This shows us just how powerful a simple smile can be, and also explains why it’s such an attractive trait when it comes to employees and coworkers.
Harness the power of the Halo Effect
In the early 1920s, a researcher by the name of Edward Thorndike came up with the term “halo effect” as a way to describe how our brains attribute multiple positive qualities to a person based on us noticing just one positive quality. To put it in simpler terms, we tend to make up information about a person based on our own perception of them. While this may not be the best way to process the new people we meet, it certainly highlights just how important first impressions can be!
One trait that’s been proven to get the halo effect going is an attractive smile. Several studies have shown that people with a winning smile are often seen by their peers to be smarter, more successful, and even more trustworthy than someone who doesn’t smile often. Orthodontic treatment with Windy City Orthodontics could give your smile the boost it needs to help you get your foot in the door of your dream job or stand out for a big promotion!
Boost your self-confidence
If you’re self-conscious about your smile (or anything else, for that matter) you may not have the confidence to step outside your comfort zone and take risks, but this is often exactly what’s required to achieve real success! Feeling happy with your appearance can make you feel better about your life in general, and having a smile you love can be a big part of that. Invisalign conducted a survey on this very subject and found that almost 80% of adults who underwent orthodontic treatment said having a healthier smile gave them the confidence to do something they never would have considered doing before. That’s pretty inspiring stuff!
Set the tone with a smile
A genuine smile helps to set the tone in any situation, and if you’re confident in your own, it’s something potential employers will pay attention to. When you attend a job interview, your credentials are only part of what the interviewer will be looking at. Even if you’re qualified in every other way, coming across as stiff or unfriendly could hurt your chances of being offered the position or promotion you desire. Successful companies don’t just want a candidate who looks good on paper— they’re also looking for someone who will contribute to a positive work environment.
Find your best smile with Windy City Orthodontics
Our appearance can play an important role in how we feel about ourselves and affects how others perceive us, as well. Dr. Pakravan has the training, skill, and expertise to help you achieve a beautiful, confident smile that you’ll want to share with everyone around you!
Smiling has been linked to better moods, greater positivity, and being able to connect with others more easily. It also helps to reduce stress levels and increases your chances of making a positive first impression. It may even give you the edge you need to achieve your career goals! If you’re in the Chicago area and would like to learn more about the orthodontic treatments we offer, get in touch today to schedule your FREE consultation with Dr. Pakravan.