REASON TO SMILE

Braces that don’t hurt, look good and are affordable? It’s what the dentist ordered.

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"Straightening your smile can be affordable!"

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Zenyum is live in seven markets across Asia: Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan and Indonesia 
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"A set of invisible braces is $2,400"

Invisalign is a popular choice for adults who trying to straighten their smile because it's less noticeable than braces. Unfortunately, it typically comes with a heftier price tag.  Enter Zenyum, which is changing that with the clever utilisation of technology. #TeamCLEO spoke to their CEO Julian Artopé to learn more about what they offer.

It began with an idea… And tech made it possible. Julian thought of the idea of Zenyum while he was in KL working at a startup, and started a discussion with an orthodontist. “I liked the idea of 3D-printed invisible braces, and to make it more accessible. We started Zenyum in 2018 in Singapore, and early 2019 in Malaysia,” he says.

Pain is minimal… And it’s because of the idea of gradual movement. “With original braces, you’d go in once a month to the orthodontist to get it tightened. With these, you change them every five days, so essentially it’s only a quarter of the pain,” says Julian.

You can do the things you usually do… You wear them 20 hours a day and remove them to eat and brush as per usual. This gives you the freedom to live how you did pre-braces. You also don’t really see that you’re wearing braces. And to clean it? “Just a toothbrush, some toothpaste and lukewarm water,” says Julian.

Tech is central to Zenyum… You save a lot of time and money. “You go to the website to see if you’re a candidate by sending a picture of your teeth, and this part is free. You are evaluated by a team of dentists and once you do qualify, you physically go to a dentist appointment,” Julian says.

The process is pretty simple — the dentist looks at your teeth, takes X-rays to see your bone structure, then an impression or 3D scan of your teeth. You get your set of braces upfront, get fitted, then check in with the Zenyum app.

Of course there’s an app! “Whenever you switch your braces, you take a picture to see the progress. You have a chat functionality with the Zenyum team and your dentist. When there are issues, you go and get treated,” Julian explains.

How long does it take? The average time to complete a set of braces is seven months, depending on your teeth. After the braces, there are retainers also available to make sure that the smile stays in place. “We provide refinement stages where you get rescanned and possibly a few more braces,” says Julian.

The only thing is … you need to be at least 18 to enjoy the full benefits, because there is more teeth movement as a teenager, and Zenyum caps their cycle at nine months. If your teeth require movement or you need to change your bite, Julian recommends traditional braces.

If you lose a pair don’t fret! “Not much will change as there’s a certain level of tolerance built into the braces. So if you lose this week’s pair you can wear next week’s pair.

How much is it? It’s $2,400 for a set of braces, excluding your doctor’s consultation visits. Zenyum also offers installment plans so you can pay in smaller chunks.

“[Zenyum’s invisible braces] give you the freedom to live how you did pre-braces.”

TEXT AND INTERVIEW LINA ESA IMAGES COURTESY OF ZENYUM