Hope everyone is having a great vacation here in New Hampshire. Be safe and have fun!!! And Brush and Floss everyday!

Talking retainers with Dr. Chelian

If you recently completed treatment at My Orthodontist, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Suren Chelian will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Chelian is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Chelian, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call!

Fun fact Friday with Dr. Chelian and My Orthodontist!

Relax, it's Friday (really)! And you know what that means: Fun fact Friday! Everyone loves fun facts. Fun, fun, fun. The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that Dr. Chelian and our team at My Orthodontist thought you might enjoy. Have a great weekend!

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.

• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.

• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.

• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.

• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.

• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.

• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Mr. Bean goes to the dentist!

Dr. Chelian and team thought we'd give you a little treat today. Here's a little classic dental humor for you to enjoy, from the bumbling yet lovable British spy, Mr. Bean. We loved it, and know you'll get a laugh as well. Enjoy "Mr. Bean Goes to the Dentist”!

The benefits of smiling, from Dr. Chelian

Great news to report this Friday afternoon! People with big, happy smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a recent study conducted at Wayne State University.

Dr. Suren Chelian knows that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something interesting: they used the Baseball Register to review close-up smiles of 230 players who began their baseball careers prior to 1950 by studying their smile intensity (ranging from wide smile, no smile and partial smile).

The researchers then took into account other factors associated with life longevity, such as body mass index, career length and, believe it or not, college attendance. They found that players who weren't smiling died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big, wide smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old!

Our staff's take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you perfected your smile by visiting My Orthodontist lately? If not, give us a call and have a great weekend!