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It may feel like there is a month or day for everything these days. From National Hot Dog Day to National Mustache Month, these fun celebrations offer a time for nearly everyone. October was National Orthodontic Health Month, and you can bet your braces that our team at Cascadia Smiles Orthodontics was excited! Over the course of the month, we posted weekly about orthodontic facts you may not have known. But, just in case you missed it, we have compiled the facts all right here.
15 Fun Facts About Orthodontics
Orthodontics has changed thousands of lives around the world by improving speech, the ability to eat, and overall comfort. Whether you had braces, head gear, or space maintainers - this dental specialty continues to reveal beautiful and healthy smiles.
- Fact #1: Four million Americans are currently wearing braces!
- Fact #2: All orthodontists are trained dentists, but only 5% of dentists are also orthodontists.
- Fact #3: Braces are nearly 300 years old, but orthodontic devices can be traced back as far as ancient Egypt.
- Fact #4: Our teeth shift forward throughout our lives, meaning that as we get older the front of our mouth looks more crowded!
- Fact #5: Retainers are just as important as braces.
- Fact #6: Right handed? You probably chew your food on the right side of your mouth! Same goes for lefties.
- Fact #7: The best time to begin orthodontic treatment is at age 7, but most people don’t visit the orthodontist until late adolescence.
- Fact #8: Modern archwires are activated by your body heat. They are also reactivated after having a cold drink.
- Fact #9: You can thank NASA for modern braces. They developed the alloy that is currently used to make braces.
- Fact #10: “Ortho” means straight or correct. “Dont” (not to be confused with “don’t”) means tooth. Put it all together and “orthodontics” means straight teeth.
- Fact #11: Orthodontics became the first dental specialty in 1900.
- Fact #12: Gold was the metal of choice for braces circa 1900.
- Fact #13: Teeth can move because bone breaks down and rebuilds.
- Fact #14: Braces will not set off a metal detector: The metals used for traditional braces will not land you in trouble at airport security!
- Fact #15: 25% of patients need re-treatment when not treated properly. So trust the team at Cascadia Smiles Orthodontics and wear your retainer!
Start Your Journey with Orthodontics
Crooked teeth started with the Neanderthals, but it can end with you! Our experienced and professional orthodontic team at Cascadia Smiles offers free orthodontic consults. We can also help you decide between traditional metal braces or Invisalign. Schedule an appointment today and lets start your journey toward a healthier, more comfortable smile.
