Facts To Smile About
Smile with your braces! These fun facts may help you put that smile on.
Did you know that there are 4 million Americans are currently wearing dental braces in the US? Of those receiving treatment, 75 percent are younger than 18.
Braces go way back to antiquity, discovered in mummified remains in and around Egypt. Cords made from animal intestines were found wrapped around individual teeth to close gaps and straighten crooked teeth. Apparently, ancient Egyptians are concerned about their appearances even in the afterlife.
The braces that resembled today’s orthodontic design were first developed in France in 1728. It was French dentist, Pierre Fauchard, who created them from gold wire, fastened to teeth with thread. The guy is considered the Father of Modern Dentistry.
It was NASA that first created wiring out of nickel titanium which now is used for dental braces. The thin, highly elastic and flexible wires are activated by body heat or pressure and able to maintain their shape after being bent and attached.
Invisalign was invented by two Stanford business school graduates who had no dental experience whatsoever. They just had an idea for wireless braces and a 3D printer. Millions of transparent braces later has made it the most popular invisible braces used by majority of orthodontists
Teeth have memory. After you are done wearing braces and you don’t use retainers, risk of relapse is very high; evident in just one month. They will shift back to their original crooked position without retainers. In fact, about 25% of treatment end in failure because patients neglect their retainers. They are the only way to keep a straight smile after your orthodontic treatment.
Brace Yourself with Bellevue Dental Braces
Know more about dental braces when you visit us at Overlake Dental. We can give you more fun facts to help you along if this is the treatment for you. If you are convinced that straight teeth with no gaps is the route to self-esteem and healthy living, see us in Bellevue.