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Everyone loves fun facts. They're just so fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at Benson Orthodontics thought you would enjoy!

• 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.

• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.

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

Have a great week everyone!
-Your friends at Benson Orthodontics

Exactly one week from today, Dr. Bartley Benson and our staff at Benson Orthodontics will celebrate America's 234th birthday. For most people, Independence Day is a time to celebrate, as well as commemorate, the anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence. It's also a time for most Americans to pay homage to all our soldiers, past, present and future - who lost their lives in battle - and soldiers who continue to place themselves in danger every day so that Americans everywhere may celebrate our freedom.

Today, we thought we'd ask: what are your Fourth of July weekend plans? Are you heading to a barbecue? Hitting the great American open road with family?

If you're planning on using fireworks, we want you to be extra careful! Dr. Benson and team also want you to exercise caution if you'll be out swimming. Finally, you should remember to wear sunscreen: wearing SPF 15 helps, but you should reapply it every couple of hours, especially after swimming or sweating in the sun.

Whatever you end up doing over Independence Day weekend, our entire staff hope you have a great week and a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend! We encourage you to give us a call for more summer safety tips.

Kathy, one of our amazing patients at Benson Orthodontics, recently gave us a short testimonial about how even as an adult, she was able to benefit from orthodontic treatment with Invisalign. In fact, during Kathy's 14-month treatment, only two people noticed she was wearing the clear aligners! Is Invisalign treatment right for you? You can learn more about Invisalign on our website, or by giving us a call at either of our convenient locations in Mt. Juliet or Lebanon!

Have you recently completed treatment at Benson Orthodontics? Our entire team would like to congratulate you again! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Benson will provide—or has provided you by now—with retainers. After braces are removed, our staff will tell you that teeth may shift out of position if they're not stabilized.

Retainers, however, provide that stabilization, and are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until your bones and gums adapt to treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Benson is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

If you have additional questions about retainers or your treatment here at Benson Orthodontics, please give us a call and we'll try to answer any question you may have.