Orthodontic Trivia

An orthodontic student needs four years of college, four years of dental school, and two to three years of post-graduate study in orthodontics before they can practice orthodontics. Whew!

Doctor Charles Tweed was the first certified orthodontist in the United States.

The first "braces" were constructed by Pierre Fauchard in 1728. Fauchard's braces consisted of a flat strip of metal that was connected to the teeth by pieces of thread.

Bands were invented by Schange in 1841. The first bands consisted of a strip of metal with a screw to adjust their size.

Orthodontic brackets were invented by Edward Angle in 1915. The brackets consisted of little hooks made of metal that were attached to bands that went around your teeth.

Doctor Edward Angle modified his design, producing the edgewise bracket in 1928. If you or your parents got braces before 1970, they probably got braces similar to those invented by Angle.

If you are right handed, you will tend to chew your food on the right side of your mouth. If you are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on the left side.

If one identical twin grows up without a given tooth coming in, the second identical twin usually grows up without the tooth, too.

If the roof of your mouth is narrow, you are more prone to snore since you are not getting enough oxygen through your nose.

You will get fewer cavities if you eat a bag of candy in one sitting and then brush your teeth than if you slowly eat the candy a piece at a time all day.

© 2007 Ross Orthodontics. All Rights Reserved