The importance of retainers, from Sellers Orthodontics

If you recently completed treatment at Sellers Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Sellers will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, however, always 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. Sellers 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. Sellers, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call!

What's on your summer reading list?

With summer in full swing, all of us at Sellers Orthodontics wanted to remind all our patients about the importance of reading. Sure it’s easy to keep putting off reading this time of year, but reading during the summer is a vital step in brain development and warding off the dreaded “summer slide.” Plus, it's fun!

Today, we thought we’d ask: What's on YOUR summer reading list? What are some of your all-time favorites? Out of ideas for great summer reads? Ask us for suggestions, and our staff and Dr. Keith Sellers would be happy to provide a few suggestions. You may also ask a local librarian for some ideas or check out these summer reading ideas that we came across today, courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading! Be sure to share with us your summer picks or your all-time favorites on our Facebook page!

How to freshen your breath, with Dr. Sellers

Dr. Keith Sellers, your Charlotte orthodontist, recognizes that many of our patients are concerned about bad breath, or halitosis. While some cases of bad breath are persistent (chronic bad breath), generally bad breath is transient, and can be prevented.

We recently came across this helpful video about bad breath and thought it was worth sharing with our patients. The video explains what might cause bad breath and some ways that it can be avoided. In most instances, bad breath can be prevented by practicing common oral hygiene techniques that you have probably heard us emphasize during a visit to Sellers Orthodontics, such as brushing and flossing daily. We encourage you to watch this video for additional tips on how to keep bad breath at bay. Enjoy!

Sellers Orthodontics, distinguishing the myths and facts about orthodontics

Trust us when we say Dr. Sellers and our staff know there are quite a few myths about orthodontics (and orthodontists) floating around these days. But before you buy into those myths, we think you should get the facts! Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists set the record straight (no pun intended) and have provided some information that sheds some light on the myths and facts of orthodontics. We encourage you to check them out today!

If you have any questions about orthodontics or your treatment here at Sellers Orthodontics, feel free to give us a call.

Happy Social Media Day, from Sellers Orthodontics!

It seems like in today’s world, every day feels like social media day. However, June 30th is officially Social Media Day, “a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social.” Much like the use of cell phones, checking and updating social media has become a daily routine for many people. We here at Sellers Orthodontics are particularly grateful for social media because we are able to interact with patients like you.

Recently we found a very interesting study about social media that was presented on May 25, 2011 by Edison Research and Arbitron that presents some very interesting statistics about social media use in America today. One fascinating highlight is that approximately 46 million Americans who are the age of 12 or older check their social media sites and services several times a day. Check out the full study for more interesting information about social media and social networking.

As you might have noticed, we love engaging in conversation with our patients online. It’s a great way to connect with our patients. It also helps us share news, photos, ideas, and upcoming events at the office. We have found that our Facebook fan page and blog are great tools for making this connection.

Dr. Sellers and our team want to continue to improve our social networking presence. Let us know how you would like us to be using our social media or what you would like to see posted on the blog.

Happy Social Media Day!

Stay Cool with a Braces-Friendly Summer Treat!

Summer is here! Kids and adults alike will now be spending more time outside being active and enjoying the hotter temperatures. What’s better on a hot summer day than a delicious treat that will cool you down after doing something active in the summer sun? Luckily, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have just the thing, Watermelon Sorbet! You can find the complete recipe below:

Watermelon Sorbet

Ingredients
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 to 3 cups watermelon, diced, no seeds or rind

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat the water, sugar, and lime juice on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Chill this “syrup” at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, place the watermelon chunks in a food processor or blender and liquefy them. Add the chilled syrup to the watermelon puree and blend. Freeze sorbet in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately.

Happy Summer!

-Dr. Sellers and team

Smile! June is National Smile Month!

According to the American Dental Association, a person's smile outranked eyes, hair and body as the most important physical feature, which is why it's important for our team at Sellers Orthodontics to support National Smile Month this June.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to improve your oral health so that you may celebrate National Smile Month for many, many years to come:

* Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Here's a helpful video showing you how to brush with your braces on.
* Floss every day to clean between your teeth.
* Reduce your intake of sugary foods and drinks during your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Sellers.
* Visit your dentist regularly (usually every six months apart).

If you have questions about any of these tips, we encourage you to give us a call.