Ask Dr. Rad: What's the deal with retainers?

If you recently completed treatment with Dr. Mehdy Rad, we’d like to congratulate you! Again! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Rad or Dr. Dave will provide—or have provided you—with retainers. After your braces come off, teeth may shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, Dr. Rad will tell you, 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 our doctors and staff is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your treatment at Rad Orthodontics, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth. Also, please visit our website for a few retainer tips.

Happy Monday!

How important is your smile? From Rad Orthoodontics

At Rad Orthodontics we want to give you and your family the best orthodontic care for the best smiles.

And speaking of smiles, in a new poll conducted by Glamour Magazine, people were asked, “If you had to pick between having perfect teeth, eyesight or hair, which would you choose?

Well, 44 percent of folks out there are choosing teeth! In addition, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, or AACD, conducted a study and found that 99.7 percent of those polled believed a smile is an important social asset. Respondents said straightness, whiteness, cleanliness, as well as the sincerity and sparkle of a person’s smile were all important factors not only socially, but career-wise as well.

At Rad Orthodontics, we want you to experience life with a beautiful, healthy, confident smile. Please contact our practice at (301) 637-6476 to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Rad.

Get to know your braces!

Should you need to call Rad Orthodontics in case you sustain any damage to your braces, we can help you more effectively if you can tell us exactly which piece is in trouble! Here’s a handy diagram and corresponding list of all the parts that make up your braces.



Elastic Tie: Tiny rubber band that fits around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Archwire: The main wire that acts as a track to guide the teeth along. It's changed periodically throughout treatment, as teeth move to their new positions.

Loop in Archwire: Frequently used for closing space left by an extraction. Many archwires don't have a loop.

Bracket: Small attachment that holds the archwire in place. Most often, a bracket is cemented directly onto the tooth's surface, eliminating the need for a band.

Headgear Tube: Round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of the headgear fits into it.

Coil Spring: Fits between brackets and over archwire to open space between teeth.

Tie Wire: Fine wire that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Band: A thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the brackets to the tooth.

Hook: Welded or removable arm to which elastics (rubber bands) are attached.

Elastic (Rubber Band): Small rubber band that is hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth.

--Dr. Rad

When should you call Rad Orthodontics?

Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists have put together this helpful list that outlines when you should call Rad Orthodontics, conveniently located in College Park and Potomac & serving the greater Washington DC area. Here are some early warning signs indicating it’s time to check in with us:

1. Early or late loss of baby teeth
2. Difficulty of chewing or biting
3. Mouth breathing
4. Finger sucking or other oral habits
5. Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
6. Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or retrude
7. Speech difficulty
8. Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
9. Protruding teeth
10. Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
11. Facial imbalance or asymmetry
12. Grinding or clenching of teeth

Do any of these warning signs fit you? If so, please give us a call as soon as possible!

Lastly, we'd like to wish Dr. Rad a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Love your smile? Tell the world about it!

At Rad Orthodontics, we want to give you and your family the best orthodontic care for the best smiles. It is our goal at Rad Orthodontics to provide patients with a positive orthodontic experience that is comfortable, effective, and most of all, fun! Drs. Mehdy and David Rad focuses on making sure that his patients have a positive, rewarding, fun experience that leaves them smiling for years to come.

Whether you've visited Drs. Rad for a week, months or even years, we'd love to hear your feedback about how our office is faring! There are lots of ways you can share your thoughts about our practice with the rest of the world, but we encourage you to head to our Google Local page and write a review there.

After all, reviews help Drs. Rad create more beautiful smiles for people in Potomac, College Park, Washington DC and surrounding communities.

You may write your review here.

Thanks, and enjoy your weekend!

Presidents' Day Fun Facts!

Today marks Presidents’ Day, a day known for celebrating both George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s combined February birthdays. Presidents’ Day was created in 1971, when President Richard Nixon combined the birthdays of two of our most well-known presidents into one single federal holiday. Presidents’ Day also marks a hard-earned day off from work and school for a lot of our patients at Rad Orthodontics.

Here are a few fun facts about our nation’s presidents we thought you might enjoy:

*Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, supposedly carried letters, bills and notes in his tall stovepipe hat.

*George Washington is the first president to be featured on a postage stamp.

*Ronald Reagan, our 40th president, broke the so-called “20-year curse,” in which every president elected in a year ending in 0 died in office.

*Harry S. Truman was the first president to have his Inauguration and speeches televised.

*Fourteen presidents served as vice presidents: J. Adams, Jefferson, Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore, A. Johnson, Arthur, T. Roosevelt, Coolidge, Truman, Nixon, L. Johnson, Ford, and George H.W. Bush.

Check out the Braces Brigade blog!

At Rad Orthodontics, we know our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys.

In the latest installment of the Braces Brigade blog, Mary K. shares a few tips for those getting ready to undergo orthodontic treatment. We strongly encourage you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call or ask us on Facebook if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment!

Complimentary Consultations at Rad Orthodontics

At Rad Orthodontics, we are committed to excellence in orthodontics. It is our goal to provide the highest quality orthodontic treatment available in a professional, caring and fun environment where patient's needs are our top priority. Our focus is on patient comfort and efficient treatment results.

One of our commitments is meeting with you to help you explore all or the options available to you or your child. We offer complimentary consultations for those interested in orthodontic treatment. During this time, you'll have time reserved with Drs. Mehdy and David Rad, who will assess your particular needs as well as discuss treatment options available and answer any questions you may have. We place a high value on making sure you have complete information before beginning treatment.

If you have been thinking about obtaining the dazzling smile you’ve always wanted, we invite you to give us a call at (301) 299-3993. We have two great offices located in College Park and Potomac, MD (Maryland), making it more convenient for patients in both Maryland and Washington DC to schedule appointments closer to their homes, schools, and where they work.

See you soon!

- The team at Rad Orthodontics

February Marks National Dental Health Month

At Rad Orthodontics, February is National Children's Dental Health Month, as well as National Dental Health Month, and Dr. Rad and team thought we’d promote good oral hygiene among our patients with a few tips and tricks, courtesy of the American Dental Association.

• Teeth brushing techniques: It takes only two minutes to properly brush using short, gentle strokes and devoting extra attention to the gumline, areas around fillings and hard-to-reach areas such as the back teeth.

• Flossing: hold the floss snugly between thumbs and index finger and insert it between each of the teeth, making sure to go beneath the gumline and curving the floss around the base of each tooth.

• Snack wisely: choose healthy snacks such as cheese, fruits and vegetables and avoid crunchy, sticky, chewy candies that can stick to the teeth. If you eat these snacks, be sure to brush after doing so.

• Carbonated or sugary drinks: these drinks create acids that can damage the teeth when mixed with saliva, so they should be avoided altogether. If you’re going to drink one of these beverages, don’t sip on it throughout the day. Rather, drink it and then brush your teeth.

• Regular dental visits: in addition to seeing our team at Rad Orthodontics during your orthodontic treatment, you should visit your dentist for professional check-ups and teeth cleaning appointments about every six months.

National Dental Health Month aims to increase awareness about the importance of our patients' oral health. If you have any questions about keeping your mouth healthy, or about your treatment with Rad Orthodontics, please feel free to give us a call or ask us on Facebook!

Ask Dr. Rad: What are "Dentofacial Orthopedics"?

You may have noticed that we at Rad Orthodontics specialize in "Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics." While most people have heard of orthodontics, many are confused by the "dentofacial orthopedics" part of the title.

Not to worry - we can explain!

You probably know that an orthodontist straightens teeth, and indeed: "ortho" comes from the Greek for "straight" or "correct," and "dontic" from the Greek for "teeth." But what about dentofacial orthopedics? "Dentofacial" is "teeth" plus "face" while "ortho" again means "straight" and "pedic" is from the Greek for "child."

Essentially, while orthodontics entails the management of tooth movement, dentofacial orthopedics involves the guidance of facial growth and development, which occurs largely during childhood. In both cases, appliances are frequently used – the more familiar braces for orthodontics, and other specialized appliances like headgear and expanders depending on what facial abnormalities are present. Sometimes orthopedic treatment may precede conventional braces, but often the two are accomplished at the same time. So if your child gets braces and headgear, he's undergoing orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics!

Because we are skilled in both areas, we are able to diagnose any misalignments in the teeth and jaw as well as the facial structure, and can devise a treatment plan that integrates both orthodontic and dentofacial orthopedic treatments.

We hope that helps! Contact our College Park or Potomac orthodontic office and schedule a complimentary consultation for your child. It’s never too late to get a great smile, and we can’t wait to help you get started.

Rad Orthodontics present: the importance of mouth guards

Are you remembering to wear your mouth guard when playing sports? Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, say children up to 14 years old account for 80 percent of all sports-related emergency room visits. Here are five tips to save face while having fun on the field.

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

Did you know Rad Orthodontics now offers Under Armour Performance Mouthwear powered by Armourbite Technology? The custom-built mouthguards improve performance for athletes in any sport, from soccer to hockey to golf! The benefits include increased strength due to improved airflow and less stress from clenching, increased endurance by reducing lactic acid build-up, faster reaction times, reduced athletic stress and reduced impact.

Learn more by visiting Under Armour's official website. We hope that helps - never forget those mouth guards!

Gummy Tummy? From Rad Orthodontics

At Rad Orthodontics, we know the rumors going around that once you swallow a piece of chewing gum it will take up residency in your stomach for at least seven years! We really hate to take all the fun out of the mystery, but the truth is that chewing gum, when swallowed, will enter the stomach and move through the digestive system just like any other piece of food and leave the body long before seven years! So, if you ever have accidentally swallowed a piece of gum, there is no need to worry!

This being said, gum does not have any dietary benefits, so while it’s not harmful to swallow, you still want to avoid swallowing it. If you are a gum-chewer, make sure you chew sugarless gum, because gum with sugar can lead to cavities. Sugarless gum still has the same amount of flavor, but with less cavity causing ingredients. You see, when the bacterium in your mouth breaks down sugar, what’s left behind is acid. This acid eats away at the enamel coating of your teeth, causing holes that we call cavities. Cavities can lead to other long term mouth problems if they are not treated in time, so it is best to try and avoid overexposing your teeth to too many harmful substances!

Give us a call at our convenient College Park or Potomac office if you have any questions!

Happy (sugar-free) gum chewing from Dr. Rad and our entire staff!

Connect with the Braces Brigade!

At Rad Orthodontics, we know our patients want to get as much out of their treatment as possible. That includes asking a lot of questions and making sure they take care of both their appliances and oral health.

Would you like to learn more about what to expect during orthodontic treatment, from someone with firsthand experience? Well, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently developed the Braces Brigade blog, where past, present, as well as future orthodontic patients from coast to coast document their (or their child’s) orthodontic journeys. The blog will serve as a source of guidance for others as the patients undergo orthodontic care.

We encourage you to visit the Braces Brigade blog to read these great and informative blogs—who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two! As always, don’t hesitate to give us a call at our Potomac or College Park offices if you have any questions about the Braces Brigade or your own orthodontic treatment with Dr. Rad!

Happy New Year!