NEW smiles at Rad Orthodontics/NEW office hours

At Rad Orthodontics, we love - LOVE - seeing our patients smile for the first time after getting braces off. We invite you to take a peek at all the smiling faces now on our Facebook page!

Also, our Saturday hours and full days in the Potomac office are starting again! Our regular Potomac hours begin next week (August 24th) and our first open Saturday is Sept. 18th! Don't forget to join us for Movies in the Park on Sept. 18th as well!!

Smile! It's National Smile Week! From Dr. Mehdy Rad

National Smile Week may almost be over, but it's still a great time to remind our patients at Rad Orthodontics to practice good oral hygiene and keep those pearly whites shining during your treatment! That includes brushing and flossing regularly, avoiding foods that can stain your teeth such as tea and coffee (and many others) and visiting your general dentist in College Park or Potomac on a regular basis.

And, of course, we know smiles are contagious, and are always great to both give and receive. In addition, smiling can actually help you live longer, according to a study conducted earlier this year!

We hope you're having a relaxing and wonderful summer!

The Ormco Insignia System at Rad Orthodontics

You're getting braces this summer. And while you’re excited about finally having that great smile, you may be nervous about wearing wires and brackets for two or more years. Well, Dr. Mehdy Rad and our staff want to tell you about a new orthodontic system that makes straightening your teeth with braces a lot faster and easier compared to conventional orthodontic treatment. It’s called Insignia and it’s changing the way people feel about their braces.

While traditional orthodontic treatments take two or more years, it’s not true for Insignia. Through the use of Insignia’s sophisticated 3-D imaging, treatment planning, and customized braces with customized precision archwires, Dr. Rad can reduce treatment time compared to that of conventional braces.

In addition to shortening treatment times, the greater efficiency of the Insignia system at Rad Orthodontics also helps reduce the number of wire changes and adjustments you’ll need, and that means fewer trips to our office. The Insignia system’s 3-D software lets Dr. Rad analyze how to effectively and efficiently align your teeth. Through this software, personalized archwires are designed to move your teeth into proper alignment smoothly and directly, reducing the number of maintenance visits.

Give us a call at (301) 637-6476 and ask us about this revolutionary treatment! Have a great weekend!

Thanks to Invisalign's clear aligners, parents can have a perfect smile, too!

Hey parents! Focusing on your kids' teeth and oral health so much that you're neglecting your own? If you've been thinking about having your own set of perfect teeth, Dr. Mehdy Rad is here to help! We are specially trained to offer an adult-friendly option for straightening teeth called Invisalign. In fact, Dr. Rad is an Elite Premier Provider of Invisalign, meaning that we are one of the most experienced practices in the country with the Invisalign and Invisalign Teen systems.

Invisalign consists of a set of clear aligners that are molded to fit your teeth using a proprietary technology. You wear them all day and night, except for meals, brushing, and flossing – when you can easily slip them out to make eating and cleaning a snap!

Because they're clear, your teeth will be steadily straightening – and no one will know it but you! Please give us a call at (301) 299-3993 to set up a complimentary consultation with Dr. Rad, so we can discuss the specifics of your treatment.

Dr. Rad wants to know: Will you join the Braces Brigade this summer?

Dr. Mehdy Rad and our staff know that treatment can seem long and arduous to some patients. Or, for most folks, it can be a fun and exciting time to get the perfect smile you've been looking for. This summer, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists would like to reward you for sharing your story in braces with the world. The campaign is called "The Braces Brigade," and as an appreciation (if you're chosen), they'll throw in a $100 American Express gift card for your efforts.

To complete your Braces Brigade application, you'll need to provide the AAO with your:

* Name
* Age – Must be 14 years of age or older
* E-mail
* Phone number
* Stage of orthodontic treatment
* A photo of your braces/smile
* A sample blog post – picture yourself as a member of Braces Brigade and show off those blogging skills! (100-word minimum)

Here's how it works: In your monthly blogs, you'll answer the following questions:

• Why did you decide to get braces at Rad Orthodontics?
• What advice would you share with other orthodontic patients?
• What does it feel like to get braces on?
• What foods do you miss the most?
• What new foods have you discovered?
• Do your friends have braces or retainers?
• Where is the first place you’re going to show off your new, beautiful smile?
• How has your new smile changed your life?

If you happen to be under the age of 18, your parents must fill out this consent form along with your official entry.

Our staff strongly encourage you to apply for the Braces Brigade by August 31st! If you get accepted, let us know during your next visit with Dr. Rad or on our Facebook page!

Dr. Rad wants to know: are you suffering from chronic face or neck pain?

At Rad Orthodontics, we know millions of Americans suffer from chronic facial and neck pain - as well as recurrent headaches. In some cases, this pain is due to Temporomandibular Disorder, or TMD.

Your temporomandibular joints, or jaw joints, connect your lower jawbone to your skull. As you may imagine, these joints get quite a lot of use throughout the day as you speak, chew, swallow, and yawn. Pain in and around these joints can be unpleasant and may even restrict movement.

Symptoms of TMD may include:

* Pain in the jaw area
* Pain, ringing, or stuffiness in the ears
* Frequent headaches or neck aches
* Clicking or popping sound when the jaw moves
* Swelling on the sides of the face
* Muscle spasms in the jaw area
* A change in the alignment of top and bottom teeth
* Locked jaw or limited opening of the mouth

For more on TMJ/TMD, we advise you to check out this helpful guide from our friends at the Mayo Clinic. Should you notice any of these symptoms, let us know! We can help advise you as to whether they indicate the presence of TMD, and what sort of treatment is appropriate for you.

Fun (patriotic) facts with Rad Orthodontics!

On Sunday, Dr. Mehdy Rad and our staff will be busy celebrating America's 234th birthday. And because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we'd provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day!

- Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

- An estimated 2.5 million people lived in America in July 1776. Today, an estimated 309 million people reside in the United States.

- The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation, which meant that people didn't want to be taxed by a government that did not represent them.

- In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

- The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.

- America's mascot, the bald eagle, can achieve speeds of up to 200 miles per hour when making a predatory dive. During a normal flight, bald eagles can travel up to 30 miles per hour.

- The American flag patch is backwards on U.S. Army uniforms. The reason? The blue field on the flag (the part with the stars) faces forward to symbolize carrying the American flag into battle.

- Someone who specializes in the history of flags is called a vexillologist.

- The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

- According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans consume over 150 million hot dogs during their Independence Day festivities.

- Speaking of food, there's a 1-in-6 chance the beef on your backyard this Independence Day weekend grill came from Texas. The Lone Star State is America's leader in the production of cattle and calves.

We hope you learned a thing or two! Have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend, and we'll see you next week!!