The benefits of smiling, from Dr. Stevens

Great news to report this Monday! People with big, happy smiles may actually out-live those who don’t. That, according to a recent study conducted at Michigan’s Wayne State University.

Dr. Stevens knows that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something interesting: they used information from the Baseball Register to look at close-up smiles of 230 players who began their baseball careers prior to 1950 by studying their smile intensity (wide smile, no smile or partial smile).

The researchers then took into account other factors associated with life longevity, such as body mass index, career length and, interestingly, college attendance. They found that players who weren't smiling died at the average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be at least 75. Those with big, wide smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old!

Our take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you perfected your smile by visiting Stevens Orthodontics lately? If not, give us a call at 850-385-2822 and have a great week!

Save face this April, from Stevens Orthodontics

Our staff has blogged about the advantage of wearing a mouth guard when playing sports, and we thought a reminder wouldn’t hurt. You see, April happens to be National Facial Protection Month, and it’s a good time to remind our young athletes about staying safe on the field this spring. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year. By simply wearing a properly fitted mouth guard, these accidents could prevent this along with other traumatic facial injuries.

Not only do mouth guards save teeth and protect jaws from breaks, but they also may protect against neck- and central nervous system injuries. In addition to mouth guards, Dr. Stevens says it’s a good idea to wear a helmet, face shield and protective eyewear when playing sports this spring. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact Stevens Orthodontics. Stay safe and have fun!

The importance of retainers, from Dr. Stevens

If you've recently completed treatment with Dr. Lucas Stevens, our professional team at Stevens Orthodontics would like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Stevens will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized.

Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes, Dr. Stevens says. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. If you have additional questions about retainers or your treatment here at Stevens Orthodontics, please give us a call at 850-385-2822. Our staff would love to hear from you!

Tell Stevens Orthodontics: What's on your mind?

You know the drill: each week, Dr. Stevens and our staff blog about important topics pertinent to orthodontic care and your well-being. This week, we thought we’d step back and ask: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve been wanting to ask Dr. Stevens for a while now? Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook fan page!

So… ask away and enjoy the rest of the week!

Ask Dr. Stevens: Am I too old for orthodontic treatment?

Who’s afraid of the appearance of braces? Not adults, apparently. Recently, our staff at Stevens Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic: adults getting braces has jumped 24 percent from just 14 years ago! Yes, braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great. In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing to invest in orthodontics. Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Stevens can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

Because of a lifetime of wear, it is not uncommon for adult patients to require some cosmetic dentistry after orthodontics is completed in order to gain the maximum esthetic result. Dr. Stevens likes to work closely with your family dentist to give you the most esthetic and healthy smile possible.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Stevens would love to have you visit for a consultation. Please give us a call to set one up!

This March, what are you up to? From Dr. Stevens

It’s almost springtime. The daffodils and buttercups are on their way, fresh Rhubarb is ready to be picked, the birds are chirping, the sun is warming up and the smell of freshly-cut grass is wafting from baseball field nearby. Today, the team at Stevens Orthodontics thought this would be a good time to ask: What are your plans for March?

Are you ready for spring? Are you participating in school sports this year? Do you have exciting plans? We’d love to know them all!

You may share your stories or plans with our team here, on our Facebook fan page or by giving us a call!

P.S. While you’re on our Facebook page, become a fan of Stevens Orthodontics!

SureSmile at work at Stevens Orthodontics!

Remember awhile back when we posted a blog about Dr. Stevens being featured on WCTV's "Health Links"? Well, here's the video! Let us know what you think! Stevens Orthodontics operates one of the most state-of-the-art offices in the Big Bend area and focuses on SureSmile and Damon System technology.

If you have any questions about the video, or about your treatment with Dr. Stevens, please give us a call! Have a great weekend!