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Dr. Bart Benson and our team hear this question a lot. Some of the common reasons for crooked teeth include:

• Thumb sucking
• Tongue thrusting or improper use of the tongue during speaking and swallowing
• Premature loss of baby teeth, which causes teeth to drift and shift
• Poor breathing airway caused by enlarged adenoids or tonsils

There are also hereditary factors we get from our parents, like:

• Extra teeth
• Large teeth
• Missing teeth
• Wide spaces between teeth
• Small jaws

Dr. Bart Benson and our team know that having crooked teeth isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it can lead to serious health problems as well. Crooked teeth can:

• Interfere with proper chewing
• Make keeping teeth clean more of a challenge, increasing the risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gingivitis
• Strain the teeth, jaws, and muscles, increasing the risk of breaking a tooth

There are several treatment options we offer at Benson Orthodontics that can help correct crooked teeth. Please give us a call at our convenient Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, TN office to learn more or to schedule an initial consultation.

"Motherhood: All love begins and ends there." - Robert Browning

We would like to take this moment to thank all the great moms out there for being so great during their child’s visits to Benson Orthodontics. Whether it’s driving their kids to regularly scheduled appointments or for “being there” while their child is treatment, the moms who come to our office are all stellar individuals, so Dr. Bart Benson and our entire staff would like you to know that we appreciate you all!

Happy Mother’s Day and enjoy your special day!

Great question! Dr. Bart Benson and our team at Benson Orthodontics are happy to offer the self-ligating Damon Smile braces.

Damon Smile braces use a slide mechanism to hold the archwire in place, thus reducing the amount of pressure exerted on your teeth. In the process, this allows your teeth to move more freely, quickly and comfortably during your treatment with Dr. Bart Benson. Thanks to these innovative new braces, achieving your perfect smile can be faster and easier than you ever imagined.

So, what are the main differences between Damon braces and regular braces?

Damon braces reduce the amount of pressure being placed on your teeth, requiring fewer adjustments at our Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, TN office because there are no elastics to replace. Damon Smile facilitates healthy tooth movement with complete control by combining tie-less brackets and high-tech archwires.

Comfort

Even though Damon Smile works so quickly, the use of gentle, low-friction force means less discomfort for you.

Convenience

Damon braces are designed to be discreet, comfortable and are easy to keep clean during treatment. Without the elastic ties, which attract and collect plaque, Damon braces make dental hygiene easy during treatment. Plus, Damon Smile is available in clear brackets for patients who want a great smile without sacrificing aesthetics.

Less Time in Braces

While the time needed in braces will vary on an individual basis, treatment time with Damon Smile is typically faster than with traditional braces. Also, far fewer appointments with Dr. Bart Benson are required during treatment, making your Damon experience convenient and hassle-free.

If you have been thinking about improving your smile, please visit us at Benson Orthodontics for an initial consultation to see if Damon Smile is right for you! Give us a call today at our convenient Mt. Juliet or Lebanon, TN office!

As you may know, I am somewhat wonky. I have always attempted to be a lifelong student, and one of the ways I like to expand my horizons is to listen to and/or watch TED presentations. For those who don’t know, TED is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment, and Design. TED conferences have speakers on a wide variety of topics. The slogan of TED is “ideas worth spreading.” You can get a TED app on your tablet or smartphone, or go to their website (ted.com) and listen to talks on a wide variety of topics. TED talks can even be found on iTunes, and you can also listen on your local NPR station.

I believe all dentists should listen to and/or watch Ron Gutman’s TED presentation, “The Hidden Power of Smiling.” The talk is seven and a half minutes long, and it is entertaining, enlightening, and educational. Gutman lists many studies that detail the physiologic and psychological benefits of smiling. Although I had heard some of these mentioned before, there were several studies I was unaware of.

Did you know that people’s success and well-being can be predicted on the quality of their smiles in their high school year book photos? Well, it can, according to a study out of the University of California, Berkley. A study out of Wayne State University that looked at the smiles on pre-1950 baseball cards showed that the players with the biggest smiles outlived the non-smiling players by seven years. Smiling makes us feel better by producing endorphins, reducing levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and even reducing blood pressure. And according to a study out of Penn State, when you are smiling you appear more attractive, more likeable, and even more competent.

So my take-home message is that I need to smile more if:

• I want a happier, longer life

• I want to feel better

• I want people to view me as competent, likeable, and attractive

Now, I know there are many reasons for people to smile or not smile. But if some people don’t smile because they are embarrassed at the way their smiles appear, then as dentists we can provide a great service to our patients. If we remove the embarrassment, patients can smile more, and smile bigger, which should make them feel better; live happier and longer; and appear more attractive, likeable, and competent.

-Dr. Bart Benson