Who says braces aren't cool?

Braces today are - dare we say - cool, fun and and even fashionable. After all, these were among the findings of a 2010 nationwide survey of moms whose kids are going through or have had orthodontic treatment recently. New technologies such as Invisalign and the Damon System, advanced computer software, color options, and even popular celebrities—Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, among others—sporting stylish braces are making orthodontic treatment more comfortable, fashionable and cool for today’s teens and young adults.

The study found 86 percent of moms reporting that braces are cooler today than when they were children. Sixty-nine percent of moms also said wearing braces makes their children feel cool, and 81 percent reported their kids' experience with orthodontic treatment as either positive or extremely positive.

Has your child or teen visited Scher Orthodontics for a consultation? If not, please give us a call at 203-227-6061 and let us help your child begin the journey to a gorgeous smile this summer!

Scher Orthodontics, helping you through the summer heat

With the heat wave sweeping through the the Eastern Seaboard the last two weeks, Dr. Steven Scher and staff want you to think more and more about sun safety when you’re out and about. Last week, Good Morning America ran a helpful segment on the many ways you can protect yourself from heat stroke and other heat-related conditions this summer. And, here are a few summer safety tips from our friends at WebMD.

Dr. Scher and our staff encourage you to watch this short clip from GMA and remember to always have a bottle of water handy when heading out! We hope you're all having a fantastic summer!

July Fourth fun facts with Dr. Scher!

This weekend, Dr. Scher and team 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! Enjoy!

- 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.