What puts you at ease at Fleming Orthodontics?

By now, you’re probably familiar with our blog process: Each week, Dr. Harold Fleming and our team write about important orthodontic topics and your well-being, including innovative orthodontic treatments Dr. Fleming offers.

This week, we thought we’d step back and ask you, our wonderful patients: what’s on your mind? What would you like to know about the always-changing and exciting field of orthodontics? What would you like us to focus on our blog? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Fleming for a while now? Here’s your chance! Let us know by posting here or on our Facebook page!

Give us your best shot, and Dr. Fleming will try to answer any question you may have!

Ask Dr. Fleming: When should our child come in for a consultation?

GREAT question! Braces were originally considered to be best appropriate for teens. But these days, kids as old as seven are beginning their orthodontic treatment. Because preadolescent kids are typically not self-conscious, our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists suggest it could be a good idea to start early.

Experts, however, say it depends on the treatment required. Some children who get braces at an early age end up in a second phase of treatment, and end up having braces well into their teenage years despite starting young.

Most orthodontic treatment begins between ages nine and 14, and the folks at AAO estimate most orthodontic treatment lasts from one to three years, with two years being the average. It’s important, however, that children be screened no later than age seven for Dr. Fleming to assess what the best age for treatment is.

We hope this helps! Give us a call at 571-765-3522 if you have any questions about your child’s treatment or to schedule a complimentary orthodontic consultation! We hope you had a great weekend!

Tell us about your summer!

It's finally summer here at Fleming Orthodontics, and a season full of vacations, adventures and great memories awaits! Whether you're headed to an exotic destination, barbecuing, hitting the open roads with family, or just having fun in the backyard, we'd like to hear about it! Drop us a comment on our Facebook page and tell us about your summer adventures and plans as summer 2011 rolls along!

Happy and safe travels,

-Dr. Fleming and team

Patriotic Fun Facts with Fleming Orthodontics!

America turns 235 years old tomorrow, and because we know our patients love fun facts, we thought we’d provide you with some fun facts about Independence Day! Have a great Fourth of July everyone, and we’ll see you soon!

- 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.