What Makes YOU Smile? Orthodontists Invite You to Post a Smiling Selfie @ mylifemysmile.org

News provided by

American Association of Orthodontists

Oct 16, 2014, 11:38 ET

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) wants to know What Makes You Smile? Maybe it's your family, the Texas Two-Step, a walk in the woods, yoga class, your favorite fishing hole or whipping up a gourmet meal. If you are currently seeing an orthodontist or have completed orthodontic treatment, you are invited to take a smiling selfie and post it to mylifemysmile.org.

"A visit to this online gallery of happy faces may just make you smile yourself," says Robert E. Varner, DMD, president of the AAO. A 2013 AAO survey of people having orthodontic treatment as adults revealed that more than 75 percent of respondents reported improvements in career or personal relationships attributed to their improved post-orthodontic treatment smile. Citing newfound self-confidence, 92 percent of survey respondents say they would recommend orthodontic treatment to other adults.

It's easy to post your selfie. Simply go to mylifemysmile.org and click "What Makes Me Smile." Follow the steps to upload your image, tell us what makes you smile, include the name of your orthodontist, and the AAO will post your grin for the world to see. (Patients must have been treated by one of the 17,000 orthodontists who are members of the American Association of Orthodontists.)

"It's a privilege to be in the business of creating healthy, beautiful smiles," says Dr. Varner. "As orthodontists, we regularly see the often dramatic transformation that patients undergo during treatment and the final outcomes. Those smiles are priceless – and we'd like to share them with everyone. Today, about one patient in five is an adult, and the experience of a new smile can be especially profound for them, after years of hiding their teeth."

Orthodontists are specialists and help people of all ages improve their oral health, straighten teeth and align the bite and jaws. Orthodontists make use of the full range of treatment types available. Based on their extensive education and experience, orthodontists can develop effective treatment plans that employ the full range of treatment types, based on the needs and treatment goals of each individual patient.

After dental school, orthodontists receive an additional two to three years of specialized education at an accredited orthodontic residency program. Only those who have successfully completed this formal education may call themselves "orthodontists," and only orthodontists are eligible for AAO membership. Find AAO members at www.mylifemysmile.org.

About the American Association of Orthodontists: Founded in 1900, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is the world's oldest and largest dental specialty organization. It represents more than 17,000 orthodontist members throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. The Association encourages and sponsors key research to enable its members to provide the highest quality of care to patients, and is committed to educating the public about the need for, and benefits of, orthodontic treatment.

Orthodontists are uniquely qualified specialists who diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities to correctly align teeth and jaws. After graduating from dental school and then completing the required two-to-three years of specialized education in an accredited orthodontic residency program, orthodontists are eligible for membership in the AAO.

For more information about orthodontics or to find AAO member orthodontists in your area, please visit mylifemysmile.org.

SOURCE American Association of Orthodontists