The time has come for Santa’s scout elves to leave the North Pole and make their way to homes around the world.  We are so excited to have Dash and Clementine with us again here at Hatcher Orthodontics for the holiday season!

For any who do not know the story, the “scout elves” hide in people’s homes to watch over events. Once everyone goes to bed, the scout elf flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa the activities, good and bad, that have taken place throughout the day. Before the family wakes up each morning, the scout elf flies back from the North Pole and hides. By hiding in a new spot each morning around the house, the scout elf and the family play an on-going game of hide and seek.

The Elf on the Shelf explains that scout elves get their magic by being named. In the back of each book, families have an opportunity to write their elf’s name and the date that they adopted it. Once the elf is named, the scout elf receives its special Christmas magic, which allows it to fly to and from the North Pole.

The book tells how the magic might disappear if the scout elf is touched, so the rule for The Elf on the Shelf states, “There’s only one rule that you have to follow, so I will come back and be here tomorrow: Please do not touch me. My magic might go, and Santa won’t hear all I’ve seen or I know.” Although families are told not to touch their scout elf, they can talk to it and tell it all their Christmas wishes so that it can report back to Santa accurately.

The story ends on Christmas Day with the elf leaving to stay with Santa for the rest of the year until the following Christmas season.

 

Smile, it’s Good for Your Health

What does a great smile have in common with good physical and mental health? Quite a bit, and at Hatcher Orthodontics we are very aware of the connection. We see people every day who are interested in improving their smiles. There is however, much more to that great smile than meets the eye. The importance of having your teeth and gums in the best dental health possible has a huge impact on your general health. If your teeth do not fit together correctly or you have missing teeth, it is more difficult to chew your food properly and this can affect your digestion and overall health. Not feeling well physically can have quite an effect on your mental health and not feeling well mentally can have an adverse effect on your physical well-being.

Let’s not forget about how that smile makes you feel. At Hatcher Orthodontics, there is nothing more rewarding than to see the smiles of our patients when they get their braces off. Smiles become easy and this is where the mental attitude changes and they are aware of the benefits of a great smile! It is so rewarding to give someone a smile and have one returned. When you are happy and that happiness comes through in a smile, it makes those around you happy and smile. Before you know it, the original smile has become contagious!

No matter your age, having a wonderful smile and feeling good about yourself is of great benefit to your overall well-being. Great smiles and good dental health will last a lifetime and will provide the benefits needed for both your physical and mental health that will also last a lifetime.

Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it like the flu.
Someone smiled at me today,
And I started smiling too.
~ Author Unknown

The Prime of Your Life is NOW!

Adults have a tendency to put off things. Things such as not using the good china except on holidays, buying tools for that project you never get around to starting, and the list keeps going. However, having the smile you have always wanted should not be one of those things. Your smile says so much about you, and the longer you wait to address the issues you may be having with your teeth, the shorter the time to enjoy having your smile the way you want.

At Hatcher Orthodontics, about 40% of our practice is adults. We see children, young adults, and a lot of older adults. We have even had a few patients in their 80’s. Orthodontic treatment can be necessary at any age and for many different reasons. Younger children can benefit from addressing growth or crowding and spacing issues. With adults, orthodontic treatment can address making space for missing teeth replacement, crowding, or if retainers were not worn after previous treatment. It can also be necessary if hygiene becomes a problem due to crowding or if gums are being worn away due to deep bites. The good news is there are so many different options available for orthodontic treatment now. In the past, it was always metal brackets and/or bands around every tooth. Now there are tiny metal brackets, clear brackets, and Invisalign (a series of removable trays that align teeth).

We treat many adult patients and there is never a charge for the initial consultation. The investment in a great smile is always worth the effort – and most adults only regret not taking the steps toward that great smile sooner.
Remember – The Prime of Your Life can be ANY AGE you want it to be. So if you are waiting for the Prime of Your Life to achieve a Great Smile, the Prime of Your Life is NOW!

“Most smiles are started by another smile.”
~Author Unknown

The Best Way to Show You Care is With a SMILE!

Nothing makes us feel quite as good as laughing and smiling. It releases endorphins and just makes us feel good all over! Whether we are walking into a place of business, a store, a place of worship or just into our own homes, being greeted with a smile makes us feel wonderful.

At Hatcher Orthodontics, giving patients a wonderful, welcoming, friendly smile is one of the most important things we do. We have so much fun getting to know our patients and their families. This means that we strive to take care of our community friends and families by making community service a large part of our mission. In the past, we have participated in Family Day at the YMCA, the Duck Race, collecting food for the Portsmouth Social Services food pantry and sponsoring various sports teams. Dr. Hatcher also enjoys speaking to school groups about teamwork and leadership. He also addresses tough issues like drugs and bullying. Seeing so many of our patients at these community events just reinforces the fact that we are all truly one BIG FAMILY.

Our Hatcher Orthodontic team family is also very close. We know we can always count on each other and we always have a great time together. Our team family is also very aware of how important a warm, friendly smile can be. We love seeing the look on our patient’s faces when they have their braces removed and they see their new smiles for the first time. It is truly a universal language and when a smile is given, usually a smile is received. So, please remember to give away your smile as much as possible, not only to strangers, but also to your friends and family. You never know who really needs a smile and the difference it can make is immeasurable.

Creating Smiles is our Specialty
Building Relationships is Our Passion

June-August Contest

Congratulations Grads!!!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” – Dr. Seuss

Congratulations to all the graduates out there from our family here at Hatcher Orthodontics!!