Dinosaur back atop orthodontist sign

By Chris Hendrickson

If you’ve driven past the offices of orthodontist Raymond Maxwell recently, you will have likely noticed the triumphant return of the dinosaur above the sign in front of his practice.

Monday, Dec. 3, marked the happy homecoming of the dinosaur, who lives on Main Street atop his rocky perch in front of Dr. Maxwell’s office. “Chompers,” the newly-named Tyrannosaurus Rex, had been gone for more than five months, while being repaired in Canada.

The dinosaur sustained damages in what appeared to be a failed attempt to steal him.

“The damage to his legs was so extensive they basically had to be reconstructed,” stated Cheryl Silva, Maxwell’s Treatment Coordinator.

So off to Canada he went, back to Studio Y Creations, the company that crafted the custom dinosaur to begin with. Repairs were costly, at approximately $13,000, and the process was time-consuming, as shipping plans for the dinosaur had to be coordinated along with travel arrangements for Studio Y engineers.

The operation was a success, and on Monday installers arrived from Calgary to return Chompers to his neighborhood where he is once again watching over Main Street.

The procedure was not without fanfare, with many passersby honking their horns, waving, and even stopping by to say hi.

Due to the considerable damage incurred during the attempted theft, the dinosaurs’ appearance has changed. Along with his reconstructed legs, he has been completely repainted.

Maxwell is pleased with Studio Y’s efforts and said, “I like the way he looks now! They did a great job.”

Maxwell’s office held a contest to name the dinosaur, and out of 50 submissions, Maxwell and his staff decided that Chompers was the name that fit the dinosaur the best. The winner was a young patient who won a prize for coming up with the creative and well-suited name.

During this process, the dinosaur was also dubbed an “Orthosaurus.”

New security measures were immediately put into place to ensure that no further attempts at theft or vandalism occur.

Dinosaurs are a long-standing theme for Maxwell.

“There’s a T-Rex statue inside our office that I put braces on, and that was my first patient,” says Maxwell.