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Summer is right around the corner!  There's no better time to make sure you have a safe and healthy summer.  Pool parties, BBQ's, summer camps, vacations galore!  With summer comes a time to slow down, take a break and soak up a little extra family time.  That being said...Summer is NOT the time to skimp on your dental care routines.  Whether your child is heading off to summer camp with new orthodontics or you, yourself, have transitioned into a new retainer - Don't take a vacation from your healthy smile!

Make an appointment with Dr. Kennell today for a quick check up before heading out on your summer trips.  Remembering good orthodontic care during your summer activities, caring for your braces and avoiding sugary drinks and sticky, chewy or hard foods, are all part of a smart plan for maintaining your healthy Summer Smile!

It's National Teen self-esteem month in the month of May, so what better time to talk about the importance of teen self-esteem. Actually self-esteem in all ages is really important! National Teen Self-Esteem Month was established to create awareness about the negative effects poor self-esteem causes among the teen population. During this month, parents and guardians are encouraged to act as positive role models, help stop negative self-images, and improve confidence and security among adolescents.

What is self -esteem? The Webster’s dictionary says: Self-Esteem-The esteem or good opinion of oneself. Now lets look at what Esteem is- to set value on, to regard with respect. So, for us to have self-esteem we need to have a good view of ourselves and be respectful to ourselves as well. Why is self-esteem so important? One, we make better decisions for ourselves when we are not lacking self-esteem. We want to value who we are, love who we are and make good decisions for our self, to reinforce our self worth, thereby strengthening our self-esteem.

Treating ourselves with respect is totally in our hands, we have complete control over this one. If you have the choice to do something good or bad for yourself, you have the choice to do what’s good, and no one can stop you. We have to remember that our opinion of ourselves really starts with us, not outside influences - not people, not the media!

Here are a couple quick tips to strengthen and maintain our sense of self and build confidence:

• Learn to love yourself for who you are
• Respect yourself, make good decisions
• Know your opinions of yourself, come from you, not the opinions of others
• Realize what make you shine is on the inside, not what you look like

So, go out in the world and know you are good enough and are perfect just the way you are. And remember, although it might sound cliche, treat others the way you want to be treated!

You're engaged, you're planning your wedding, and you couldn't be happier-except for one thing… Your smile!  Maybe your teeth are a little crooked, or you have a gap-but you're an adult now and you don't want braces!  Rest easy- Dr. Kennell has several esthetic, or invisible treatment options for you to choose from.

If your teeth are only moderately crooked and you have three or four months till the big day, you can see drastic improvements using clear aligners, such as Invisalign.  Believe it or not, if your case is mild enough, your treatment time may be as little as 10 weeks!

If you're not familiar with the Invisalign technology, Dr. Alan Kennell can (in appropriate cases) use clear aligners to move your teeth, rather than the traditional wires and brackets.  Invisalign trays are almost invisible-unless someone is very close to you, they won't even notice you are wearing them! You take the trays out to eat and brush your teeth, and while your teeth will feel sore and may even throb periodically for the first few days, after that you'll hardly notice when the trays are in. (While wearing the trays you won't be able to drink anything but water, which will also help with that wedding day diet!)

If you are not a candidate for Invisalign, Dr. Kennell has another “invisible” option for you – lingual braces.  These are actually braces that go behind your teeth!  The Harmony system is a custom set of behind the teeth braces that will get your teeth straight without having to show metal braces and wires.  Dr. Kennell is proud to be the only Harmony provider in the entire state of New Hampshire!

Call Dr. Kennell today to make your appointment for beautiful, straight teeth for your upcoming wedding and get ready to Smile Down the Aisle!

Like you, we are seeing and hearing a lot of promotion for the 2016 Spring Sports season that is about to begin. Registration sign ups for lacrosse, baseball, softball and more are posted all around the Lakes Region.  This means we need to do our job to remind our valued patients that proper mouth protection is recommended when you participate in any sports activities. If you wear braces, this protection becomes essential. Injuries to your mouth can not only damage your teeth, but your braces could break and cut open your lip.

Mouth Guards
Mouth guards referred to as boil-and-bites can be purchased at many retail stores. As the name implies, these guards are boiled in water to heat and soften the material. While the guard is still warm, you place it in your mouth and bite down gently. This causes the guard to form to the shape of your mouth. Unfortunately, these guards do not necessarily offer the best protection or fit.

The custom fitting of a mouth guard ensures you of better protection and a comfortable fit. Custom guards are also built in layers for durability. The American Dental Association recommends custom guards for orthodontic patients. Your mouth guard will be designed to provide proper protection for both your teeth and your braces.

No matter what type of sport you participate in, a mouth guard can protect your braces. Even an activity as seemingly harmless as table tennis can result in a contact injury. The Academy for Sports Dentistry states that a properly fitted mouth guard should not interfere with any athletic activity.

Custom-fitted mouth protectors are individually designed and made in a dental office or a professional laboratory based on your dentist's instructions. First, your dentist will make an impression of your teeth and a mouth guard is then molded over the model using a special material. Due to the use of the special material and because of the extra time and work involved, this custom-made mouth guard is more expensive than the other types, but it provides the most comfort and best fit and protection.

Who Needs a Mouth Guard?

Mouth guards should be used by anyone -- both children and adults -- who play contact sports such as football, boxing, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, lacrosse, and field hockey. However, even those participating in non-contact sports (for example, gymnastics) and any recreational activity (for example, skateboarding, mountain biking) that might pose a risk of injury to the mouth would benefit from wearing a protective mouth guard.

Adults and children who grind their teeth at night should have a nocturnal bite plate or bite splint made to prevent tooth damage.

Why Use a Mouth Guard When Playing Sports?

Because accidents can happen during any physical activity, the advantage of using a mouth guard is that it can help limit the risk of mouth-related injuries to your lips, tongue, and soft tissues of your mouth. Mouth guards also help you avoid chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to a tooth or even tooth loss.

Our office will be glad to answer any questions you have so you can continue the activities you enjoy with little concern. If you do suffer any injuries to your mouth or braces during sporting activities, please contact us immediately. The sooner we can care for your mouth, the better the results will be.