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With spring here, many children, teens and adults in Laconia, New Hampshire will once again pick up the ball, bring the bat out of seasonal retirement, and lace up their cleats to hit the fields for the return of spring sports! April is National Facial Protection Month, and during this time, Dr. Kennell and our dedicated team urge our young athletes to play it safe when out on the field. According to the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, children, high-school athletes and adults will have more than 5,000,000 teeth knocked out in sporting events this year.

Here are a few ways to ensure your mouth’s safety this spring, courtesy of our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists:

1. Wear mouth guards for contact sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.
2. Wear a helmet
3. Wear protective eyewear
4. Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
5. Be alert, even as a spectator

We hope that helps. Protective gear is vital for anyone engaging in tooth or mouth-threatening activities. If you have any further questions about any of these tips, please contact Kennell Orthodontics. Stay safe and have fun!

At Kennell Orthodontics, we are always looking for ways to connect with our patients online. That’s why we’re currently hosting an iPad 2 Video Contest. We would love to hear about how much you love your new smile, why you chose Dr. Kennell’s office, your favorite thing about our office, or even what foods you can’t wait to eat after your braces come off!

You can film your video at Kennell Orthodontics using our Flip video camera, or email any video testimonials that are made at home to drkennell@kennellortho.com (with your first and last name in the email subject line). We recommend that video entries are no longer than 2 minutes. By submitting your video, you are also giving us permission to share that video on our YouTube channel and other social networks.

The iPad Video Contest winner will be selected September 1^st, so don’t delay in submitting your video entry! *One entry per person and you must be a patient of Kennell Orthodontics to enter.

Thank you,

-Dr. Kennell and team

If you ever sustain damage to your braces and need to call Kennell Orthodontics, we can help you more effectively if you can tell us exactly which piece is in trouble! Here’s a handy diagram and corresponding list of all the parts that make up your braces.

Elastic Tie: Tiny rubber band that fits around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Archwire: The main wire that acts as a track to guide the teeth along. It's changed periodically throughout treatment, as teeth move to their new positions.

Loop in Archwire: Frequently used for closing space left by an extraction. Many archwires don't have a loop.

Bracket: Small attachment that holds the archwire in place. Most often, a bracket is cemented directly onto the tooth's surface, eliminating the need for a band.

Headgear Tube: Round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of the headgear fits into it.

Coil Spring: Fits between brackets and over archwire to open space between teeth.

Tie Wire: Fine wire that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Band: A thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the brackets to the tooth.

Hook: Welded or removable arm to which elastics (rubber bands) are attached.

Elastic (Rubber Band): Small rubber band that is hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth.

Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions!

If you recently completed treatment at Kennell Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Kennell will provide—or has provided you—with retainers. After braces are removed, teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers, however, always provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed by Dr. Kennell is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime.

To learn more about the advantages of wearing retainers after your orthodontic treatment with Dr. Kennell, please read this helpful article about retainers from KidsHealth or give us a call!