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True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with our office.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you get in to see us…

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.

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-as long as your teeth are only moderately crooked and you have three or four months till the big day, you can see drastic improvement using clear plastic braces. While most people think only Invisalign® makes such a system, you actually have several options to achieving straight teeth and the smile you always wanted!

If you're not familiar with the technology, Dr. Alan Kennell can (in appropriate cases) use clear plastic trays to move your teeth, rather than the traditional wires and brackets. Clear braces are less painful and 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 have at least a year until you walk down the aisle, you can go with Invisalign®. This is used with more complicated cases and you will get a new tray every two to four weeks (if you wear them correctly!). However, if you have less time, you can choose Simpli5®, Red White & Blue®, or RW II®. With the latter three options, your orthodontist takes a mold of your teeth and sends it to a laboratory. There, a technician makes your trays based on incremental movements of your teeth.   Red White & Blue® treat only one or the other, not both arches. These are for treatment of teeth with only very mild crowding or spacing issues. Red White and Blue® is a series of three aligners worn for six to twelve weeks, while RWII® is a series of two aligners worn for two to eight weeks.

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

When you visit Kennell Orthodontics for your orthodontic consultation, you’ll probably have a lot of questions. We want you to be prepared for your appointment and feel in charge of your orthodontic treatment decisions, so keep these questions in mind to ask when you come in for your appointment:

• How long will I have to wear braces?
• Will getting braces hurt?
• Will I have to wear additional appliances to correct jaw problems while I have braces?
• What can I eat when I have braces?
• Are there certain things, like playing sports or playing an instrument, which I won’t be able to do?
• How can I make sure my teeth stay clean and healthy while I have braces?
• How often will I need to come in for appointments?
• How much will my orthodontic treatment cost?

The team at Kennell Orthodontics is here to answer all your questions and concerns, and we’re happy to explain all aspects of your treatment plan and expected outcome. Your orthodontic experience should be comfortable, hassle-free, and most importantly, leave you smiling!

Did you hear? We have a new friendly face at the office. Lizza is the newest member of the Kennell Orthodontics team!

Lizza comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience - she has been working in the dental field for 18 years!! Time flies when you're having fun! We are thrilled to have her join our team. At your next appointment make sure to say "Hi!" :)