How to Prepare Your Child for Braces

One of the joys of being a pediatric dentist office, is seeing the ways that our patients grow and mature over the years. We love the ability to visit with your kids twice a year at their checkups and learn what they’re into and how they’re changing. One of our jobs as their pediatric dental team is to help prepare them (and their parents) for what comes next in their dental health journeys. Sooner or later, braces are going to be a topic most kids will need to consider.

Some kids are excited to start orthodontic treatment, and others aren’t so sure. It’s important to discuss the benefits of braces. Sure, they straighten your teeth and give you a beautiful smile, but orthodontic treatment also has many oral health benefits. Correcting misaligned teeth can help avoid decay and allow patients to better clean their teeth. Once your child understands that there are more than just aesthetic benefits to braces, they can feel more prepared for why orthodontics may be necessary.

If your child is still hesitant to start treatment, be sure to listen. Here are a few common concerns:

·      Treatment will hurt.

·      They won’t like the way that braces look.

·      Braces will impact their everyday life.

While these are all valid concerns, here’s the good news- innovations in orthodontics have made treatment more comfortable with shorter treatment times than ever before. Similarly, the advances have allowed for many different treatment options that offer a variety of appearances – some, that are virtually invisible! And while it is true that braces will take a couple of weeks to get used to, the impact on a patient’s daily life is pretty minimal.

Telling your child what to expect at their first visit can help to ease their mind. Their first consultation with an orthodontist will be a quick and painless exam where the doctor evaluates their need. After that, a comprehensive treatment plan will be discussed. Once it’s time to actually have their braces placed, make sure to stock up on your child’s favorite soft foods and over-the-counter pain medication to ease any discomfort.

Sometimes all a person needs to feel better about something that causes them anxiety is to talk it out with a friend. Chances are that your child knows someone who currently has braces. Encourage them to get together and talk about the highs and the lows of treatment. And if all else fails, let us know! We’re here to help in any way that we can. We pride ourselves on being able to form real connections with your children. We want to be able to reassure them that this next phase will be a piece of cake, and that we’ll be here to help them along the way!