When a kid gets braces, it’s kind of a big deal! Not only is your child beginning an incredibly exciting journey, but he or she is undergoing a life-changing experience.
This experience comes with some lifestyle changes that your child may be a bit nervous about. We’ve found that the best way to prepare children for getting braces is by being upfront and truthful about what they can expect throughout the process.
We’re here to help you prepare your child for the day they get their braces on and the exciting months to follow!
Talk Your Child Through the Process
We’ll help you do this. In fact, we’ll explain everything you and your child need to know about the treatment process. Our highly-experienced orthodontists, Dr. Navarro and Dr. Cetta, are dedicated to making your child feel comfortable, at-ease and informed! They’ll explain the process in an easy-to-understand, relaxed manner—every step of the way.
Discuss the process with your child beforehand as well and let them know that no part in this process is painful!
When getting braces placed, the first step is to glue the brackets to the teeth. Your orthodontist will then thread archwires through the brackets. Once these are in place, your orthodontist will place rubber bands around the brackets to hold the archwire in place.
Your child gets to choose their braces colors (colors of the rubber bands holding the wires) every time you visit us for a check-in/adjustment appointment!
Prepare Them for Mild Soreness
During the first few weeks, your child may feel some discomfort from the new sensations and pressure on their teeth. It may be a good idea to have over-the-counter pain relievers and orthodontic wax (to place over certain brackets or wires) on hand for your child.
While their teeth and gums are adjusting to braces, they may experience some mild tenderness and soreness around the teeth and gums.
During this adjustment period, your child may want to choose softer foods, like mashed potatoes, apple sauce, soft meat, bananas, rice, etc. It’s a good idea to add soft items to your grocery list to prepare for your child getting braces.
Once the soreness is gone after a week or so, they can resume (most of) their normal diet! It’s best to avoid hard, crunchy, chewy foods, like caramel, hard candy and nuts throughout their treatment to prevent damaging their braces.
Support clean, healthy teeth.
Teaching your child how to prepare for braces will involve showing them how to clean their teeth when wearing braces. It’s essential that your child commits to excellent oral hygiene to prevent tooth discoloration and bacteria buildup.
We’ll tell you everything you need to know about keeping your teeth clean with braces when you visit us for your complimentary consultation! It’s important to encourage your child to keep up with their dental hygiene throughout their treatment.
Your child should still be visiting the dentist every 6 months or so as well for professional cleanings during their treatment. Your dentist will play a role in keeping their teeth clean and assessing for problematic conditions.
[h2] Schedule A Visit with Your General Dentist
Before braces treatment can start, your child will require a professional cleaning from your family dentist. Doing this will ensure that there are no underlying dental issues to ensure that your child’s teeth are in good health and ready for braces.
Regular dental cleanings will also help prevent tooth decay while having braces! It’s important that your child still visits his or her dentist throughout the orthodontic treatment process. Professional cleanings are just as important as they were before treatment.
Teach them the ‘big picture’!
Children often focus on the ‘here and now’ because the future is a long way off. However, focusing on the benefits is an excellent strategy when teaching your child how to prepare for braces.
Show them before and after pictures of people with braces. Find images of their favorite singers, movie stars, or YouTube personalities. Knowing that lots of other people, including famous ones, get braces and they are not alone can help them feel a lot more comfortable, especially when they get a sense of the shiny new smile they will have when the braces finally come off.
Still have questions about kids getting braces
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions! We love to hear from you. We’re here to guide you through your treatment process, from your very first visit, to your last appointment.
If you’re looking for a top orthodontist in Wesley Chapel, North Tampa, South Tampa or Bradenton, we’d love to meet you! Request a complimentary exam for you or your child today.
