How to Prepare Your Child for Braces
Few people take the need for braces as good news, and children are no different. In the small world of a child, learning that they’ll have to use the things can be a nightmare. That’s why, on top of choosing the right doctor and right set of braces, it is also key to prepare your child for the hardships to come, as well as the reward. Most patients wear braces for about two and half years; preparing your child for that journey early on can be the difference between a journey of compliance and one of frustrated rebellion.
1 – Information
First of all, you need to inform your child. How and how much you’ll should inform varies depending on the age and personality of the child. But things are less scary the better we understand them, and a child will feel a lot less uncomfortable if they know what all that metal is doing inside their mouth.
A good practice is to team up with the doctor to explain everything. It helps the child understand, and it builds confidence in the doctor.
2 – Invite to Decisions
Offer to let the child be a part of the decisions. The thing is going into their mouth, after all — being involved makes the change easier to welcome. Plus, if you’re selling braces as part of getting closer to being a grown-up, letting they choose stuff helps that pitch.
So if there are many adequate braces options within your budget, let them pick which one they want. Otherwise, you can let them pick things like the color of the band. Check with the doctor for ways to make the braces feel more personal.
3 – Routine Changes are Coming
Braces will bring routine changes your child. A major one is caused by hygiene needs, as braces will need constant cleaning and are generally hard to clean. That means extra time in the bathroom, which in turn may mean your child will have to wake up earlier than before and take longer to go to bed because they’re cleaning the thing.
Letting them know that these hardships are coming and are common goes a long way towards making them easier to endure. Cheer them up, maybe stand by their side while they clean. It’ll become easier as they grow used to it.
4 – Diet Changes
Another major routine change is caused by the sudden change in diet, as the child has to switch to braces-friendly foods. Meaning foods that are easier to chew and are easier to clean off the braces later. You can make the process less stressful by slowly changing the child’s diet a time before they actually get the braces, thus making the diet change gradual instead of sudden.
5 – Clear Goal
It can be hard for a child to think about the distant future, especially younger ones. As such, it’s good to explain and show the goal of the braces as often as necessary. Make it clear before they get the braces, show before and after pictures of kids who used them. And then later, when they’re feeling down about the braces, remind them of the goal.
After all, it may come a time when your child has to pass on a bucket of delicious buttery popcorn in the movies because of their braces. And when that happens, the last thing you want is they thinking that their sacrifice serves no purpose.
If you have dental needs, Calgary orthodontists can help. Their team of experts is ready to deal with whatever comes their way; they offer all kinds of services.
