There are a number of things your child typically looks forward to — being able to ride their bike without training wheels, the release of a popular new video game, and finally getting to spend time with their friends over the weekend, to name a few. However, getting braces usually doesn’t make their list of exciting moments.

While that may be the case, there are still plenty of things you can do to get your child ready for their orthodontic treatment so they aren’t hit with any surprises and look forward to the final results.

How to Prepare Your Child for Braces

Talk to Them First

Getting orthodontic treatment is a big deal in the eyes of children and they may not understand why things are happening as they are. Before their first appointment, speak to them about a few things.

Ease Their Fears

Especially for young children who don’t understand why their orthodontist is taking x-rays of their mouth or molds of their teeth, getting braces can be a bit scary at first. Sit your children down and speak about what they can expect to happen and why certain procedures are happening.

Ask About Their Preferences

If you have older children, speak to them about any preferences they may have with the type of treatment they receive. Teens sometimes prefer Invisalign® over traditional braces since they blend more seamlessly with their smiles.

Start Adjusting Their Diets

Once they have their braces, your child will have to give up certain foods that can be harmful to braces — a guideline that kids are often not a fan of.

To help make the transition a bit easier on them, start limiting the amount of sticky and chewy foods you keep in the house so that they’re rarely an option to begin with. By the time your child has their braces put on, they won’t miss those types of foods as much.

You should also stock up on softer foods that are easier to eat while they adjust the new treatment. These can include rice, pasta, yogurt, and soup, for example.

Stock Up on Orthodontic Wax

Having braces takes some getting used to, and until your child adjusts to the new hardware in their mouths, they may feel some irritation from the wires and brackets. To help remedy this, your child can apply orthodontic wax to the brackets that are bothering them.

Ask your orthodontist for extra wax so your child can simply roll it in a ball, soften it, and apply it over irritating brackets.

Help Them with Their Hygiene Routine

Taking care of your smile when you have braces is a bit more complicated than doing so without them. Help your child adjust to their orthodontic treatment by assisting them in their updated hygiene routine. This can mean:

• Getting them flossers or a Waterpik to replace regular floss

• Keeping aligner cleaner in stock

• Stocking up on brushes to clean in between brackets

• Performing oral care routines with them to pass time

Orthodontic Services in Northridge

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wished for a smile that was neater and straighter, the chance to make it a reality is here. At Holistic Orthodontics, Dr. David Berrios and the rest of our office staff take the time to provide individualized orthodontic care for all of their adult and pediatric patients.

We take great pride in offering comprehensive, highly customized orthodontic services in Northridge and beyond. To schedule your free consultation and discover what orthodontic treatment options are available for you, call or send a message through our online form.