It’s not uncommon for children to feel a little hesitant to visit the dentist or orthodontist depending on their needs. After all, having anyone poking around in your mouth is odd when you’re a child and don’t fully understand what’s happening.
That said, it’s obviously true to say that dentists and orthodontists are some of the most qualified medical professionals out there. These professionals only ever wish to reduce harm and difficulty that may come from an ill-formed or difficult dental environment.
Telling children that they need braces can make them feel a little hesitant and worried, because any corrective application can seem like a great deal of work overtime. However, it can be very helpful to help them understand, in their own way, what this is for and how much it can help them in the long run. Additionally, it can help them feel like this is less of a strange procedure and more a process that almost everyone goes through, allowing them to realize that there’s nothing to fear at all. Let’s consider how else we can help them come to this impression:
Talk About Your Experience
It’s a good idea to talk about your experiences to the degree that you can remember them. Or, if you didn’t have braces, ask one of your siblings that does. Perhaps your child has a friend with braces who may be able to share their experience, such as how they’ve found eating with them, and how they keep them safe and preserved every night when they head to sleep. When your child has something to go on, they can realize that braces are a corrective tool, not a punishment, and they’re not that bad.
Make A Routine
It’s good to make a routine for them so they can understand the maintenance of their braces properly. This might involve taking them off at night, having them cleaned, or knowing when the braces will be tightened a little more or adjusted as necessary. Over time, you’ll no doubt notice that they settle into this more readily, as well as having an idea of when they can take them off. After all, braces are rarely a permanent measure, so this is only a necessary task they have to deal with for a small amount of time in the grand scheme of things.
Help Them Understand The Purpose
It’s a good idea to go into specifics. Feel free to ask the orthodontist to make your child fully aware of what this whole process is even for. For instance, it might be that their teeth are coming in but in the wrong directions, and so some before and after pictures of prior patients could be a good idea to help them understand the benefit. When they have an idea of which teeth are being fixed and the process for how wearing braces will go, they’re much more likely to accept and even want this treatment.
With this advice, you’re sure to help familiarize your child with the idea of wearing braces. It’s only good for them in the end, after all.
