The straightening of the teeth is a great opportunity for your child! They may not always see things that way, but as their parent, you can help them realize how awesome a set of shiny straight teeth can be.
Moreover, many kids went without proper dental care during the pandemic. Straightened teeth are more than a cosmetic upgrade. It’s also an important aspect of good oral hygiene and health. If your child has crowded teeth, they may find it harder to chew certain foods, have difficulties effectively cleaning their teeth, and also experience discomfort. So, it’s important to get them fixed and to help them realize how great these situations can be!
How can you help your child feel better about straightening their teeth? You’ll find some helpful pointers below.
Talk About Your Own Experiences
The best thing you can do to make your child relaxed about something is to do it yourself. Once they can see you have been to the orthodontist and had a nice time, they may be more inclined to be open-minded.
It’s important to set a good example. After all, it’s not just the kids not accessing dental care, as 30% of Americans haven’t been to the dentist since before the pandemic, and you should try not to count yourself among them. Go for your checkups, treatments, and report back positively to your child. It will help your encouragement seem more credible to them instead of hypocritical if you don’t go yourself.
There are many things you can talk about here. The friendliness of the healthcare professionals, the lack of discomfort you felt, the prompt nature of the service, or even the fun and games the environment might have for kids are all worthy of mention. These experiences can be so much more than what your child thinks they are, so be sure to give them the full, positive picture. Answer any questions they have. The more light you can shine on matters, the better. If you can’t answer something, refer to expert resources.
Discuss Clear Aligners
Nobody wants a metal cage attached to their face! Your kids are right to have concerns about that; fortunately, there are better ways to straighten their teeth.
You can reassure them by highlighting ALIGNERCO’s guidance on clear aligners. Their clear aligners are admired by many, so get professional advice from them. Their offerings are custom-made, meaning minimum discomfort is felt and can be removed for cleaning, eating, and other reasons. Solutions are also permanent. It only takes 4-6 months to get the job done too. Consult ALIGNERCO’s resources for more information.
Therefore, straightening your kid’s teeth doesn’t need to be a big disruptive process in their life. Your child can also feel more informed about what’s ahead of them, offer their own opinions, and feel confident that they’re on the most optimum teeth straightening plan for them. After all, it’s much easier to look on the bright side when your kid knows what it involves. If you refer to expert resources, you’ll be an instrumental mouthpiece that defers to the professionals rather than a parent that ‘knows better’ on your own terms. Kids expect you to be reassuring and authoritative, but if your arguments come from a place of research, your position will seem far more credible than if you were to just enforce your will for the sake of it.
Inform Them of the Timing
Anyone can get their teeth straightened. However, it’s best to do it during the childhood years. Children’s jaws are more receptive to teeth straightening treatment. The bones are softer and often change during puberty, whereas the jaw of adults has stopped growing and thus less easily changed.
So, while your child may want to delay the treatment, it’s worth reminding them that they’ll have a much easier time getting it out of the way now.
Obviously, straightening teeth during childhood also means your child will have more time to appreciate their healthy smile. They also won’t have to pay for it in their adult years, so that’s worth reminding them of. Teens, in particular, can be very self-conscious about their appearance, so addressing some of the insecurities early is advisable too.
Even if teeth straightening measures are less than ideal, it’s always worth reminding them that whatever measures are implemented are temporary. As mentioned before, clear aligners are only needed for a few months, but even braces that are fitted for two years aren’t forever. In the end, your child will likely look back in the future and appreciate what was done. Keep them informed of that.
Conclusion
Straightened teeth are unequivocally in your child’s best interests. Once they can appreciate that, they should feel better about the ordeal. Open up about your orthodontist experiences, try to favor clear aligners if you can afford to, and remind your child that these measures are temporary and occur at an opportune time. After that, they can make the most of the situation and look forward to having healthy, straight teeth.