As school lets out for the summer, your child’s orthodontic care might be the furthest thing from your mind. However, it’s important to consider that summertime might be the best time to invest in their oral health! Getting straighter teeth and a healthier mouth is a process, and starting at the right time can make the process easier. At South Meadows Dental & Orthodontics, we’re here to help your child enjoy a fun summer while still maintaining a healthy smile. Here are some reasons why it’s best to get started on orthodontic treatment now.
Scheduling is Easier
In many cases, summertime means that your child’s schedule opens up considerably. Orthodontic treatment like traditional braces, Damon braces, retainers, or Invisalign require multiple appointments to ensure a good fit, adjust devices, and check in with our team as your child’s crooked teeth shift. With your busy schedule, it can be difficult to fit these appointments in during the school year – especially when your child risks missing valuable classroom time or activities. Summertime can make it easier for your child to meet their appointments and ensure good continuity of care.
Your Child Will Have a Longer Adjustment Period
If your child is new to braces or other orthodontic service, they’ll require a notable adjustment period. They’ll have new habits to learn, a new feeling in their mouth, and new responsibilities to take on. These things can be difficult to manage while they’re in school, especially while trying to navigate their classes, friends, and the process of growing up. You can alleviate their stress by ensuring they have the whole summer to adjust, as well as the comfort of being home and in a familiar, more controlled environment.
Your Child Can Learn How to Take Care of Their Devices
Treatments like metal braces, retainers, and Invisalign clear aligners all require dedicated care. Your child will need to learn how to take care of them and maintain good oral hygiene at the same time. When your child doesn’t need to worry about school, they can more effectively focus on remembering these responsibilities and forming new habits – such as removing and washing their aligners or removing food from between brackets and misaligned teeth. Having to learn these new responsibilities in the middle of the school year can be overwhelming, meaning beginning during the summer can make them more likely to succeed.
Pain and Discomfort are More Manageable
Especially with treatments like traditional metal braces, pain and discomfort are normal at first. If your child might have difficulty accessing pain medications while at school, they can benefit more from being at home while they adjust to braces treatment. There’s less worry about missing lessons or activities because of pain, and they can take the pain-relieving steps they need without having to worry about the stress of school.
Your Child Can Learn What to Eat
If your child doesn’t have direct control over what they eat while at school, summertime can be a good chance to learn what foods they’ll need to avoid. Foods like hard candy, sticky foods, popcorn, and more aren’t recommended while wearing certain orthodontic appliances because not only can they damage the devices, but they can make your child more likely to experience gum disease. If your child has ready access to foods things at school, it’s important that they learn to avoid them well in advance.
Dental and Orthodontic Treatment in Reno, NV
Summertime is a great time to invest in your child’s oral health and take steps toward properly aligned teeth, as well as set them up for lifelong success with their orthodontic treatment. To meet with our team and get started, contact our Reno office by calling or filling out our online form.
