Braces and Your Child: Smart Pointers for Panicky Parents

When most parents hear that their child will need braces, a flurry of questions arise, like:

• Will they hurt my child?
• How much will they cost?
• Will they be difficult to clean and maintain?
• How long will they need to wear them?

Understandable. All of those questions have merit. But, they also have answers that won’t scare you to death.

The Initial Consult

This is where a doctor like Dr. Joseph Hung will have you complete an intake form. Then, your child will sit in a chair and receive a free consult. The dentist will inspect your child’s teeth, and possibly do some x-rays.

Good news though – no shots. So, if your child is afraid of being stuck with a needle, allay those fears. The consult is simply so that the doctor can figure out what’s going on with your child’s oral health right now, whether any extensive work needs to be done and, if not, what your child should do.

If dental work is required, your dentist will let you know that too.

The New Patient Exam Process

If you know you’re ready to get treatment, the doctor will bring you in for another consult. This time, you’ll spend roughly an hour or so going over treatment options to help you figure out which one will be best for you. Your orthodontist will be able to give you an estimated timeline for how long it’ll take, provide options for treatment, take records (if he hasn’t done that already), take impressions of your child’s teeth, and schedule a series of appointments to get you started.

Explaining Treatment Options

Your orthodontist will explain the treatment options with you, including alternatives like Invisalign, traditional metal and ceramic braces, and any other appliances that may be involved in your child’s treatment. The consult will likely last about 20 or 30 minutes.

Once you decide on a treatment, you’ll be brought back in for that treatment.

The Installation

Your child’s braces, and any other dental appliances, may take anywhere from an hour to several hours to install. Usually, the average time to get braces put on in 2 hours. But, your child can watch T.V. or listen to music to pass the time. The process doesn’t hurt at all. It’s just a lengthy process because the doctor has to make sure that each piece of hardware is installed properly.

Followup Visits

Your orthodontist may require you to come back for followup visits. This is almost always a requirement that is explained to you upfront before the procedure begins. The dentist will need to make fine adjustments over time, to move the braces and teeth, and continue the alignment process. Teeth usually take weeks to months to fully align to the doctor’s recommendations.

Once it’s complete, the braces can be removed, and your child can wear retainers to maintain the correction. The retainers help keep the teeth from drifting back to their original position, so they’re important. Life after braces can often be seen as a fun time – a time of freedom. But, that doesn’t mean the process is over.

You must teach your child the importance of good oral hygiene and the importance of maintaining the alignment.

Bradley Holmes works as a receptionist at a dental and orthodontist practice. Often asked questions by patients over the phone, he brushed up on his knowledge so as to be able to help people without them waiting for a dentist to phone back. He now shares his knowledge through his articles.