So, your teen isn’t thrilled about getting braces. We totally understand. It can be unpleasant to think about spending the next 18-24 months with wires in your mouth, especially when you’re young.
But those months of inconvenience will lead to decades of dental benefits.
So how do you make the experience a little more palatable to your teen? You may want to talk about your teen’s style options. That’s right, style. If they are worried about being teased, clear braces are an option. They are virtually-invisible except from extremely short distances.
But your teen may be more interested in a splash of color. Did you know that our patients can choose all sorts of colored bands? The simple choice of rubber bands can offer your teen a surprising opportunity for self-expression. Many like to pick holiday colors such as black and orange at Halloween; green and red at Christmas; or pastels at Easter. Choosing school colors is also an especially-popular option for kids who play on a school sports team.
Naturally, your teen may need time to get used to the idea of braces. It’s understandable. Try to be empathetic. But putting a positive spin on things and emphasizing that they have options to personalize the braces often helps.