No matter how you look at it, orthodontics are an investment and a commitment. Braces take a long time from start to finish, but that is a good thing. The process is customized to each patient, and some require lengthy treatment to end up with a straight, strong, healthy smile. Here are some of the elements that contribute to the length of braces treatment – and why patience and time are so important no matter what the circumstances.
Everyone has their own unique orthodontic journey, but to live with braces is a universal experience for each patient. There are plenty of feelings to share, experiences that are similar, and passages of time that will pass similarly for everyone with brackets and wires. Here is what to expect at the start of wearing braces and how to cope with the tougher stuff while enjoying the journey.
If your teen had the good fortune to begin braces or Invisalign treatment in the summer, they enjoyed the freedom to get used to all that newness on their own. Now that fall is upon us, tweens and teens with orthodontics need to learn how this time of year can challenge them, make life easier, and help them appreciate the work they’re doing to beautify their smile.
Plenty of parents have concerns about how their tween or teen will manage the demands of their braces or Invisalign treatment. Moms and dads don’t want the mental load of reminding their child to floss properly, brush more often, and change their rubber bands. Many orthodontists have discovered that orthodontic treatment teaches independence and kids’ abilities improve as time goes on. Parents can trust the process to make kids feel in charge of part of their life.
They are questions universally asked by anyone who wears braces: Can I kiss someone? Can someone else with braces kiss me when I have braces? These are legitimate concerns of patients, both teen braces wearers and adults with braces. Here are some facts and braces-friendly kissing techniques to remember.
No orthodontist expects patients to be 100% knowledgeable about Invisalign – that’s what they’re there for after all. However, there is plenty of conflicting information online, and even from former or current Invisalign patients, that can make you confused about the treatment and its benefits. Get the scoop from the expert and never think of your Invisalign questions as stupid. The only silly thing is not asking your questions at all.
For some people, summer is sacrosanct. It’s sun and vacation and relaxation and nothing else – no appointments or obligations. For others, this is the time to get things done or, in the case of braces, to get things started. Whether teen or adult, conventional braces or Invisalign, orthodontics do not have to interfere with whatever you have planned for the warmest months of the year.
There isn’t one timeline that tells you how long it’ll take for you to get used to Invisalign. Knowing what to expect and having some quick tips on hand to ease the journey, however, will improve the experience and help you adjust.
Parents with more than one child who needs orthodontics will likely find themselves discovering that each child’s dental development will vary, just like the rest of their development. Gender sometimes plays a role, or dental genetics could impact the right time for braces. Here are some of the basics to know as you fill your schedule with orthodontic appointments for expanders, braces, Invisalign, or retainers.
Ever see those tiny metal springs stretching across the teeth of someone who’s wearing metal braces? They are an essential component for many types of alignment. Though they may seem silly and like they’re hardly doing anything at all, the presence of coil springs for braces is effective.
