The Benefits of Having Braces at the Same Time as Your Child

As parents, we often set aside our own needs to take care of our children. If both you and your child need orthodontic treatment, chances are you will invest in braces for your child before you invest in them for yourself. We hear moms and dads at our orthodontist office in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina say this all the time: “Yes, my teeth are crooked, but I need to get my kids through braces first.”

Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Get Braces

Our teeth are constantly moving, so the longer you wait to get braces, the more crooked your teeth can become. This can eventually result in more extensive treatment. At one point, what could have been fixed with a few months of Invisalign Lite treatment might now require the full Invisalign treatment or metal braces.

Having Braces at the Same Time Can Be a Bonding Experience

Getting braces is a life-changing experience. During treatment, special care must be taken to keep teeth healthy and clean, certain foods must be avoided when you have braces because they can cause damage, and teeth must be protected while playing sports and other types of physical activity. There is also the occasional soreness when braces are first put on or adjusted that needs to be dealt with.

Having someone to talk about this experience with can help your child adjust. Plus, when your treatments are complete, you can both show off your new, beautiful smiles together!

Oral Hygiene and Dietary Needs

When a child has braces, there are certain foods that are better for their teeth than others. If you are making softer foods after your child has their braces adjusted or are avoiding foods that can damage brackets and wires, you may as well have braces too! That way you won’t have to make those same adjustments again down the road.

The same goes for practicing good oral hygiene. If you’re going to have to remind your child to brush their teeth after every meal and provide them with flossers to make keeping their teeth clean easier, you might as well have braces too and practice the same level of care and equipment.

Multiple Family Member Discounts for Braces

We often talk about the discounts we give to our patients when two or more children have braces at the same time. This discount also applies to families who have a parent and child receiving orthodontic treatment at the same time. While this certainly does not mean that the price for two people getting orthodontic treatment will be the same as paying for one person’s orthodontic treatment, it definitely helps reduce the cost for both of you.

We know you’d do a million things for your kids—we would too. But setting aside your dental health shouldn’t be one of them. Give us a call at (843) 4-BRACES to learn more about orthodontic treatment for your child and you.