Is Summer the Best Time for Kids to Get Braces?

While we help our patients with their treatment year-round and believe there’s never a bad time to get braces or Invisalign, summer can be the perfect time for your child to get braces. Here’s why.

More Free Time to Schedule Orthodontic Appointments

The school year doesn’t just mean a regular Monday to Friday class schedule, it also includes sports events, band practices and concerts, academic clubs and other types of extracurricular activities. Being fitted for braces and having them put on takes a bit more time than subsequent follow-up appointments, so it is best to have them put on in the summer when everyone isn’t so busy.

Your orthodontist’s schedule will also be more open because all of their patients won’t be trying to make appointments in the late afternoon after school.

Time to Adjust to Having Braces

Having braces isn’t as bad as it used to be, but they still take a little getting used to. There may be some discomfort, and speech can be affected slightly at first. There are things you can’t eat right after you get braces, and you may need to eat softer foods for the first several days. This is easier to deal with in your own kitchen at home than in the school cafeteria.

Once you have braces, you will need extra time to care for your smile. Brushing and flossing will need to be done differently and more thoroughly. Getting braces in the summer gives you time to perfect your daily dental routine without having to worry about getting to school on time.

More Time to Deal with Any Issues that Arise

Occasionally, patients will have an issue with their new braces. During the summer, it’s much easier to schedule an appointment to fix any problems that arise, and you don’t have to worry about being stuck at school if something happens.

Braces May Be Removed during a School Break

Patients often wear their braces for 12 months, 18 months, or 24 months. This means if you get your braces on during summer vacation, chances are you will also have them taken off during a school break, either in the summer if you have them for 12 or 24 months, or during winter break if you have them for 18 months. And just as there is an adjustment when you first get your braces, there is also an adjustment when you have them removed, so it’s nice to do it over a school break too.

Any time is the right time for you or your child to get braces or Invisalign and start working toward a spectacular smile! Call our office at (843) 4-BRACES to schedule a free exam today!