Approaching the Topic: A Guide on Discussing Kids Braces with Your Child

More than 80 percent of children in America will end up getting braces before they turn 18. But getting braces, just like any big change in life, can be scary for a child. You, as a kind and caring parent, are probably wondering how to talk to your child about getting kids braces so that they don’t feel so uncertain about their upcoming journey.

We’ve provided kids’ braces for thousands of Atlanta kids and teens, so we know a little about how to talk to a child about getting braces and and how to take care of their teeth so that they feel confident and even excited about their new smile! Here are some tips we give to our patients’ parents to help them comfort and inform their child about braces treatment.

“But mom, I’ll look silly with braces!” 

Teens are typically intensely concerned with their appearance, so worrying about how they’ll look with braces is generally priority #1 when it comes to concerns about kids braces.

A fun way to combat these worries is to download a phone app that adds braces to a photo of your child’s face. There are several of these photo editing apps, and many are free. Add braces to your child’s photo, your own, and even your dog! They’ll see that braces actually look really cute!

Bonus – Then try one that shows them what they’ll look like with gorgeous straight teeth! Nothing makes braces seem more worth it than knowing they’ll end up with a red-carpet straight smile in the end!

“But none of my friends have braces – I’ll be the only one!” 

This is an especially common concern for younger children who get braces before their friends. As a parent, you already know that kids are very interested in fitting in and being like their friends, so being the first one to get braces can be a lot of pressure for a child.

Start out with the same stat that we started with in this article – almost ALL kids get braces eventually! Your child may be the first, but that means they’ll get to start the trend, not follow it! You may also want to mention that braces are usually worn by older kids, and wearing braces will make them look older. (Remember the days when you wanted to look OLDER! Wow how times change. 😉

Explain the kids braces process 

Knowledge is power against worry and fear. In addition to the concerns listed above, your child may worry about the actual process of getting and wearing braces. Will it hurt? Can I eat? How will I brush my teeth?

Does that mean you should become an expert in kids braces overnight? Of course not! Our website is chock full of resources to help you and your child understand the braces process and answer your questions about what wearing braces will be like. A good place to start is our FAQs page here.

We’re happy to answer all your child’s questions about braces. 

Schedule your kids’ braces consult today. We’ll explain the process and help your child feel confident in their braces journey!