Braces Buddies: How to Help Your Child Feel Proud of Their New Smile Gear

Become a braces buddy with your child.

For some, getting braces is a rite of passage into the teenage years. For others, dealing with an orthodontic appliance on their teeth can be overwhelming. At Must Love Kids Pediatric Dentistry in Vancouver, Washington, our team is specially training in children’s dentistry, and Dr. Mo specializes in pediatric orthodontics. She has years of experience in helping young patients gain straighter teeth and aligned bites.

At Must Love Kids, we want to support our patients through the orthodontic journey, and we hope parents will become braces buddies with their children.

Let your children choose colors and accessories.

If your child loves to express themselves in creative ways, have them think of their braces as another accessory they can jazz up. At each appointment, part of the fun is changing out the color of the rubber bands that help hold the wires in on their metal braces.

There are many different approaches your child can take to this accessory. Will they use the colors of their favorite sports team? Will the colors they choose celebrate the upcoming season? Will they use a single color to highlight their favorite color, or choose two colors to show off some personality? Whatever colored bands call to them, encourage your child to express their personality through their braces.

Celebrate milestones along the way.

Milestones should be celebrated, so why not celebrate milestones in your child’s orthodontic journey? The first few weeks can be hard to adjust to, so why not mark the occasion of getting through the first week and then the first orthodontic adjustment?

The celebration doesn’t have to be overwhelming or a huge engagement, but you can recognize these milestone moments on a calendar or with a small treat. Once you know the date when your child expects to get their braces off, you can count down to that moment.

Keeping track of these milestones can help remind your child that orthodontic treatment is just temporary, and that they’ll have a dazzling smile at the end of the journey—which is something to look forward to!

Normalize braces with positive role models.

Oftentimes, children just need to look to their siblings or friends to find someone with braces. The use of orthodontics isn’t uncommon these days. To help your child feel more confident in their smile, share photos of celebrities and other family members who have worn braces. 

Talk about how orthodontic treatments have changed over the years. If you have had orthodontic treatment yourself, discuss the challenges you faced during your time wearing orthodontics, especially the part about avoiding sticky and hard foods, like gums and caramel, during the duration of wearing your braces. Remind your child that braces are only temporary, and they’ll have a strong, straight smile after their orthodontic treatment is complete.

Create a braces care kit together.

For new braces wearers, it can be an adjustment, especially when it comes to cleaning your teeth. Many dentists recommend that the teeth get brushed after every meal so that nothing gets stuck in the braces.

To help your child feel prepared, help them create an orthodontic care kit. Together, pick out a fun pouch to keep all their accessories in. If you are the creative type, use paint to decorate the pouch to create a custom carrying case for things like dental flossers, dental wax, toothpaste, and a mini toothbrush.

You might even suggest your child add in a soft snack to their care kit. This braces care kit can help your child be prepared in case of a band coming off, in which case the dental wax can be used to cover the brace bracket until you can make it into the Must Love Kids office.

Stay positive and encourage confidence.

Having orthodontic treatment done is common these days, and your child shouldn’t be ashamed of their new orthodontic appliance. Wearing braces is part of a journey to a healthy, stronger smile that will last them a lifetime. Make sure you use empowering language when talking about braces. Have your child focus on the progress they are making, and mark that progress on a calendar or chart and remember to celebrate the milestones in their journey, like the halfway point of their orthodontic treatment.

Choose Must Love Kids for all your child’s dental needs.

Vancouver’s Must Love Kids Pediatric Dentistry is your child’s one stop shop for all their dental needs, including orthodontics. At Must Love Kids, we are here to make your child’s dental journey fun and memorable, and if they need to wear braces, we are here to support them through their entire treatment. Give our office a call today to schedule an appointment to see how we can help your child smile brighter.