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When I was a child, wearing braces was rather uncommon.
Braces image: sxc.hu
Only the occasional youngster was fitted with them. Also, kids generally didn’t like to wear them because of the trouble and discomfort, but also from being regarded as the unusual one among contemporaries.
When my daughter was young, more kids wore them, but not nearly so many as now. Today, it’s rather the norm, and my grandchildren have either gone through wearing braces or are in the midst of it. From having crooked teeth that make it difficult for them to eat normally, they are acquiring better shaped jaws and nicely aligned chompers.
We used to consider it mainly a cosmetic affectation years ago, not realizing that so many jaw and teeth problems could have been solved with braces and the knowledge of today. I recall my husband’s cousin saying, after having surgery in her 50s, “If only they had known what they know now and I’d had braces, I wouldn’t be going through this.”
Adapting to braces takes tolerance on the part of the youngster and reminders by mom and dad. Forgetting sticky, gummy foods for awhile proved worthwhile, my granddaughter found. Learning to brush and floss correctly will pay dividends in future years, and become a practice long after the braces are removed.
It also has become common for adults nowadays to enter the world of braces and have better working teeth.
What methods have you used to encourage your youngsters to adapt to braces for those few years?
