Child in braces in Summer

Summer is officially here! With it comes an exciting season full of warm sunny weather that opens up all types of outdoor adventures, activities, and opportunities. In addition to all things fun, the start of summer is also a most opportune time to bring your children in for an orthodontic appointment and braces if needed.

Now why would you want to get started with such a treatment now, you ask? Here are just a few of the reasons for why we recommend summer as the season for braces:

  • School is out!

    The end of school also means fewer extracurricular activities, such as academic meetings and sporting events. This creates a more open schedule for both you and your children to schedule appointments with less interference. The first few appointments where we fit your child for braces and ensure everything is established will be longer, and so it’s best to get them out of the way before school resumes. Once school is back in session, we can schedule the speedier, more routine check-ups that won’t interfere as much with your and your child’s schedule.

  • Get the uncomfortable stage over with before first day of school.

    Not only will summer braces work better for your own schedule, but we find it’s often best for kids who can have trouble adjusting to the new treatment. New orthodontic technologies have minimized most of the physical discomfort of getting braces, but young gums and growing teeth can still feel a bit tender shortly after the initial installation. There’s also the learning curve that comes with braces, such as getting used to eating with them on and learning appropriate cleaning techniques. Becoming familiar with these aspects at home and under your guidance is a lot easier on kids who are often a bit wary of the treatment. They’ll be able to experiment with soft foods and slowly ready themselves for harder foods. By the time their school is back in session, your child will see their braces as more of a natural extension of themselves and less of a hindrance.

  • Take advantage of summer growth spurts.

    Finally, there’s science! The best time to complete orthodontic treatment is during your child’s maximum growth rate. Most kids will grow for short periods and then go into somewhat of a lag stage until the next spurt. Studies have shown that the greatest of these growth spurts occurs during the long days of summer. While researches are still studying the cause, the most likely reason is due to pituitary gland factors that relate to the length of the day and increasing heat. Whatever the root cause for this growth spurt, the fact is that it’s ideal to get braces on before as it ensures that your child’s teeth move into their desired positions while they are growing.

Dental Health Associates of Madison

Of course, this isn’t to say that every child will be ready to start their braces treatment in the summer, but it is the ideal time to get that first appointment in. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends for all children to be brought in for an initial evaluation after they turn seven years of age. This is the age at which some of their adult teeth will have begun settling in and their bite can be accurately established.

We’ll look at their teeth, jaws, and overall alignment and begin monitoring their growth processes to determine the best age at which to begin treatment with brace, if needed. We’ll generally begin recommending braces and other orthodontic treatments during ages 11 to 14, the ages of most children’s maximum growth period. If your child is concerned about getting braces we recommend that you show them some of the celebrities who have had braces as children and adults.

To learn more about how our traditional braces work, check out this page detailing the basics and answering some of our more frequently asked questions. When you’re ready to schedule an appointment you can request one using our online appointment request form.

Recommended Posts