Ah, the joys of childhood. It’s a special time that should be filled with some of life’s most exciting moments.
Days are spent studying the three “Rs” and taking advantage of extracurricular activities like debate, ballet, and band. Afternoons are for athletics. Friday nights are all about sleepovers, popcorn, and Netflix. Saturdays are for dressing up and hanging out with friends.
The simple pleasures of youth are enough to put a big, bright smile on a kid’s face—even if that kid has braces.
Life with braces isn’t what it used to be for kids. It’s better!
Gone are the days when wearing wires on your teeth meant you couldn’t play an instrument, participate in competitive athletics, munch popcorn with your friends, or look stylish every day. These days, life with braces comes with very few restrictions.
Here’s a look at three reasons why braces don’t have to interfere with the joys of childhood:
1) Traditional Braces Have Gotten Better
The braces kids are wearing today are entirely different (and much better) from those kids wore just 10 years ago.
Engineers have created wires that don’t cut into the sides of the mouth as much as they did in the past. Palate expanders, which are common today, have shortened the amount of time kids have to wear braces.
That’s not to say wearing braces won’t affect your kids’ ability to play a musical instrument or participate in sports. It just means they may have to make some strategic decisions to perform at their peak and protect themselves.
For example, today’s braces still make it difficult to play a trumpet. But flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and bassoon are all good options. And the wires on the teeth could still cut your kid’s mouth if he or she gets hit while playing sports, but that’s nothing a mouth guard can’t prevent.
2) Some Braces Are Virtually Invisible
If you’re willing to forgo traditional braces, your kids can play whatever instrument they want, participate in any sport without worrying they will injure their mouths, and eat anything at any time.
Invisalign for teens makes this possible.
Invisalign requires your kids to wear a series of clear, nearly invisible plastic retainers, each one slowly tightening teeth into place.
The beauty of Invisalign is that the retainers can be removed at any time, allowing kids to play instruments or eat anything they want. In other words, Invisalign makes living life with braces nearly identical to living life without braces.
That’s something every kid can love!
3) Braces Are More Stylish Than Ever
The days of braces being available only in a stainless steel design are long gone. Today’s braces are more stylish than ever.
They come in an array of colors and shapes, so your kids are sure to always to look fabulous when you drop them off to meet their friends at the mall—and they will always feel free to smile at that special someone when their eyes lock from across the food court.
Give Your Kids a Smile That’s Worthy of Their Childhood
Every kid deserves the opportunity to experience all of the joys of youth—from studying in school to playing an instrument to participating in sports to always looking fabulous.
Thankfully, today’s braces are as fashionable and safe as they are functional.
If you’re ready to find out how to keep your kids smiling through their childhood, connect with Carlyle Orthodontics today.