The best time of life to get braces is most often during the preteen or teenage years. At this point, most kids have their adult teeth and are in a good stage of life to fit in caring for their braces. Getting even more specific, the best time of the year for teens to start braces is during the summer. Here’s why the sunny season away from school is the best time to begin the process of straightening teeth.
Your Teen Can Adjust to Food Restrictions
Out of all of the adjustments teens need to make when they begin orthodontic treatment with braces, one of the biggest tends to be their new diet. In order to avoid damaging the system of brackets and wires, your teen will need to cut out hard and sticky foods. This means no nuts, popcorn, apples, raw veggies, or chewy candy, or gum, among other things.
However, consuming foods like nut butter, meats that are easier to chew, softer fruits like bananas, and of course, ice cream will be perfectly fine. The time off they’ll have in the summer will help them experiment with different foods and find braces-friendly meals they can depend on once school starts.
They’ll Be Ready for Band Once the Fall Arrives
The brackets and wires of braces also tend to make playing certain instruments more difficult. In particular, if your teen plays any sort of wind or brass instrument, their braces could limit their ability to play in band for a little while.
This is why they should start treatment over the summer, so they will need to be ready for band practices and performances once the school year starts. While it will be a bit trickier than normal for them to play their instrument at first, they will be able to get used to playing with braces after a few weeks of practice.
They’ll Have Enough Time to Master Their Cleaning Routine
Getting a straight smile will improve your teen’s dental health in the long run by making it easier to clean their teeth thoroughly and evening out the pressure of their bite. However, the process of completing orthodontic treatment with braces increases the risk of tooth decay since the brackets and wires make it harder to get a complete clean. Food particles also easily stick to braces, further increasing the risk of plaque accumulation.
Because of this, teens will need to step up their cleaning routine to brushing after every meal with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Flossing will also be more important than ever, but also more difficult due to the fact that the wires will be in the way.
By having plenty of time to get used to their cleaning routine and flossing with a floss threader, they can enter the school year without the extra stress of having to learn a new cleaning routine the same time they start classes.
To learn more about starting orthodontic treatment with braces and to see which treatment options are right for your teen, contact Smith Orthodontics today and schedule your free consultation!
