Tips for Parents

1. Orthodontic treatment is fun and easy relative to other doctors’ visits. Orthodontic treatment is gentler and far more user-friendly than it was 25 years ago. Generally, parents should not tell a child that braces are going to hurt or say other negative comments before beginning treatment. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for some kids. It can create anxiety and fear to the point that the child's reaction to routine adjustments can be dramatically over exaggerated. If the parent appears to be nervous and apprehensive, many times the child will act the same way. Orthodontic appliances may feel very different and therefore it may take the patient some time to acclimate, but there is rarely a great deal of pain. Many kids will say that the orthodontic appliance hurts or that they can't eat, but if you ask them to be specific about whether it hurts or if it just feels different, many times they'll tell you it feels different, it feels different to eat, or that they don't like it. This adjustment period is to be expected. It usually takes two days to become acclimated to braces and one week to become acclimated to other appliances.
2. Generally, it is best for parents to wait in the reception area at the beginning of an apprehensive procedure. There is a natural tendency for some parents to want to hold the child’s hand, but pediatric dentistry 101 taught us that many children want the parents to take them away from this new setting. Kids who insist on holding the parent’s hand are more interested in getting up out of the chair and avoiding the work. It's amazing to observe the business-like attitude in a child's behavior when the child believes that we have work to do and that will go see Mom or Dad in the reception area as soon as we're finished. If you could peek around the corner you would see how much better they behave nine out of ten times when Mom and Dad are not there. It is generally best to start with Mom or Dad in the reception room and then bring them to the treatment area for explanation once the treatment has been completed.
3. My goal is to achieve the highest quality results in the shortest period of time using generally non-compliance appliances for the greatest number of people. Occasionally, a parent or patient will say they do not want a certain orthodontic appliance. I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't feel it was the most effective course of treatment. In my opinion, it is unwise to compromise the quality of treatment because “the patient or parent doesn’t want this appliance.” However, there are some circumstances where a different appliance can be substituted for the unwanted appliance. In this scenario, treatment might be more invasive (bulkier and cemented in place so it can’t be removed), take longer, or require a rare child who “will do exactly what you tell him/her.” Please be aware that giving in to the patient in the beginning of treatment might cause the patient to do a great deal of complaining at the end regarding the extended treatment time. If you have any questions about different treatment plans, please ask. I would be glad to discuss the options and the rationale.
4. As the father of five kids, I know that kids within the same family can be very different. If you have any questions or suggestions for how to motivate your kids based on their personality or you have serious concerns about their level of compliance, please call me aside in private to discuss your concerns. Sometimes there are additional non-compliance treatment options available which might be deemed to be excessive for the average patient. If you have grown weary due to needing to nag them constantly to wear their appliances and you speak with me in private about it, I can simply tell them we need to use a different approach to make it seem like it’s not optional (we can also discuss it in front of them, but be advised they are likely to beg us not to use it. Most parents give in and we usually waste several more months of time until we make the change anyway!).
5. Our goal is to finish the highest quality orthodontic treatment as early as possible. The patient has a substantial influence on both the duration and the quality of treatment. One of the most frequently asked questions is: “When are they coming off?” The estimated treatment time is only an estimate. A similar metaphor might be the time it takes to drive from your home to the grocery store. As an example, if it takes between seven and nine minutes on average to go from home to the grocery store, the nine minute trip is 29% longer in duration than the seven minute trip. It is impossible to say exactly how long it will take for you to get from home to the grocery store based on unforeseeable events. Time in orthodontic treatment is similar. Most of the delays are based on compliance (broken braces and appliances, missed appointments), bad habits, or unexpected growth in a negative direction. Some of these habits and asymmetric growth are difficult to detect and treat. Some patients will tell parents that they are wearing rubber bands (elastics) all the time, but many kids forget to place the elastics after lunch at school and claim to wear them all day. During this time at school, the parents and orthodontist is not present to witness the lack of compliance by some kids. When the elastics are not being worn, the teeth are being pulled in reverse (on a microscopic level), thus crushing the new favorable bone that was deposited. This back and forth jiggling of the teeth is not conducive to efficient progress. The shortest treatment times and the most favorable bone growth and stability are achieved when the patient wears the elastics as instructed, usually 22 hours per day.

Please do not be afraid to communicate your concerns with us. Together, we can fashion your or your child's orthodontic treatment into a confident, bold, healthy smile! Thank you!