No one really wants to get braces, but the benefits of braces should never be overlooked. Your smile stays with you for your entire life. Studies have shown that a healthy smile goes a long way to encouraging mental health. Wearing braces for a year can correct a host of potential problems and set you on the proper path to a future of oral health.
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So why is it so hard to convince your kid to get braces as a teen?
Trying to convince a teenager of anything is difficult, let alone convincing them to get braces. But if you cannot successfully talk them into it, they may find themselves in a difficult situation later in life. Tell your teen these important reasons to get braces in adolescence.
Smiles Are Important
Your smile is one of the first things people will notice about you. This can affect job interviews, undergraduate admissions meetings, and even finding a partner! People feel more confident when they have a healthy smile, which makes others pay attention to them.
If you know your teeth are straight, clean, and strong, you carry yourself differently. You’ll like the way you look and that, in turn, will improve how you feel. You may think everyone is looking at you if you get braces as a teen—but the truth is they’re not. If you invest in your oral health and forge a winning smile, people will look, but it’s because you’re a confident person giving them a smile.
Problems with Your Teeth Are Serious
Crossbites, misaligned teeth, overbites or underbites, crooked or crowded teeth—these are just some of the problems that can be fixed with orthodontic treatment. There are also more major potential problems, like an incorrect jaw position. Regardless of what issue your teeth have, leaving it untreated can cause a lot more problems later.
As your teeth get worse, you can lose your confidence in your smile, which can affect your overall views of yourself. Abnormal teeth placement can support plaque build-up and tooth decay, weakening the strength of your mouth. You may even find yourself facing TMJ or other chronic pain in your jaw. Getting braces as a teen may mean 18 months of wearing them, but that’s better than a lifetime of discomfort because you didn’t.
Avoiding Other Health Issues
Problems with your mouth can also cause non-jaw-related issues, like constant headaches, earaches, or even gastrointestinal problems (because an improper bite means your food isn’t getting chewed properly).
It’s Not Going to Be as Bad as You Think
One of the biggest reasons a teenager doesn’t want orthodontics is because of the way it will make them look. Thanks to television and movies, the image we all have of braces aren’t too positive. But modern-day braces are smaller, simpler, and so much less noticeable than the technology of even a few years ago.
Some models are invisible, and some, like Invisalign, can actually be removed to eat. Braces aren’t as big a hassle as they used to be, and the long-term medical benefits of getting braces will be far better for your future than avoiding a little discomfort now.
You’re Not the Only One
Finally—you’re not the only one. Your friends have braces and your classmates probably have them too. You may never have noticed because braces are just that non-intrusive. Some celebrities, as adults, are even getting braces for their medical benefits. Getting braces as a teen in the 21st century just isn’t that big of a deal—but your ongoing oral health is.
By getting braces as a teen, you’re helping both your health and your confidence. If you need orthodontic work, you will eventually have to undergo it or face ongoing problems. The sooner you get treatment, the better your response to it will be and the shorter time you’ll need to wear braces.
