Go Back to School With The Trendiest Accessory: Braces

Summer vacation is officially over (sadly!) and you’ve transitioned into that busy school schedule again. Kids get to see all of their friends and you may be grateful to have a solid routine again – all of us at Lincoln Orthodontics are, too! Between adjusting to early bedtimes and all those extracurricular activities – back to school season is no joke! Now that things are winding down. Did you remember to get your child the trendiest back to school accessory: braces? Let us fill you in on why you should still get them braces now that they are back-to-school!

Your New Routine Needs Braces!

It may come as a surprise, but getting braces when school is back in session actually has a lot of upsides! You and your kids are already in the groove of learning a new routine and starting a new journey. Adding braces to that mix will only solidify that fresh start! By incorporating braces and a different oral routine now, you won’t have to worry about switching up that new routine you and your kids worked so hard to get accustomed to. And let’s not forget that once school really sets in, the assignments, extracurricular activities, practices, and social events start adding up. Before you know it, it’s almost winter and your kiddo still needs orthodontic treatment!

Braces Aren’t Worth The Wait (But Not In The Way You’re Thinking)

It goes without saying, but orthodontic issues tend to become more complicated over time. And did you know that orthodontic problems can impact your child’s speech, oral health, growth, and breathing? Yep, misaligned teeth or jaws can cause difficulties in pronouncing certain words or sounds correctly. Addressing these concerns as early as possible can prevent them from worsening and requiring more extensive treatment later!

If you know that your child needs braces, don’t put it off! Starting treatment at the beginning of the school year allows Dr. Willett and the Lincoln Orthodontics team to create a personalized plan that aligns with your child’s academic and extracurricular commitments.

To sum it up: the sooner your child receives orthodontic care, the better!

Braces Come With Wires (And Life Skills)

Not only do braces result in straight teeth and a beautiful smile – they can teach life skills that are great for your kid’s future and helpful for the school year! Going through braces treatment can help your child better understand patience, discipline, consistency, and help create better habits. Wanna know how?

• Patience: This one might be a little obvious, but it takes time for braces to get your desired smile outcome! The duration of treatment, the length of the discomfort you may have at first, and waiting to eat certain foods again (such as apples, popcorn, nuts, etc.) are all proof that braces will teach you patience, whether you want them to or not!
• Discipline: Braces are a big commitment and there are some rules that will help the process, including avoiding some hard, crunchy, and sticky foods. Learning to say no is an important life skill in navigating the big, wide world.
• Consistency: There is a pattern to orthodontic treatment and braces are most effective if the pattern is followed to a T. For example, we recommend brushing after every meal with braces. If your child has been prescribed elastics for bite correction, there is a regular cadence of changing to new rubber bands every 2-3 hours and that pattern and consistency leads to successful outcomes.
• Better Habits: Braces are prone to getting food stuck in them – so brushing after every meal takes discipline and effort! And by attending your regular orthodontic appointments and following Dr. Willett’s instructions for care, you’re creating the habit that you follow through with your commitments. Bonus points for consistency if you are reliable in wearing your elastics!

They’ll leave you with your dream smile and important skills that you can carry around with you for a lifetime.

You’ve Got (Braces) Options!

At Lincoln Orthodontics, we’re proud to say that we offer more than just your run of the mill metal braces. While metal braces are a great option, especially for your school-aged kids, we have other types of braces if your lifestyle and aesthetic needs are calling for something other than metal.

• Metal Braces: These long-lasting, durable, metal brackets with metal archwire are a classic, but not the bulky braces you’ve probably known them as. Lincoln Orthodontics offers a more modern approach, making them smaller and more comfortable. They come with orthodontic bands, o-rings, and elastics, if needed for bite correction.
• Clear Ceramic Braces: These clear brackets are not only durable but are also meant to blend with the color of your teeth. They are similar in dimension to metal brackets, but less visible! Again, if needed for bite correction, they come with clear o-rings and elastics.
• InBrace: A new, truly invisible type of braces treatment. InBrace lingual braces use a Smartwire, which is a wire that is applied to the back of your teeth that works to straighten your teeth – behind the scenes.
• LightForce Ceramic Braces: These fully custom, 3D printed, ceramic braces are a new addition to the orthodontic world. This new technology increases efficiency and maximizes outcomes. A few of our team members would vouch for that – as they have had LightForce Ceramic Braces recently!

No matter what your personal preference is, we have a braces option that will be perfect for you. (Can you tell?)

Brace Yourself for a Lincoln Orthodontics Visit

If we’ve convinced you to add braces treatment to your routine, come visit Dr. Willett at Lincoln Orthodontics. We promise you won’t regret it. You can schedule a free consultation online or by calling (402) 489-8841. See you soon!