After your child finishes the braces stage, she or he may need to use a retainer as the last phase of the orthodontic treatment. Looking at it from an adult’s perspective, it is a simple process that will have many advantages in the future, but for a child it can be a frustrating and complicated matter. In our experience as one of the most reliable orthodontist Midland Park companies, we can tell with certainty that most children are reluctant to wear retainers. Fortunately, this can be dealt with and it is only a matter of talking to your child and explaining how important the use of retainers is. In addition, there are some other strategies that will help your child to wear the retainer at all times.

Understanding the Issue

There are two main reasons why children do not wear the retainer when they are supposed to: forgetfulness and fear to mockery. It can be very difficult for a child, especially the younger ones, to create a habit of constantly wearing and taking care of the retainers. Often, they do not wear them at all and when they wear them, it is likely that they forget to put it back on when they take it off for any activity such as eating.

Another common argument for kids who do not like wearing the retainer is the fear to mockery. Some children may feel that by wearing braces, they will be more vulnerable among their friends to be picked on. So, they prefer to avoid this situation and choose not to wear the retainer.

Convincing your Child to Use It

Although it can be difficult for a child to create the habit of wearing braces, there are some strategies parents can implement in order to improve this situation.

Visual reminders are great to make children aware of how beneficial retainers are. By showing them a picture how their teeth looked like before the orthodontic treatment and how they look now, they will realize the importance of the treatment and will probably be more responsible with it.

Another good strategy is to practice at home wearing the retainer, speaking, taking it off, and putting it back on. In this way, children will become more used to it and will start wearing the retainer almost involuntarily, as part of their daily routine.

Creating a reward system will also give children an incentive to be more responsible with their retainers. Also, there are some cool retainers in different colors and with printed images in the mouthpiece that can be appealing to children.

Now, if definitely neither of these strategies works, there are permanent retainers that are wired to the back of the teeth. With this option, it is necessary to go regularly to the dentist so the braces are well maintained, hygienically speaking.

The success of orthodontic treatments is based mostly on the patients’ discipline. Fortunately, there are several approaches to help your child to be more responsible and have outstanding results. Call now at (201) 652-7020, and the leading orthodontist Midland Park company will guide you and your children to achieve the best possible results.