Braces are common today but, sometimes looking a little different means bullying still occurs!
Craig Scott believes braces are becoming more and more accepted in our community. So many kids today are having their teeth aligned and their smiles fixed, but even still we will sometimes hear reports of bullying or teasing because a child, teen or tween is wearing braces.
We all want to be accepted and be popular with our friends and sometimes kid’s may feel a little self-conscious in the first months of wearing braces. It is vital that we support and give positive affirmation to our children. Teach our kids to be proud and understand that the difference in the way they look is only short term and that a beautiful smile will result once the braces and treatments have been completed.
Over 60%? of children today will at some time have some form of alteration to their teeth before they reach the age of 18… so they are not on their own!
Craig says “Another great option is to look into the use of the Invisalign clear braces system; this innovative invisible bracing system gives children and young adults lots of options and the clear braces are virtually invisible to the eye. We are seeing an increasing amount of teenage patients coming into our practice looking for alternative solutions to straighten their teeth. There are many clear differences for choosing Invisalign aligners/treatment.”
If there is no alternative and your child does need to proceed with braces we need to ensure that they approach the treatment in a positive way. It will be much harder for others to pick and bully if the child has the right mindset, so let’s work on the fear, others will only pick up on that fear and your child’s feelings of low self-esteem and that’s when the teasing may take hold.
How can I help build my child’s self-esteem when he or she has braces?
As parents we are constantly looking for different ways to boost our child’s self-esteem. How you view the situation will be a model for your child and is the best way to deal with the situation. The right approach is to model self-acceptance “So you have crooked teeth that’s OK with a bit of work and time we can fix that
Sit down with your child to listen to their fears and concern, have the conversation, listen and pay attention and provide positive structured advice to ensure they feel strong and secure.
Find the individual attributes for each of your children. Praise and highlight strengths, talents and intellectual ability, all these things are important in ensuring our kids are able to deal with all problems in their lives including bullies who pick on our kids because they may look a little different.
Our fully trained orthodontists will advise if this braces or the Invisalign Clear braces system is suitable for your child.
If you would like more information, please contact our friendly reception staff at Fresh Smiles Belmont & Fresh Smiles Newtown on 5244 4466 to learn more.