Planning Ahead for Your Child’s Braces

Life is full of surprises. But with careful planning and preparation, you can always set yourself up for success. As a parent, you’ll want to have a plan in place for your child’s orthodontic health. Here are some of the smartest ways to plan ahead for your child’s braces.

Bring Your Child to the Orthodontist Early

One huge way to make sure your child is prepared for success is to have them checked by an orthodontist at the age of seven. At this age, your orthodontist will be able to see if your child could benefit from early orthodontic treatment, which addresses issues with jaw shape and development.

By catching any problems early on, your child could avoid needing major surgery later on in life and their time in braces can be shorter and less expensive as a result.

Put Away Some Extra Cash

In the same way that you’d save for your kids’ college funds, it’s smart to put away a little extra money to prepare for your child’s time in orthodontic treatment in the future. You should consider what coverage you have through your health insurance plan. By adding dental insurance, you can make it easier to pay for braces in the future.

You can also look into helpful options like FSAs and HSAs. Both options offer tax benefits for setting aside funds to use for health expenses. If you have an FSA, you may be able to roll over up to $500 every year and with an HSA, you can roll over an unlimited amount of unused funds. The majority of these types of accounts allow you to use the funds for orthodontic treatment tax-free.

Stock up on the Right Stuff

When you get closer to getting braces for your child, it will be helpful to make sure you’re fully equipped ahead of time. For example, you should get an electric toothbrush, floss threaders, and dental wax so your child has everything they need to manage their braces.

Start stocking up on foods your child will be able to eat around this time too. It helps to get them used to a meal plan that will be safe for their braces a couple of weeks ahead of time so they’re fully prepared once they get their braces.

Consider Having Multiple Kids in Braces at a Time

A trick that’s helpful for many parents is having multiple kids in braces at the same time. While this may sound stressful at first, doing this often makes it easier to track meals, and the overlap means that there will be less time overall that you will need to spend helping your kids manage their orthodontic treatment and taking them to appointments.

It also helps reduce instances of siblings teasing each other since they will both be in the same boat. Once your kids are done with their braces, it’s all over and you won’t need to plan again for your next child.

If your child is about the age of seven or if they’re ready for braces or Invisalign, contact us today to schedule a free consultation today at Milnor Orthodontics.