Do you already have a teenager at home? There is a good chance that the dentist will start talking about braces. We now have experience with it and share this with the readers of mamsatwork. From the cost of braces to practical tips. Are you reading along?
“That is going to be very tight in that mouth. Just go and check how you are insured for orthodontics.” I am startled. My oldest daughter is 10, isn't that still too young for braces? My dentist explains to me that some supplementary insurance policies have a waiting period of one year. She also tells me more about the cost of braces. They are somewhere between 2000 and 3000 euros. Handy to know before your child needs braces!
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I decide to follow her advice and scour the internet for information about supplementary insurance. There are quite a few differences in the cost of braces! Independer is a great website. There the various insurance policies are listed in a handy overview.
I choose an insurance policy that has a waiting period of one year. The dentist expects my teenager to be changing for another year. Then we can go straight to the orthodontist.
Read also: I have braces
My daughter is happily changing and is starting to feel like having braces herself. She is the youngest in her class, and hears the coolest stories from other children. About rubber bands that really hurt. Locks from brackets that break. Making plaster that is really dirty. One braced beak after another appears around her. What a difference with my childhood, in my class there was only 1 child with braces.
Also in high school it was more the exception than the rule that you wear braces. That is different today. How could that be? Parents may be better insured and can more easily afford the cost of braces. The requirements we place on teeth may also be higher. Anyway, my daughter is going to be a braces!
Read also: beautiful white teeth with Charwhite
The waiting year is now flying by. “When can I go to the orthodontist?” She's still excited about it. I make an appointment and we walk happily into the modern practice. I received an information brochure at home beforehand, so I know what to expect now that my child needs braces. First, pictures are taken. Earrings have to be removed, just like hair bows with metal. We can wait again until the orthodontist has time.
She looks at the photo with us. My oldest daughter is allowed to sit in the chair and after an expert look in her mouth, she is allowed to sit with me again. There are various braces and dentures on the table in front of us.
“There are several options for making extra space. That is really necessary with you. Fortunately, we caught it early and we can do this in an easy way.” She grabs a brace with a striking pink band on it. I feel my daughter stiffen next to me. “This is a brace that you fasten from the back of your neck with a strap. So you can see that on the outside. As a result, the molars also pull back and there is extra space.” I put a hand on the knee of my startled girl.
I didn't see this coming either. An outboard bracket. The orthodontist explains that she wants to start this as soon as possible so that my daughter only has to wear the braces at night once she starts high school. “During the day you still have a lock brace.” I also receive a package of papers with more information about the treatment plan and the costs of braces.
We get time to get used to the idea. Of course my daughter is concerned about what she will look like in the future. She is also sad about it. I get that too. You go to the orthodontist for braces like everyone else has and come out with a piece of ironwork for your face. That's something to swallow.
At home I dive behind the computer again. I want to know everything about the different braces. Maybe there is another option after all. I found out that there are many different types of braces. The outboard bracket seems to me to be the most common for the specific abnormality my daughter has.
"What are you doing mom?" I show what I'm looking for. Together we look at pictures of girls with braces. We also come across a nice video of young girls vlogging about their braces. With practical tips that my daughter can use. Slowly we get used to the idea. My tough lady with an outboard bracket. In order to eventually have cool teeth!
And let's face it, this doesn't look crazy at all, does it?
Do you think your child should have braces? There are many different braces. There are inner and outer brackets. There are also removable and fixed braces. Mamsatwork lists all the different braces for you:
https://youtu.be/CKpGDz6txGQ
Does your child already have braces? What are your experiences, we are curious!
