Tips to help your child feel at ease at the orthodontist

Young children can often feel anxious at the thought of getting braces or visiting the orthodontist. The treatment chair, the bright lights, the specialists in white outfits, and the idea of someone working inside their mouth can all feel overwhelming.

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Tips for Kids: help your child feel at ease at the orthodontist

At OrthoGroep Opdebeeck & Preda, we understand that ‘orthodontics’ can seem a bit intimidating to young children.

That’s why our friendly specialists take the time during the first consultation to calmly explain each step of the treatment and answer all questions. It's good to know that orthodontic treatments are virtually painless, and our modern technology helps make the experience as comfortable as possible.

As a parent, you can also help your child feel more relaxed before the first visit or when the braces are being placed. Here are a few tips:

• Take a moment to explore our website together with your child.
• Show them pictures of our smiling team (usually only 1 or 2 people will be involved in your child’s treatment).
• Look at the before and after photos available on our braces pages.
• Go through the page that explains the specific type of braces we will be placing.
• Reassure your child that getting braces doesn’t hurt, and that appointments are always short.

Will you stay with your child during treatment?

When placing an orthodontic appliance on a younger child, we may sometimes ask parents to remain in the waiting room. Experience has shown that young children often behave more confidently when a parent is not present.

This approach usually makes the treatment easier and more comfortable - for both the child and our specialists. You can compare it to a child not crying after it fell down, as long as there is no parent around to see it happening …

That said, you can absolutely let us know if you'd prefer to stay with your child. If there are specific reasons - such as emotional sensitivity, anxiety, or a physical limitation - we completely understand.

Please feel free to mention this to our specialist at the time of the appointment. We always handle this type of information with care and discretion.

We are committed to providing a warm and welcoming environment for every child throughout their orthodontic treatment.

Still feeling uncertain or want to discuss something in advance? Don’t hesitate to contact us - and for extra peace of mind, be sure to share any important details again with our specialist during the consultation itself.

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