Why is summer the best time to start orthodontic treatment?

There are a lot of factors that go into the decision to begin braces or other orthodontic treatment. For parents of children starting in braces they have to consider their own work schedules, school schedules, after school activities and sports, and of course, available funds.

For many people the summer time offers the most flexibility.

Why Summer is a great time to start orthodontic treatment:

1. No school = more appointment flexibility and no missed school.  There is no question that during the school year, everyone wants to avoid missing school (well, okay, maybe some children would prefer to skip a test or two).  But typically, parents like to schedule appointments at the beginning and end of the day to allow children the more time in the classroom.  Longer appointments, like those needed when starting braces, are usually scheduled in the late morning and early afternoon. Summer time allows the flexibility in your child’s schedule to take advantage of this without missing school time.

2. Avoid the Rush.  Most parents (and most kids) want to either have their orthodontic treatment completed before end of the year photos or before the beginning of a new school year.  By starting in the summertime, there is a better chance of treatment concluding before these important times of the year.

3. Minimize Mother Nature’s delays in treatment.  Lots of things throughout the year can cause missed appointments:  hailstorms, thunderstorms, heavy snow and ice conditions can cause missed appointments and may ultimately delay the progression of orthodontic treatment.  The critical first few appointments have less of a chance of being ruined by Mother Nature if they occur in the summer.

4. Recover at home, instead at school.  Newer advancements in the orthodontics have minimized the discomfort that can be felt by patients, but it’s still possible to have tender teeth and gum tissues.  Discomfort is most common during the initial stages of treatment while teeth are adjusting to braces or aligners. For many, it is easier to deal with this discomfort at home than at school. Home is where most people are most comfortable and there’s no risk of temporary discomfort distracting from important school tasks.

5. Flexibility to tackle the unexpected. There tends to be an initial learning curve for patients when they first get braces. The beginning in the summer allows them to have the time to learn how to brush, floss and eat differently.  Additionally, if there is a problem or broken bracket, it can be repaired in a quicker time frame.

For those reasons and more, summer time offers many benefits for beginning the journey to a beautiful and healthy new smile.