My Kid Might Need Braces…Now What?

Disclaimer: We have partnered with Orthodontic Associates to bring you information regarding preparing your child for orthodontic work, however all opinions are 100% my own.

1027E11F-4E2F-4F3F-8C03-48FA45DFC78F[269]I remember thinking my braces were soooooo cool.  I loved them and got them when I was 15.  I don’t remember much about going to my appointments  – other than my orthodontist was a tall man who would come in, crank them a few times, and I’d be on my way.  I’d promptly pop in a piece of gum to loosen them up a bit, which, to my surprise is actually encouraged now!

So much has changed since I was a teenager, including the experience of getting orthodontic treatment.

My son has been a patient of Orthodontic Associates for a few years now.  We got the referral from our dentist who thought it would be a good idea for us to have a consultation with OA so they could watch his growing mouth and be on top of things if we needed to start the braces discussion.  At the time, he was 11 and has now been seen off and on for 2 years.  The good news – he doesn’t need braces at this point.  The other good news – it didn’t cost us a dime to have him seen and monitored for these past 2 years.  This is a service Orthodontic Associates offers any potential patient.  Come in, let them check you out, and they’ll let you know when and if it looks like you need treatment.  The fact that my son has been going for 2 years and hasn’t been referred for treatment tells me OA sincerely cares about giving the right treatment at the right time.  And if you’re wondering just when you should get your kiddos in for an orthodontic consultation – they recommend coming in when your child is 7 years old.

The things that make Orthodontic Associates special are things that I care about, as a mom.  They have 2 offices to serve you.  One in Edmond and one at Hefner Pointe off Hefner Parkway.  They are building a third office in Edmond off I-35 soon. There are 5 doctors who collaborate regarding your treatment.  What is the benefit of 5 doctors in one practice?  You get 5 doctors who discuss cases together as well as the best treatment for the patient.  One doctor is great, but 5 will give you 5 “second opinions” right in the same office. One of the key principles they work from is if they wouldn’t do it to/for their own child, then they won’t recommend it for yours. Their experience totals 58 years of orthodontic treatment.

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Photo credit : Aaron Snow Photography

Do you have to drag your little ones with you to appointments?  I’ve been there more times than I like.  OA has thought of moms like us, by installing a movie room, computer gaming system and a small child play area to keep our little ones entertained.

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Orthodontic Associates Movie Room

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Orthodontic Associates Gaming System

They’ve made going to the orthodontist fun!  Patients earn point for things like good hygiene and arriving to appointments on time.  They get to “spend” those points on things like games, toys, and gift cards.

Oh, and I’ve saved the best for last.  Remember the gooey impressions that make you gag?  I was scarred for life from one of those. OA exclusively uses the iTero scanner, which renders a digital impression for the mold.  Its as simple as a wand in your mouth while you get to watch the digital image. What kid doesn’t want to see the inside of his mouth up close and personal?

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Another great thing about Orthodontic Associates? They also treat adults! My husband is currently looking into getting Invisalign.  OA is a top 10 provider of Invisalign Teen in the country and a top 1 percent provider of Invisalign in the country, which means they treat the highest level of patient cases in the nation, giving them the highest level of experience among other doctors who provide Invisalign.

Getting braces can be scary for a kid.  Heck, it can be scary for an adult!  You’re going to spend a lot of money.  Don’t you want to spend it somewhere where you know your child will enjoy going, you can be confident you are getting sound treatment with multiple built in “second opinions”, and your kids won’t throw a fit about getting the gooey impression?  Yeah, I thought so!

Contact Orthodontic Associates!

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Amy
Amy is an Oklahoma City Native who is the mom of 3 kids ages 14, 11, and 9 and married to her college sweetheart. She ditched Corporate America and her accounting career in order to pursue her creative side and keep up with her kids. She is the author of the blog JustFinishStrong where she blogs about food, family and fitness. Coffee, a scenic run, her border collie, Izzy, and exotic chocolate are a few of her favorite things!

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