Patient Education Blog

When you think about braces-wearers, the image that most likely comes to mind is that of a teenager, someone already in the throes of hormonal awkwardness, like the nerd in “Sixteen Candles” or the nerd in “Never Been Kissed” or the nerd in … hey, why is it always a nerd? You might find this surprising, but over the years, the age of the average braces-wearer has been skewing younger — like elementary school young.

You shouldn’t have to choose between straight teeth and bright white smile! That’s why, for a limited time Dr. Miler is offering free teeth whitening at the end of your treatment when you invest in Clear Aligners®, the most advanced clear aligner system made in the USA.

While getting your child braces is primarily a medical decision — one that helps set them up for a lifetime of better health — there is another important reason to consider braces: They will ultimately improve your child’s self-esteem.“ Self-esteem” can be a squishy concept.

There’s a scene in the film “Peggy Sue Got Married,” a time-traveling classic from the 1980s, in which the protagonist, Kathleen Turner, tells her grandfather that she has returned from the future and has a chance to change everything about her life. What, she asks him, would he do differently if he could relive his life?

Every so often a dangerous “trend” will circulate online that makes you think “People actually thought that was a good idea?” Take Do It Yourself braces — yes, you read that right. A few years ago, a video surfaced of a young woman instructing viewers to use small rubber bands to coax crooked or gapped teeth into place without the aid of a trained orthodontist or availability of a trained orthodontist’s vital equipment.

Braces have come a long way in the past 30 years, but they’re still braces. They still represent a major change for your child and, frankly, that change can be a little scary and uncomfortable at first. To help your child successfully navigate their new (temporary)  life as a braces-wearer, we here at Miler Orthodontics suggest the following.

If your child is a good candidate for aligner therapy — and not everyone is — then having them enter into the braces phase of their life a little less reluctantly can make a big difference in their overall attitude and compliance during treatment and with retainers.