How to Cope With Braces as a Teenager

Wearing braces as a teenager can be an unpleasant experience. Coping with braces as a teen can be made easier by following a few simple steps to make the process a little less painful (physically and emotionally) and a little more productive.

Instructions

1. Accept the braces. Teens often wear braces for one to three years, so they become a part of a teen's everyday life. As such, the sooner a teen can accept the braces, the more likely they are to cope successfully on a daily basis and integrate them into routines.

2. Accessorize with braces. One of the more pleasant ways to cope with wearing braces as a teen is the ability to wear colored rubber bands. Most teens attend a monthly check-up and have the opportunity to change their band color regularly. Look at the changing of the bands as an opportunity to accessorize. Choose colors that reflect upcoming holidays, wear school colors or celebrate your favorite sports team's latest victory.

3. Minimize pain. Besides the everyday hassle of metal taking up space in a teen's mouth, braces can be quite painful. Braces are especially unpleasant immediately after an adjustment. Take necessary steps to minimize pain by carrying pain relievers to ease post check-up shifting or wax to protect gums from sharp wires and edges.

4. Focus on the end result. While braces can be an ongoing headache for a few years, try to focus on the result of all the work--a beautiful smile. By coping with the braces and taking good care of them, the benefits can outweigh the struggle.

5. Plan ahead. Parents can help teens cope with braces by getting them started early. Often the high school years are more stressful for teens, so by having braces in middle school, they are less likely to have to deal with the embarrassment of dating with braces. Teens often take more pictures for clubs, sports and dances in the later school years, so having braces early can take away the potential self-consciousness that results.