The greatest Christmas gift...

Season’s greetings #waronchristmas.  It's your friendly neighborhood orthodontists.  it’s the season for giving and receiving and a time to remember Christmas present, past and future.

I often have parents that bring their kids in for consultations and tell them this is your Christmas gift, and more often than not the kid is not thrilled to hear that. 

However, I also get a lot of young adults that come in and have come to understand that getting their teeth aligned and bite corrected was the greatest gift they ever received, and the only gift they still value from their childhood. 

Sometimes it’s hard to see the value in things while in real time.  A lifetime of being able to smile with confidence is priceless.  And it seems that the givers of this gift i.e. parents tend to grasp that long before the kids do.   

 So when should you consider giving your child the greatest Christmas present they will ever get?

Well, most kids should have their first consultation for orthodontics by at least age 10.  Now that does not mean they should all start braces at 10.  Some kids really need to wait until they are 12 or 13 to start. 

At Baptiste Orthodontics, consultations and x-rays are always free, and often we can solve big problems early with small, often free, solutions. Many times, the general dentist will send kids to us at even earlier stages if they feel there are things that need to be corrected early to prevent larger future problems from developing.

This is called a phase 1 treatment which is rarely needed but when it is indicated can save a lot of future developmental problems from occurring.  

 So if your struggling with what to get that young person for Christmas, a free orthodontic consult is not a bad start.  Most kids nowadays actually embrace the idea of having braces on even if they don’t fully understand that they may be getting the greatest Christmas gift of their lives . 

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New year. 

Dr. Andre Baptiste 

Owner/Founder of Baptiste Orthodontics & Dentistry for Kids 

To learn more about Baptiste Orthodontics & Dentistry for Kids, visit our two websites: baptisteorthodontics.com and baptistedentistryforkids.com.