Summer Is the Right Time to Start Braces in Fort Collins: What Parents Need to Know

Table of Contents

1. Why Starting in Summer Changes the Experience 2. What the First Two Weeks Actually Feel Like 3. School Logistics: Lunch, Sports, and Band 4. The Consultation and Placement Appointments 5. Book Before August: Availability Shrinks Fast

Why Starting in Summer Changes the Experience

Parents who schedule braces in July and August aren’t just being organized. They’re giving their kids a meaningful clinical advantage.

The first 24 to 72 hours after braces are placed are when discomfort peaks. Research confirms it, and every orthodontist sees it: teeth respond to new force immediately, and the first few days involve pressure, tenderness when biting, and sensitivity in the gums. According to the AAO, this soreness is normal and expected. It also fades on its own, usually within the first week.

Handling that adjustment at home, over summer break, is different than handling it on a Tuesday when your child has a Spanish quiz. Soft foods, extra brushing time, and learning to use orthodontic wax are all easier when there’s no school schedule running in parallel.

There’s also the social dimension. Some kids feel self-conscious about new braces. Six to eight weeks of summer gives them time to get used to the hardware before they’re around classmates every day. By September, braces feel ordinary, not new.

Ready to understand what treatment looks like from start to finish? Read our step-by-step guide to your orthodontic journey in Fort Collins.

What the First Two Weeks Actually Feel Like

This is what the research and clinical experience tell us:

Hours 1–24: Some tenderness when biting. Teeth are beginning to respond to the force. Soft foods only. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen as needed.

Days 2–3: Discomfort typically peaks during this window, then begins to decrease. A review of 37 randomized controlled trials found average pain scores around 42 out of 100 at peak, dropping steadily afterward. Orthodontic wax helps with bracket irritation on the cheeks.

Days 4–7: Most patients report significant improvement. Eating expands to softer cooked foods. Brushing around brackets becomes more routine.

Week 2: The hardware feels familiar. Kids stop consciously noticing it through the day. The hygiene routine, which takes an extra 5 to 10 minutes, becomes a habit.

The adjustment period is real. It is also short and predictable. Having it happen over summer rather than during the school year is the cleaner option.

Not sure whether braces or clear aligners are the right fit? Our guide to types of braces in Fort Collins walks through the options.

School Logistics: Lunch, Sports, and Band

Three common concerns parents raise before starting treatment:

Lunch and cafeteria food: The restricted food list for braces removes the hard, sticky, and crunchy: caramel, popcorn, hard candy, ice, whole apples, bagels bitten straight through, gum, and anything that requires significant force to chew. Most cafeteria food does not fall into those categories. Packing lunch the first few weeks gives families more control during the adjustment.

Sports: Braces are compatible with athletics. Any sport with contact or projectile risk requires a mouthguard. Dr. Laura Milnor can recommend a guard that fits over brackets. Standard mouthguards from sporting goods stores may not fit properly over braces hardware; an orthodontic-specific guard is worth the investment.

Band and orchestra: Students who play wind or brass instruments need a few weeks to readjust their embouchure. Most adapt without stopping lessons. Starting in summer, before fall band season, gives them that window without missing a performance.

The Consultation and Placement Appointments

The first visit is an evaluation, not the day braces go on. Dr. Laura Milnor will examine bite alignment, tooth spacing, and jaw development, then take digital scans or X-rays to build a treatment map. Families leave with a treatment recommendation, estimated timeline, and cost breakdown.

If you proceed, the placement appointment happens 1 to 3 weeks later, after any cleaning or prep work is done. The placement appointment takes 1 to 2 hours and is straightforward. Then the 24-to-72-hour window begins.

Most summer consultations at Milnor are complimentary. Call (970) 484-3214 or book online at milnororthodontics.com.

Book Before August: Availability Shrinks Fast

July and early August are the highest-demand window for orthodontic consultations. Families who put off scheduling often find the first available slot falls after school starts.

If you are considering braces for your child before the school year, book the consultation now. The evaluation appointment is zero commitment. It tells you where your child’s treatment would start, what the timeline looks like, and what it costs.

We serve patients in Fort Collins and the surrounding Northern Colorado communities including Loveland and Windsor. Call (970) 484-3214 or visit milnororthodontics.com to schedule.