Plan Now to Save Your Smile Later
Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process combining tooth straightening and physical, facial changes.
About Phase-One Treatment
Two-phase orthodontic treatment aims to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, and aesthetic smile for the rest of your child's life.
Phase-One treatment, also called early treatment, is an effective way to give your child lasting results by helping the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all the permanent teeth and improve the way your child’s upper and lower jaws fit together.
Children often exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop.
An upper jaw that is growing too much or is too narrow can be recognized at an early age.
If children over six are found to have this jaw discrepancy, they’re candidates for early orthodontic treatment.
Also, if children around eight have crowded front teeth, early treatment can prevent tooth extraction later in life.
Benefits of Early Treatment
Children benefit tremendously from early-phase treatment.
Early treatment may prevent permanent teeth removal later in life or the need for surgical procedures to realign the jaws.
We’ll make records to determine your unique treatment needs, the best type of appliances to use, the duration of treatment time, and how often you visit us.
During your child's initial consultation, your doctor will take records to determine if early treatment is necessary. Records consist of models of the teeth, X-rays, and photographs.
Resting Period
In this phase, the remaining permanent teeth are left alone as they erupt. We don’t recommend retaining devices if they would interfere with eruption.
Existing permanent teeth need some freedom of movement. A successful first phase will allow permanent teeth to find an eruption path. Otherwise, they may become impacted or severely displaced.
At the end of the first phase of treatment, teeth aren’t in their final positions. That’s the goal of phase two.
Selective removal of specific baby teeth may be in the best interest of enhancing eruption during this resting phase.
We’ll see you for observation appointments every six months or so.
Phase-Two Treatment
The goal of the second phase is to make sure each tooth has an exact location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. When this equilibrium is established, the teeth will function together properly.
Phase two of treatment usually involves full upper and lower braces. The second phase begins when all permanent teeth have erupted and usually requires braces on all the teeth for an average of 18 months.
After completing phase two, you’ll wear retainers to ensure you keep your beautiful smile.