What is the advantage of two-phase orthodontic treatment?
Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process that combines tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The purpose of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, and aesthetic result that will remain stable throughout your child’s life.
WHAT IF TREATMENT IS PUT OFF?
Putting off treatment can result in a need for more invasive treatment later in life that may not completely fix your child’s smile. Early treatment is most effective for achieving lasting results.
PHASE ONE
A Foundation for a Lifetime of Beautiful Smiles
The goal of Phase One treatment is to help the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all of the permanent teeth and improve the way the 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 the age of six are found to have this jaw discrepancy, they are candidates for early orthodontic treatment. Also, if children around the age of eight have crowded front teeth, early treatment can prevent the need to extract permanent teeth later.
- Planning now can save your child’s smile later – Children benefit tremendously from early-phase treatment. Receiving early treatment may prevent the removal of permanent teeth later in life, or the need for surgical procedures to realign the jaws.
- Making records to determine your child’s unique treatment – Orthodontic records will be necessary to determine the type of appliances to be used, the duration of treatment time, and the frequency of visits. Records consist of models of the teeth, X-rays, and photographs. During your child’s initial consultation, the doctor will take records to determine if early treatment is necessary.
RESTING PERIOD
In this phase, the remaining permanent teeth are left alone as they erupt. Retaining devices may not be recommended if they would interfere with eruption. It is best to allow the existing permanent teeth some freedom of movement. A successful first phase will have created room for permanent teeth to find an eruption path. Otherwise, they may become impacted or severely displaced.
- Monitoring the teeth’s progress – At the end of the first phase of treatment, teeth are not in their final positions. This will be determined and accomplished in the second phase of treatment. Selective removal of certain primary (baby) teeth may be in the best interest of enhancing eruption during this resting phase. Therefore, periodic recall appointments for observation are necessary, usually on a six-month basis.
PHASE TWO ORTHODONTICS TREATMENT
Stay healthy and look attractive
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 usually involves full upper and lower braces.
At the beginning of the first phase, Lafayette orthodontic records were made and a diagnosis and treatment plan was established. Certain types of appliances were used in the first phase to correct and realign the teeth and jaw. The second phase begins when all permanent teeth have erupted, and usually requires braces on all the teeth for an average of 24 months. Retainers are worn after this phase to ensure your child retains his or her beautiful smile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two-phase treatment is an age-appropriate intervention that acts according to the patient’s stage in dental development. It is still orthodontic care because it seeks to promote proper dental alignment and oral health, but it analyzes the child’s dental development carefully. It aims to prevent the development of severe orthodontic problems and start correcting any existing problems.
The only way to know for a fact is to visit an orthodontist. You should still take your child to an orthodontist as early as possible to review their dental development. Children with a family history of orthodontic problems will require two-phase orthodontic treatment if they wish uncomfortable and lengthy orthodontic interventions later in their teenage years.
The main advantage is comfort. Orthodontists model the child’s treatment plan around natural dental development stages and bone growth, making any movements much easier to achieve without having to apply too much force. As a result, the patient can minimize discomfort or tooth sensitivity. Additionally, many parents will be glad to know that phase I orthodontics may cut on the need for interceptive treatment during their kid’s teenage years, saving them a lot of money in the long run.
The only way to know for a fact that your child needs 2-phase treatment is to bring them to a board-certified orthodontist who will perform a thorough review of your medical history and take advanced imaging that allows them to review their dental development. Not all children require immediate orthodontic care, but they all can benefit from early consultations with an orthodontist.
Unfortunately, some jaw malocclusions and detected jaw bone growth problems can only receive proper treatment once the bone stops growing. As dental alignment specialists, we focus on minimizing the impact on the child’s erupting permanent teeth and dental functions, but some problems can only receive treatment during the patient’s late teens or early adulthood.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends parents bring their children to a board-certified orthodontist by age 7. During this time, the kid will still have a mixture of baby teeth and permanent teeth, so it gives the specialist plenty of chance to detect incoming orthodontic problems and establish an observable pattern in the kid’s dental eruptions.
