Central Texas Orthodontics

2 Phase Treatment

What is the advantage of two-phase orthodontic treatment?

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a process involving tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The purpose of a two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, esthetic smile.

It’s best for the orthodontist to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required to correct or avoid crossbites, crowding, or other problems that could be detrimental if left untreated. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment.

Planning now can save your smile later

Because growth takes place rapidly, it can be an enormous benefit to effect the growth relationship of the upper and lower jaws. Our goal is to allow the body to grow as it normally would have had the orthodontic problem not changed the body’s natural pattern. By providing adequate room for eruption of all permanent teeth and a more natural jaw relationship the later removal of permanent teeth to correct overcrowding and/or surgical procedures to align the upper and lower jaws may be avoided. If such a condition is left untreated until all permanent teeth erupt, the jaw discrepancy could be too severe to achieve an ideal result with braces alone.

Resting Period

After Phase 1 of treatment a small retainer is often placed and the remaining permanent teeth are allowed to erupt. A successful first phase will have created room for teeth to find an eruption path. Otherwise, they may become impacted or severely displaced. It is important to remember that 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.

Second Phase 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 for the maximum esthetic benefit of the face and smile.