Early Orthodontic Treatment

Every person is different, and there is no rule that all the permanent teeth should be in before a patient can have braces. Sometimes, waiting for all permanent teeth to come in can cause major problems!

Since the 1990s, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has recommended orthodontic evaluations for children at 7 years old, when most are losing baby teeth and their permanent teeth are emerging. These early evaluations allow orthodontists to recognize irregularities in your child’s mouth before they become major orthodontic issues.

If early orthodontic treatment is deemed necessary, your orthodontist can begin to design a treatment plan to help guide your child’s teeth to their correct positions. At this point, your child will enter two-phase orthodontic treatment.

Phase 1 Orthodontic Treatment

Phase 1 orthodontic treatment is also known as early or interceptive orthodontics. Early orthodontic treatment is often started because certain irregularities like crowded teeth are easier to treat in a 7-year-old than an older child or an adult. After all, your child’s jaw is still growing.

For instance, with phase 1 orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist may use a palatal expander to expand the upper arch of your child’s teeth, making more room for the permanent teeth to come in less crowded and potentially more evenly spaced.

If your child didn’t have an orthodontic evaluation until all permanent teeth had emerged, he or she might need teeth pulled to alleviate the crowding or more extensive straightening to even the spacing between teeth. Early intervention is particularly important when children are subjected to bullying and teasing by their peers. In these cases, treatment can greatly improve self-esteem during the formative years of childhood.

Early treatment can also potentially address some issues with the jaw and bite, such as protruding front teeth and crossbites, with certain types of orthodontic appliances. This can minimize the need for jaw surgery later in life and shorten treatment time spent in middle and high school braces. This can also prevent children from excessive flaring of their front teeth from experiencing trauma to their front teeth during sports and activities.

Many children don’t need early orthodontic treatment during their initial evaluation. However, the initial evaluation can still be valuable. From there, we can schedule periodic Growth and Guidance appointments to monitor your child’s teeth as they emerge and begin treatment later if necessary.

The Orthodontic Resting Period

Between Phase 1 and Phase 2, orthodontic treatment will be a one or two-year “resting period.” During this time, your child’s mouth is allowed to develop independently, and the rest of your child’s permanent teeth emerge, most likely in better positions than they would have without Phase 1 treatment.

During the resting period, appointments with your orthodontist may still be scheduled to monitor the growth and development of your child’s smile. Your orthodontist may also prescribe a retainer for your child to wear during the resting period to maintain the effects of Phase 1 braces.

Phase 2 Braces

When all permanent teeth have emerged in your child’s mouth, phase 2 orthodontic treatment can begin. Usually, phase 2 treatment entails braces on the upper and lower teeth for a prescribed amount of time, depending on your child’s case.

This is when you reap the benefit of seeking Phase 1 treatment. Because of Phase 1, during Phase 2, your child will most likely experience a shorter and easier time in braces than he or she would have if they were beginning any orthodontic treatment. Major benefits include avoiding extractions and surgery!

Why Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment is Worth It

Although two phases of orthodontic treatment may sound like it will cost more and be more involved, that is not necessarily the case. We are essentially splitting treatment into 2 shorter phases of treatment, and the cost of treatment is also split up accordingly. As we have discussed, early treatment can help guide your child’s permanent teeth to emerge in a more favorable position than they would naturally.

This can save your family time and money by correcting issues before they arise or worsen, thus simplifying orthodontic treatment later in life or, in a few cases, eliminating the need.

Your Child’s First Visit to the Orthodontist

Visiting the orthodontist probably isn’t your 7-year-old’s idea of a fun outing, but that doesn’t mean it has to be scary! Here at Horizon Smiles Orthodontics, our staff works with children of all ages every day, and we do everything we can to make their time in the orthodontic chair as comfortable and engaging as possible. We will let you and your child know what we’re doing as we go, and if orthodontic issues are diagnosed, we will help both of you understand the treatment plan we prescribe.

If your child is around the age of 7, and especially if you’re already noticing spacing problems or issues with your child’s bite or jaw, we encourage you to schedule an evaluation with us today to determine if the early orthodontic treatment might be beneficial.