ORTHODONTIC TREATMENTS

Two-Phase Treatment

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What Is Two-Phase Treatment?

Two-phase treatment is a specialized orthodontic treatment for children. It combines teeth straightening and creating a functional bite. This treatment creates a proper foundation for normal jaw development and eruption of permanent teeth. Early or late loss of baby teeth, crowded or misplaced teeth, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and other such oral problems can be treated at an early age with this orthodontic treatment.

Signs of Needing Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment

Any of the following signs may indicate your child is a good candidate for Two-Phase treatment:

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.

Why you should do the treatment

Signs Your Child Might Need Early Orthodontic Treatment
There are several indicators that your child might benefit from two-phase orthodontic treatment.

One sign is the early loss of primary teeth. If your child begins losing teeth before age 5 or begins losing teeth significantly out of order (e.g. the first lost tooth is a molar), you should schedule an appointment with an orthodontist.

If your child is still engaging in sucking on the thumb, other fingers, or pacifier behavior at age 5 despite your efforts to break the habit, you should schedule an appointment with an orthodontist. Persistent thumb sucking can cause an overbite and malformation of the roof of the mouth.

A child who is experiencing difficulty biting or chewing might also benefit from early intervention. Your child could be experiencing pain from tooth decay or a tooth infection. These problems also could indicate a misaligned bite, in which your child is unable to properly open or close his or her jaw.

An orthodontist also can address early signs of a crossbite. A crossbite occurs when the top teeth and bottom teeth do not come together correctly or they bite into an incorrect overlapping position.

Prematurely crowded teeth also could indicate a problem that needs orthodontic correction. If your young child is growing in adult teeth that are coming in overlapping, rotated, or up high, early treatment can help make room for them to grow in.

If your child’s upper or lower teeth are protruding, she might benefit from early correction. Protruding teeth can cause a variety of problems including difficulty biting and chewing, as well as speech problems.

Who Needs Two-Phase Treatment?

Not everyone needs two-phase orthodontic treatment. At the age of six, we can begin to identify serious misalignment issues, for example, an upper or lower jaw that is growing too much or not enough. Children with severe alignment problems can benefit substantially from an early dose of orthodontic treatment. If left untreated, jaw discrepancies and overcrowding will likely get worse over time and may become too severe for braces to be effective. Early orthodontic intervention reduces the need for extraction and other complicated, costly procedures later on.

Benefits Of Two-Phase Treatment

How Two-Phase Treatment Works

The primary goal of the first phase of treatment is to allow for the normal development of permanent teeth. This usually stems from issues involving jaw growth in children who are at significant risk for needing jaw surgery later in life. This early phase of treatment occurs when the jawbones are highly malleable. Once the bones become firm, it is too late to reshape them through orthodontic procedures and invasive surgery will be required.

Common methods of treatment in phase one include:

Phase one treatment is designed to prepare your child for a better outcome and easier treatment path in phase two. In most cases, this early intervention will not eliminate the need for treatment with braces in early adolescence.

In between phase one and two treatments, your child’s orthodontist will use X-rays and physical examinations to monitor further jaw development and eruption of any remaining permanent teeth.

Although this in-between period typically will not require any appliances–though in some cases your child may be asked to wear a retainer to maintain progress made in phase one–it is important that you keep up with regular appointments and follow all your orthodontist’s instructions. This can save a substantial amount of time and effort during phase two treatment.

Phase two orthodontic treatment is the process that most people are familiar with, where braces are applied to the top and bottom teeth. This will position all your child’s permanent teeth and set him or her up with a healthy and attractive smile. Teeth also will be aligned for function and stability with braces and specialized retainers or expansion appliances, if needed.

Missing teeth may be replaced during this stage, and teeth that are out of position or fail to erupt may be brought down into the dental arch or removed. For children who have completed a two-phase treatment process, this phase will usually begin when they are about 11 or 12 and will likely last between one and two years.

What Can I Expect During This Type of Treatment?

The first step is a thorough consultation with an orthodontist, who can provide specific recommendations for each individual. Depending on the underlying problems, your orthodontist may suggest braces to straighten and move teeth, followed by a removable retainer. Since braces and bands can collect particles of food, our dentist might also recommend a specific cleaning routine beyond your regular checkups every six months with your regular dentist.

FAQ's

Do you always need Phase 2 braces?

It’s important to understand that Phase 2 treatment isn’t always necessary. An orthodontist may recommend Phase 2 to correct complex issues such as teeth that haven’t erupted, as well as too many or too few teeth, or a correction to a bite.

What is Phase 2 of orthodontic treatment?

After phase 1 orthodontics, patients generally begin phase 2 of orthodontic treatment during their early adolescent or adolescent years. During this phase of treatment, teeth are aligned for maximum esthetics, function, and stability with braces and specialized retainers or expansion appliances, if needed.

Why are there 2 phases of braces?

Help the jaws develop to ensure adequate space for all of the permanent teeth, especially the permanent canines.

May reduce the need to pull permanent teeth in the future.
Some problems can be treated quite well in a growing child but may require corrective surgery if treatment occurs after growth ends.
Normalize the relationship of the upper jaw to the lower jaw, especially in the case of an underbite.
Intervene in a child’s prolonged sucking or abnormal swallowing.
Damaging pressure can move teeth in the wrong direction and/or change the shape of the bone that supports teeth.
Tuck in upper front teeth that stick out to reduce the risk of those teeth being broken or knocked out.

How long does the second treatment of braces take?

But this will vary from case to case, and can take anywhere from 3 to 18 months, so it is important to book a consultation with a specialist orthodontist who will discuss the best form of secondary orthodontic treatment for you

What is the rule of 2 orthodontics?

The 2-2-2 Rule is the recommended approach to maintaining a happy and healthy smile! Children should visit the dentist twice per year and brush their teeth twice per day for two whole minutes!

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