Early treatment

Early orthodontic treatment helps ensure a great smile for your child.

Before & After Gallery

Shawna was treated with a bluegrass appliance. This helped Kelly stop her thumb sucking habit and her open bite closed naturally.

Erika benefited from a palate expansion in order to correct the bilateral posterior crossbite

Alex had an interior crossbite, he was treated with a reverse headgear in conjunction with an expander. His anterior and posterior crossbites were corrected. His facial balance and harmony were improved.

Sophie was treated with an expander and a reverse pull headgear. This corrected her anterior crossbite and provided her with an improved upper lip support (that can be noticed from the profile view) Her bite was also improved.

Sara was treated with partial braces to improve the alignment of her upper front teeth. This helped Sara with her smile confidence during critical years in her social development.

Questions & answers

What is the goal of early orthodontic treatment?

Early orthodontic treatment is intended to correct existing or developing problems, such as skeletal, dentoalveolar or muscular imbalances. Early treatment often reduces or eliminates the need for tooth extraction or corrective jaw surgery in the future and may also reduce your child’s need for additional orthodontic treatment to align their teeth and smile.

What is two-phase orthodontic treatment?

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a treatment plan involving two treatment stages. Early treatment, also known as Phase One treatment, is performed when a child has primary and adult teeth. Phase One treatment is designed to help your child’s jaw develop properly to accommodate their teeth and maintain a proper bite so that they can avoid more serious orthodontic problems in the future. Phase One treatment may include a palatal expander or other orthodontic appliances.

The two phases of treatment are separated by a “resting period” where your child’s mouth, teeth and jaw will be left to develop on their own. We will monitor your child during this rest period to ensure they are developing correctly.

Phase Two treatment is typically provided during adolescence and is when your child will receive braces or other orthodontic treatment to fully align their teeth and jaws. Following Phase Two treatment, our orthodontists will provide your child with a retainer to help keep their teeth aligned.

How do palatal expanders benefit my child?

We provide free orthodontic checkups for children beginning at age 7! These initial exams help our orthodontists determine if your child needs early treatment and which type of treatment is right for their needs. We invite you to call our team today to schedule a consultation!

Early orthodontic treatment

WHEN TO RECEIVE EARLY TREATMENT

ADVANTAGES OF EARLY CARE

We, along with the American Association of Orthodontists® (AAO), recommend that a child receive their initial orthodontic screening by age 7. This early visit allows our dentists to evaluate your child’s oral growth and development and determine if orthodontic treatment will be needed and, if so, when it should begin.
Early orthodontic care is incredibly advantageous. As young children’s teeth have not finished erupting, we are able to guide tooth eruption and detect any potential problems before they can become serious and cause damage to their smile and oral health. Early orthodontic treatment may help to:

Provide more room for erupting or crowded teeth.
Reserve space for unerupted teeth.
Guide jaw growth to improve or create facial symmetry.
Reduce the likelihood of tooth extraction in the future.
Reduce overall treatment time when orthodontic treatment begins.

Our dentists will carefully examine your child’s teeth and jaws during their initial appointment to determine if early treatment is needed. If your child does require early treatment, we will review all their options with you so that you can make a fully informed decision, and we will work with you to create an individualized treatment plan that can meet your child’s needs and produce optimal results for their oral health. To find out more about early orthodontics and to make an appointment with our dentists, contact our office today!

Contact us

At Dentistry and Braces group, we believe that everyone deserves exceptional dental care, no matter their age or circumstance. For personalized, comprehensive dental care, contact our experienced dentists and make your appointment today.

Suggestions

7 & up orthodontic checkup

Adolescent braces

Your child’s first visit