Two-Phase Treatment
What is the advantage of two-phase orthodontic treatment?
Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process combining tooth movement, guidance of jaw growth and facial changes. The purpose of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to achieve a healthy, functional and esthetic result that will remain stable throughout your life.
Phase I treatment
Your 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 to 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 and/or lower jaw that is growing too little or too much 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 8 have crowded front teeth, early treatment may avoid the need to extract permanent teeth later.
Planning now can save your smile later
Because most children are growing rapidly between the ages of 8 and 11, they may benefit tremendously from an early phase of treatment, utilizing orthopedic appliances like the MARA appliance, used by Dr. Crump, that direct the growth relationship of the upper and lower jaws. Receiving early treatment may prevent the removal of permanent teeth later in life, or the need for surgical procedures to realign the jaws.
When should Phase I begin?
Treatment timing is very important. Dr. Crump strongly recommends screening patients by age 8 or 9 to determine if your child needs any Phase I treatment.If you have any questions about this type of treatment, please contact our office to schedule a complementary initial visit with Dr. Crump.
Making records to determine your 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, Dr. Crump's team will take records to determine if early treatment is necessary.
How long does Phase I last?
From 6 to 18 months, depending on the type and severity of your child's orthodontic problem.
What if I delay or skip Phase I ?
For someone with a jaw discrepancy (overbite), leaving such a condition untreated until all the permanent teeth have erupted, could result in a jaw discrepancy too severe to correct with braces alone. There may not be enough jaw growth remaining at an older age to achieve a stable bite correction with just one phase of treatment.
Resting Period
At the completion of the 1st phase of treatment,the orthodontic/orthopedic appliances are removed and we wait for most of the remaining permanent teeth to erupt, before deciding if a second phase of treatment is needed to complete the tooth movement and finalize the bite correction. A successful first phase will have created room for permanent teeth to find an eruption path; otherwise, they may become impacted or severely displaced.
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Monitoring your teeth's progress
At the end of the first phase of treatment, teeth are not in their final positions. 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 II treatment
Stay healthy and look attractive
If needed, final positioning of the permanent teeth and completion of the bite correctionwill be determined and accomplished in the second phase of treatment. A small percent of Phase I patients do not require a second phase of treatment; however, most do need it.
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.
There are separate fees for Phase I and Phase II treatments.
At the beginning of the first phase, orthodontic records were made and a diagnosis and treatment plan established. Certain types of appliances were used in the first phase, to correct and realign the teeth and jaw. If a second phase of treatment is needed, complete diagnostic records will be taken and a consultation appointment will be scheduled with Dr. Crump to explain any treatment needed. The second phase begins when most of the permanent teeth have erupted, and usually requires braces on all the teeth for an average of 20 months. Retainers are worn after this phase to ensure you retain your beautiful smile.