Early treatment, also called Phase 1 treatment, is performed in children with mixed dentition (some permanent teeth and some baby teeth), usually between the ages of seven and eleven. By the age of seven the first permanent molars and incisors usually come in and skeletal imbalances, crossbites, crowding, and other problems can be evaluated.
When treatment is begun early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaws and open space for incoming permanent teeth. Later in life, correction of skeletal problems may become impossible without jaw surgery. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, reduce the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, and correct thumb-sucking habit. In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment, or Phase 2.
Variety of dental orthopedic appliances, as well as braces on permanent incisors and molars can be used during phase 1 treatment. Phase 2 treatment, which is started once all the permanent teeth come in, involves full upper and lower braces.
Does every child need phase 1 treatment? No. In fact most kids are perfectly fine waiting until they lose all of their baby teeth, which happens around the age of 12, to get their braces. However, it is important for an orthodontist to perform an evaluation to decide if the child has any of the problems that are better treated earlier. In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends to have the first orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven.
And remember, the goal of phase 1 treatment is not to eliminate the need for full braces later, but rather to make the second phase easier, perhaps shorter, and more stable. Think of it as taking a complex treatment and dividing it into two parts: correcting time sensitive skeletal issues early and then finishing everything else with braces later.
Below are some of the problems to watch out for in growing children that can be corrected with Phase 1 treatment:
