Orthodontic Care For Children & Teens
Children
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends your child’s first visit at the age 7. This visit is to evaluate your child’s bite and facial growth development. Often, no orthodontic treatment is needed at this time, and periodic orthodontic evaluations will be recommended to continue monitor bite, growth, exfoliation of primary teeth and eruption of permanent teeth. Usually a child will be ready for orthodontic treatment when all permanent adult teeth have erupted.
An evaluation by Dr. Chisari will determine if Two-Phase treatment is necessary in your child’s case.
Phase I Treatment
In some cases, children may need to begin orthodontic treatment before all of their adult teeth have erupted (two-phase treatment). This is beneficial particularly when jaw growth and crowding problems exist or if your child has harmful habits that could affect development, like thumb sucking. This treatment is called Phase I Treatment. Phase I treatment is problem-focused, interceptive treatment designed to create the foundation for the erupting permanent teeth. After completion of Phase I treatment, retainers may be needed as we continue to monitor growth and development. During this period, we wait for all of the permanent teeth to erupt. Periodic evaluations will be needed as Dr. Chisari determines if a second phase of treatment will be necessary.
Some benefits of Phase I treatment include:
Helps resolve crowding and impaction of permanent teeth
Helps improve jaw related growth problems
Helps stop harmful habits from affecting growth
Helps improve bite
May help prevent need for extractions
Teens
Phase II Treatment or Comprehensive Treatment
The second phase of treatment is a comprehensive phase that allows us to align all of the adult teeth and create a bite that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This phase usually begins in adolescence when all of the adult teeth are present.