Splitting your orthodontic treatment into phases
It is possible to split an orthodontic treatment into several stages. This is usually advised when orthodontic treatment is required to make major facial changes. Splitting and orthodontic treatment into separate phases is the best way that you can achieve good aesthetic results while keeping your health and lifestyle intact.
Avoidance of treatment:
If you are hesitant to take on a major treatment this can only lead to more problems later on in life and severely impact your smile. As soon as you have identified that you require orthodontic treatment, you should go through with it as leaving it alone can lead to further damage.
Preparing for the first phase of treatment:
Usually the very first phase in your treatment involves adjusting your jaw line so that it fits together even better. Problems with jaw formation can be seen even from childhood and it is possible to undergo early treatment to try and correct these issues before the jaw is completely formed. Usually orthodontic treatment takes place if a child is over the age of six. Getting children who are around the ages of eight years old into an office can allow for the removal of some of their baby teeth that will eliminate the need to potentially pull out adult teeth later on.
Children can experience benefits from early treatment:
Doing this early treatment can help kids to avoid surgery later on and avoid removing permanent teeth.
Creating your records:
From the very first visit that you have we will create a detailed list of records that will help us to understand the types of orthodontic appliances that you will need. Your records will contain a number of x-rays, tooth models as well as photographs of your teeth. These records will be kept on hand in case you require future treatment.
The growth stage:
If children have had initial consultations or surgeries to make sure that their teeth and jaw line form correctly, it is usually best to leave their teeth and jaw line alone to see how they end up forming into their young adult life. As long as the first phase worked correctly and none of the teeth become impacted the growth stage can continue and teeth may simply come in fine on their own.
Consistent checkups:
After the first phase of treatment has been completed, keys will not have set completely and second phase treatment is sometimes needed. Second phase treatment can include removal of baby teeth, and visiting the office for regular checkups on a six-month basis to monitor the progress and remove any teeth that may become impacted.
The second phase of treatment:
The second phase of treatment involves moving each tooth to the location inside the mouth that it needs to be to form the perfect smile. By strategizing which teeth need to move and where, the teeth can eventually come together into a perfect bite. Usually to complete this second phase of treatment braces are needed to coax the teeth into position, in most cases on both the upper and lower jaw lines.
The records that were created during the first phase will be used to help create orthodontic appliances. New records will also be created to make sure that any orthodontic appliances are created to fit the new configuration of teeth. A combination of retainers or braces may be needed to obtain the perfect smile in the second phase of treatment.
Two-Phase Treatment
