Phase I versus Phase II Orthodontic Treatment
Fortunately, most people will only require orthodontic treatment once when all their permanent teeth erupt! However, certain patients will end up needing orthodontic treatment twice. These patients have their first round of treatment around age 8, then again around age 12 or 13.
At Pittman Family Orthodontics, we try to be as efficient as possible with treatment, minimizing your time and cost, so when we do early treatment it is to address a specific problem that shouldn’t wait until a patient is older. Indications for early treatment are severe crowding, crossbites, space loss, severe overjet, a thumb habit, social concerns and narrow arches. There are specific reasons why each one of these issues needs to be addressed early. At our complimentary new patient exam, we review these indications and discuss why it is important to address certain problems with early treatment.