Treatment Timing

Most children who need orthodontic treatment can be treated at middle school age. We prefer to evaluate children for orthodontic treatment before they have lost all primary (baby) teeth. Often, it is advantageous to begin braces before the eruption of all permanent teeth.

Early Treatment or Phase I

Sometimes a short phase of early orthodontic (sometimes called Phase I treatment) is needed for children under the age of 10 years to correct bite and tooth eruption problems. In particular, cross-bites that result in functional displacement of the lower jaw, severe under bites, tooth eruption problems and severe dental protrusions are problems that need to be corrected early to prevent a much more severe problem later. We only recommend early orthodontic treatment when essential for normal jaw growth and dental development.

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