What is Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment?
First Phase Treatment (interceptive) The treatment objective of an early phase of orthodontic treatment is to intercept and correct problems at an early age that may result in a dental or skeletal discrepancy too severe to achieve an ideal result with braces alone, once all the permanent teeth have erupted or growth is complete. Early treatment benefits are well known nationwide and have been endorsed by the American Association of Orthodontics for a number of years. By age 12, 90% of a child’s face has fully grown. It is not consistent with a preventive philosophy to wait until 90% of a deformity is complete before instituting treatment. In many cases, early treatment can intercept a deformity and prevent it from getting worse. Most problems can be classified into one of three groups: skeletal, dental or damaging habits. Children sometimes exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop. Skeletal problems arise from an upper or lower jaw that is growing too much or not en
