What Steps Occur During Orthodontic Treatment?
A. There are two parts to orthodontic treatment, interceptive orthodontic treatment and Class I (i.e regular) orthodontic treatment. Do not worry about the big words. Just read on and see what each of the parts of orthodontic treatment does. Interceptive orthodontic treatment The objective of interceptive orthodontic treatment is to make your jaw wider and reshape your mouth so there is room for your permanent teeth. Your orthodontist will install a gadget called a “palatal expander” to make your mouth bigger. He may also use a facebow to try to start to correct overbites and underbites. If you start interceptive orthodontic treatment when you are 8, it usually only takes 3-6 months, and avoids painful treatment later on. Note: interceptive orthodontic treatment can take as long as 14 months if your bones grow slowly, or if you do not follow the orthodontists directions.
