2 Facts about 2 Phase Treatment

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a very specialized process that encompasses jaw and facial changes and tooth straightening. The major advantage of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, aesthetic and comfortable result that will remain stable. In some cases, interceptive treatment prevents adult tooth extractions or major jaw surgery.

Second phase treatment begins once most of the adult teeth have erupted. This phase usually requires 12 months with braces on all of the teeth. After the second phase of treatment retainers will be worn in order to hold the teeth in the correct position.

1. Moving baby teeth is not done for the sake of their appearance. While baby teeth can move during Phase One orthodontic treatment, their movement is part of the process to ensure sufficient space for permanent teeth.
2. Two-phase orthodontic treatment is for kids, but it’s not for all kids. Most orthodontic problems can be treated in one phase of comprehensive treatment, however there are a few exceptions.

2 Ways Your Smile Changes when you get Older

As we grow older, our teeth shift. If you had orthodontic treatment as a teen or child, chances are as an adult your teeth will shift. Here are two ways your smile changes as we all get older.

1. When the lower and upper jaw don’t align, it is called a malocclusion in orthodontic terms. Simply, you may have a bad bite. A bad bite can cause headaches, a bad speech, clicking and popping jaw joints and can cause you to possibly grind your teeth.

A bad bite can be corrected at any age and through various ways such as Invisalign or braces.  An estimated 1.61 million adults underwent orthodontic treatment in the U.S. in 2018.

2. Retainers are so important after orthodontic treatment because teeth may shift. After orthodontic treatment a retainer is needed to maintain teeth in position. As we age, if teeth are restored or lost, new proper fitting retainers will be needed to prevent unwanted change.