Dr. Jared Lee Orthodontics is an advocate for the benefits of early orthodontic treatment and ensuring your child is able to get the care they need. In some cases, your child only needs to go through one phase of braces treatment, but some require a little more work to ensure they will end up with the best results possible and with little to no invasive treatments. So, you may be wondering what treatment options are used at our practice during two-phase treatment. We are here to share what you can expect from this plan and how your child can benefit.
Who Qualifies For Two-Phase Treatment?
Serving as an entrance into orthodontics, two-phase treatment is often undertaken by young children during their beginning appointments to learn what improvements can be made so braces treatment down the line can be a smooth process. This allows Dr. Lee to see the basic beginning alignment of your child’s teeth. By treating them in two phases, our team is able to use non-invasive options over a longer period of time while still achieving straight teeth.
It gives us a chance to understand where your child currently is at with their oral health and allows us to see where we can step in to help. A great first step to take is scheduling a free consultation with us to see if any issues that come up early in your child’s life can be solved.
Early Interceptive Treatment (Phase One)
This first step involves us being able to alter jaw growth as well as intercept and prevent issues with teeth alignment before worsening. By catching complications before they completely develop, we are able to choose the best way to correct them before needing to rely on more elaborate solutions.
Common issues children encounter during early development include overbites, teeth crowding, and a narrow jaw. Phase one treatment is a great opportunity to work while your child’s jaw is still malleable and able to be shifted in the correct position without the need of invasive work.
Explore Treatment Options
Palate Expanders
- Used to widen the jaw and allow crowded teeth the space to grow with the correct spacing
- A custom-made metal appliance made of two pieces and turned by a special key to expand.
- The key is used to turn a small amount each day to adapt palatal bones to a new position.
Partial Braces
- Used to correct a target area of teeth to space them correctly
- Help permanent teeth start to grow without overlap
- Typically made of metal and covers just a few teeth
Space Maintainers
- Used when baby teeth fall out too soon to maintain the space made
- Stop surrounding teeth from overtaking it over
- A custom-made metal appliance is attached to the adjacent tooth
Your child may receive a combination of these treatments to get the best results and allow their permanent teeth the ideal space to grow into.
Observation Phase
During this intermission of two-phase treatment, Dr. Lee will continue to monitor the progress of your child’s teeth through 6-month checkups by conducting physical examinations and reading x-rays. They may be given a retainer to maintain the progress of phase one, but no additional appliances will be necessary in order to allow permanent teeth to finish growing in on their own. This allows us to get a general idea of how the teeth are doing and the best way to approach phase two.
Braces Treatment (Phase Two)
The treatment orthodontic offices are best known for; phase two uses braces or clear aligners to fix any lingering oral issues and help teeth find their optimal position. Only beginning once all permanent teeth have finished growing in, braces are placed on both the upper and lower teeth to make sure they are able to function properly and show off a long-lasting smile.
Because of all the previous work done in phase one, you will be glad to know this phase will prove to be much easier for your child!
Explore Treatment Options
Metal Braces
- A tried and true, traditional option that has seen many advancements over the years
- Able to effectively fix a plethora of oral issues
- Made of durable, long-lasting metal consisting of brackets and wires
Clear Aligners
- A modern, effective approach to straightening teeth
- Can effectively shift teeth in almost half the time of traditional braces with barely-noticeable trays
- A removable appliance made of durable plastics
Clear Braces
- A hybrid option offered between metal braces and clear aligners
- Allow for subtly of a nearly-invisible treatment with the effectiveness of metal braces
- A fixed appliance made of ceramic and tooth-colored, stain-free brackets
Long-Term Benefits To Enjoy
By taking steps to complete phase one treatment when your child is encountering issues early on, they are able to reap the benefits that come from prioritizing dental health from an early age. Misaligned teeth early on may cause their self-esteem to drop during a pivotal time in their lives as they take on a new school and meet new friends at the same time.
Well-aligned teeth won’t just allow them to enjoy their smile but also be able to make oral hygiene easier. When teeth are straight, small pieces of food have fewer places to hide, and it discourages plaque buildup as well as cavity development.
This treatment can also be cost-effective by tackling issues early on instead of allowing them to fester into teenage years when procedures become more difficult and invasive, as well as jaw bones no longer being easily flexible.
Join Us In Two-Phase Treatment To Let Your Child’s Smile Last A Lifetime!
Our top priority is helping to achieve your child’s dental goals and seeing them get to enjoy the results of two-phase treatment with a long-term smile. With over a decade of training and even more time working with patients, you can have full confidence Dr. Lee will provide your family with only the best services and patient care around. Give us a call or send us a text at 805-931-3049 to contact our Oxnard or Santa Paula offices today to schedule your free consultation today!