Phase 1 Orthodontics for Children
Most of your child’s teeth have come in, and you just love to see them give a big, toothy grin, but you’re starting to notice something: a few of their teeth appear to be a bit rotated or gapped. “Oh well,” you think to yourself. “They’re just baby teeth. They’ll fall out and everything will be fine with the adult teeth…”
Unfortunately, this is not really how it works. The baby teeth are very important to your child’s oral development, and often their alignment directly impacts how straight (or not) their adult teeth will come in. The baby teeth are also essential to helping your child’s jaws develop, which facilitates their abilities to speak and eat. Fortunately, most orthodontic issues, when caught early, can be easily treated by a trained orthodontist like our own Dr. Reema. This is why she and the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommend that all children should have a full orthodontic evaluation by the time they are seven years old. This will allow their orthodontist to catch any issues they have early and treat them quickly, usually saving them from needing much more extensive treatments in the future.
At New England Kids Pediatric Dentistry, General Dentistry and Orthodontics, we make this entire process nice and easy because your orthodontist works in the same office as your child’s general dentist. This means you won’t have to run all over town to get everything your child needs, plus it allows them to always work with the same team that they trust.
What are Phase 1 Orthodontics?
After your child has received their orthodontic evaluation, Dr. Reema may recommend that they undergo treatment, which is known as Phase 1 Orthodontics. This refers to orthodontic care that occurs when the baby teeth are still present in the mouth and all of the adult teeth have not interrupted yet. Its purpose is to accomplish two main goals:
- Align the baby teeth in order to create a straight, clear path for the emerging adult teeth.
- Guide the proper development of the jaw
Because a young child’s jaw is not yet fully formed, Phase 1 Orthodontics is usually much less involved than waiting till later. It may consist of a child wearing a simple oral appliance, like a retainer, or they may undergo a full braces treatment. Afterward, Dr. Reema will reevaluate their teeth and decide if they need additional treatment, which is Phase 2 Orthodontics. This refers to any treatment intended to align their permanent teeth after they have erupted.
Does My Child Need Phase 1 Orthodontics?
If your child is seven years old, or if they have crooked, crowded, or gapped teeth or an underbite, overbite, or crossbite, then they will likely need Phase 1 Orthodontics. It will help solve these problems before they can get worse, which will save your child from needing more extensive treatments in the future.
Is it time for your child’s orthodontic evaluation? If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today.
Phase 1 Orthodontics FAQs
When Does Phase 1 Orthodontics Take Place?
Phase 1 Orthodontics typically happens sometime before all of the permanent teeth have sprouted, but after several of the baby teeth have fallen out. This is a period when it’s easy for dentists to detect and treat emergent issues with the jaw’s growth and development.
This usually occurs sometime between the ages and 6 and 9. If you worry that your child could need phase 1 orthodontic treatment, it’s best to bring them in to see an orthodontist before the age of 7. This is when the first permanent molars start to come in, which can give a dentist an idea of how the alignment of the smile is shaping up.
What Issues Can Phase 1 Orthodontics Address?
Phase 1 orthodontics is designed to repair a wide range of issues that are better dealt with before adolescence. Extreme crowding and large gaps between teeth, for example, can cause serious issues with children’s alignment later on, as can tooth protrusion or early tooth loss. Phase 1 Orthodontics can also address bite problems, like overbites and crossbites.
Dealing with each of these issues before adolescence makes room for the development of the permanent teeth and will make any later orthodontics much easier to handle.
How Long Does Phase 1 Orthodontic Treatment last?
As you can imagine, the exact amount of time that orthodontia will take varies from patient to patient. The average time for phase 1 orthodontics is anywhere from 9 to 12 months.
The exact amount of time that it’ll take to complete the orthodontic treatment will depend on the severity of the patient’s issues, how well they comply with treatment guidelines, and precisely what oral appliance it is that they’re using. We’ll be able to give you a better idea of exactly how long treatment will take when we meet your child in person.
Even after orthodontic treatment has finished, it may be necessary for your child to wear a retainer for some amount of time to ensure that the teeth don’t move out of position.
Is it Okay for a Child to Play Sports While Wearing Braces?
It’s usually perfectly fine for kids to continue to play sports while they’re wearing braces. Most physical activity isn’t going to have any effect on your child’s orthodontic treatment.
However, children who play contact sports tend to be at a higher-than-usual risk of damaging their oral appliance. For this reason, it’s usually a good idea for kids to wear a mouthguard if they have braces. We can help craft a sportsguard designed to fit your child’s braces.
