—— Early or late loss of baby teeth (your child should typically start losing teeth around age five, and will have all permanent teeth around age 13)

• Difficulty chewing and/or biting

• Mouth breathing

• Your child continues sucking his or her thumb after age five

• Speech impediments

• Protruding teeth (the top teeth and the bottom teeth extend away from each other)

• Teeth that don't come together in a normal manner or even at all

• Shifting of the jaw when your child opens or closes his or her mouth (crossbites)

• Crowded front teeth around age seven or eight

• Large spaces between the teeth

—— Orthodontic problems such as crowding of the teeth, excessive space between the teeth, jaw growth problems, protruding teeth, and bad bites can be inherited or caused by injury to the mouth, early or late loss of baby teeth, or thumb-sucking habits.

Most children lose all their baby teeth by age 13, and by the end of their teen years, the jaw bones will harden and stop growing. Orthodontic procedures for adults often take more time and can involve tooth extraction or oral surgery. Receiving early orthodontic treatment during the growing years can help prevent the need for orthodontics as an adult, leaving little to no chance of extraction or surgery in the future.

If your child shows signs of needing orthodontic care, or if you have been directed by your family dentist to visit the orthodontist, please contact our office to schedule a consultation. Our team will provide your child with an initial exam and discuss the best steps to take toward caring for your child's smile.

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process that combines tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The purpose of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, and aesthetic result that will remain stable throughout your child's life.


Putting off treatment can result in a need for more invasive treatment later in life that may not completely fix your child's smile. Early treatment is most effective for achieving lasting results.

The goal of Phase One treatment is to help the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all of the permanent teeth and improve the way the upper and lower jaws fit together. Children between the ages of six to eight often exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop such as expended or narrow jaw and teeth crowding and are good candidates for early orthodontic treatment. Receiving early treatment may prevent the removal of permanent teeth later in life, or the need for surgical procedures to realign the jaws.

Making records to determine your child's unique treatment:

We will take records consisting of models of the teeth, X-rays, intraoral scan and photographs to determine if early treatment is necessary. Every child’s case is different and these will help the doctor determine the type of appliances if your child is a candidate for Phase One treatment.

Resting Period:

Following this phase, the remaining permanent teeth are left alone as they erupt. Retaining devices may not be recommended if they would interfere with eruption. It is best to allow the existing permanent teeth some freedom of movement. A successful first phase will have created room for permanent teeth to find an eruption path. Otherwise, they may become impacted or severely displaced.


Monitoring the teeth's progress:

At the end of Phase One treatment, the teeth are not in their final positions. This will be determined and accomplished in the second phase of treatment. Selective removal of certain primary (baby) teeth may be in the best interest of enhancing eruption during this resting phase. Therefore, periodic recall appointments for observation are necessary, usually on a six-month basis.

The goal of the second phase is to make sure each tooth has an exact location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. When this equilibrium is established, the teeth will function together properly. Phase Two usually involves full upper and lower braces, clear aligners or a combination of both.

At the beginning of the first phase, orthodontic records were made and a diagnosis and treatment plan was established. Certain types of appliances were used in the first phase to correct and realign the teeth and jaw. The second phase begins when all permanent teeth have erupted, and usually requires braces on all the teeth for an average of 16 months. Retainers are worn after this phase to ensure your child retains his or her beautiful smile.