Two-Phase Treatment

Orthodontic treatment encompasses much more than just visiting the orthodontist for braces. Many patients struggle with tooth and jaw alignment issues that extend beyond the power of basic orthodontic care. Although Dr. Mark Padilla prefers to offer conservative treatments in a single phase, there are some situations where an early phase of braces may be needed in order to allow for proper tooth eruption and help prevent larger problems, such as tooth impaction, root damage, or surgical treatment. Dr Mark. and our highly knowledgeable team can predict when a patient may need to undergo more than one round of orthodontic treatment, and can plan their treatment accordingly.

Understanding the Phases

Two-phase treatment is an orthodontic process that addresses alignment and dental development in two distinct stages:

• Phase One (Interceptive Treatment) focuses on early intervention during a child’s growth and development.
• Phase Two fine-tunes the alignment and positioning of permanent teeth once they’ve erupted.

This comprehensive approach helps correct jaw alignment, ensure proper tooth eruption, and minimize the need for more extensive treatments later in life.

Phase I

Also known as interceptive treatment or early orthodontics, Phase I treatment is provided to children whose developing mouths show early signs of complex orthodontic issues that require early intervention. These problems include:

• Protruding teeth
• Underbites and crossbites
• Severe tooth crowding
• Early loss of baby teeth
• Oral habits such as thumb sucking

Phase I can minimize or prevent tooth and jaw alignment problems later in life by treating teeth before the permanent teeth have fully erupted. These problems, if not addressed early, may result in the need  for surgery and/or extractions to correct once the jaws have fully developed.

Once Phase I is complete, our orthodontist will continue to monitor your child’s smile over the next few years to determine if Phase II treatment is needed.