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Early Phase 1 Treatment

Get a Head Start

Girl with Stuffed Animal
Girl with Stuffed Animal

Who will benefit?

Children as young as seven should see an orthodontist, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, in order to catch any potential issues early. 

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Some signs to look out for to see if your child may benefit from early (Phase 1 interceptive) orthodontic treatment include:

  • early loss of baby teeth when adult teeth aren't ready to come in yet

  • delayed loss of baby teeth/adult teeth having a hard time growing in

  • persistent habits, such as thumb-sucking

  • crossbites

  • underbites

  • severe crowding​

  • severe protruding upper front teeth (overbite)

  • difficulty chewing and/or biting

  • mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing (sleep apnea) 

Why start treatment so young?

Phase 1 treatment targets specific issues that need to be addressed when children still have a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth. In these cases, waiting until all adult teeth erupt may be harmful for these reasons:

  • persistent habits can cause changes to jaw growth and structure

  • as jaws mature with age, the window of opportunity to improve jaw and bite alignment may be missed, especially in cases of underbite

    • more complex treatments may be indicated in the future, such as extractions and/or jaw surgery​

  • adult teeth that lack space to grow might become stuck and need complex procedures to correct, if space were not created early on

  • irreversible damage to adult teeth and/or gums can occur in certain cases of crossbites and severe crowding

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Dental Procedure
smile little girl

Common Phase 1 Treatments and Appliances

  • Palatal expander

    • widens the upper jaw to create space for adult teeth to erupt​

    • makes the palate broader to eliminate crossbite(s) in back teeth

    • can have a positive impact on breathing and airway

  • Protraction facemask

    • corrects underbites​

  • Limited "sectional" braces

    • ​align teeth, create space for blocked out teeth, corrects crossbites in front teeth​

  • Space maintainer

    • holds space when baby teeth are lost too early​

  • Removable appliances/"retainers"

    • jack of all trades depending on design 

Children’s Orthodontist Near Me – Barrie Pediatric Orthodontist – Early Orthodontic Treatment Near Me -- Palate Expanders Near Me -- Palate Expanders in Barrie, ON -- Retainers Near Me --- Retainers in Barrie

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