Baby Teeth? Your Child Could Benefit from Phase 1 Orthodontics

One of your favorite sights in the world is your child’s smile. You love to see them happy, even though they’re at that transitional stage with a mix of baby and adult teeth in their mouth. Believe it or not, at this young age, it may be time for them to start orthodontic care, called Phase 1 orthodontics. As a concerned parent, you naturally want to learn as much as you can so that you make the best decision for your little one. Read on to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about Phase 1 orthodontics with your orthodontist in Auburn.

What Is Phase 1 Orthodontics?

Basically, Phase 1 orthodontics refers to early treatment that begins even before the patient has lost all their primary or baby teeth. If your child regularly suck on their thumb past the age of three or their baby teeth are rotated, excessively gapped, or misaligned, then their permanent teeth are much more likely to have alignment problems. Although it can sometimes be obvious when orthodontic intervention is needed for a child, only your orthodontist can tell whether a young patient would benefit from Phase 1 treatment.

When Should I Take My Child to an Orthodontist?

All children should see an orthodontist when they turn seven years old. At that point, this specialist can typically tell if more advanced orthodontic procedures will be needed in the future. If necessary, they can also begin Phase 1 treatment to address issues.

Although it may seem strange to put braces or orthodontic appliances on a child that still has baby teeth, in most Phase 1 cases, early intervention can prevent the need for longer or more extensive treatment later on. It is smarter to deal with the situation while your child is still developing than to postpone. Once the jaw bone is set as they grow, it becomes harder to make changes and correct flaws in bite alignment.

How Can Phase 1 Orthodontics Benefit My Child?

If your child’s smile shows signs of needing Phase 1 treatment and you don’t address it early on, they could face multiple years of orthodontic treatment later in life. Taking care of the problem as their jaw bone develops usually enables you to make these changes on a shorter timescale. In other words, putting in a little bit of time to correct alignment problems now can mean a lot of saved time and stress when your child is older.

You’d do anything to keep your child’s smile strong, wouldn’t you? If your child requires Phase 1 orthodontic care and you provide it, then you can set them up for success as they continue to grow. As a result, you both can enjoy their happy smiles for years to come.

About the Practice

At New England Kids, we are privileged to have an orthodontist on our staff. Dr. Reema Dhingra earned her dental degree and her orthodontic certification from the Tufts School of Dental Medicine and the Tufts School of Orthodontics respectively. In addition to the American Association of Orthodontists, she also belongs to the New England Society of Orthodontists. If you have questions about Phase 1 orthodontic care, you can reach Dr. Reema by contacting New England Kids here.