When it comes to orthodontic treatment, one size does not fit all. That’s why Garcia Orthodontics offers two-phase treatment to provide a more effective and efficient solution to help your child achieve the perfect smile.
What Is Two-Phase Treatment?
Two-phase treatment is an approach to orthodontic care that offers a much greater degree of accuracy and control over the end result for our patients. With this method, we can precisely adjust every element of the structure of your mouth and jaw to achieve perfectly aligned teeth that look and feel great. The first phase of the two-phase treatment deals with getting the bones exactly into the desired position, while the second, equally important stage involves carefully straightening each tooth to ensure they look flawless in their new alignment. Combining all the processes involved in this two-stage process has proven that individuals can get a perfect, healthy smile in a fraction of the time required by traditional methods.
Phase 1 Orthodontic Treatment
The first treatment phase typically involves using braces or other appliances such as expanders, headgear, or functional appliances. During this time, we will focus on correcting any jaw misalignment and positioning issues that may be causing difficulty in speaking or eating properly. Depending on your individual needs and goals, this phase can often take several months to complete.
Once the jaw has been properly aligned, the second phase—which usually involves traditional bracesโcan begin. The length of time required for the second phase varies greatly depending on how much work needs to be done and how compliant a patient is with the instructions provided by our team. Additionally, retainers may be used during this stage to maintain the alignment achieved thus far and prevent any further misalignment.
Resting Period
After your initial orthodontic treatment is complete, you will enter a resting period to ensure that the results are permanent and allow time for your child’s smile to develop further. While it may seem like an extended amount of time, this resting period is essential because it allows the experts to wait until your teeth are fully grown before moving forward with any additional steps in your treatment. This ensures that however well Phase 1 goes, those results will be retained permanently instead of being thrown off course by the normal growth processes.
Phase 2 Orthodontic Treatment
Phase 2 orthodontic treatment is designed to improve the aesthetics of your smile by correcting any irregularities in the spacing, alignment, or positioning of your teeth. Depending on the severity of your individual case, this may involve applying braces or other specialized appliances, such as Invisalign, to move teeth into their correct positions. Surgery may also be necessary to correct severe bite problems or jaw irregularities.
Our orthodontists will determine which type of appliance(s) would best suit your individual orthodontic needs based on factors such as age, lifestyle needs, and desired outcomes.