Sometimes treatment is performed on young patients before they have enough permanent teeth for full or comprehensive treatment. This is usually called “Phase I” or an “early phase” of treatment. Goals are to reduce the severity of a problem, or to gain improvement at an early stage that cannot be accomplished as well during comprehensive treatment.

Because the long term goal of orthodontics is to achieve proper function, it is rare that an early treatment phase will eliminate the need for comprehensive treatment later. Healthy function of the chewing system requires detailing the positions of all the permanent teeth. Obviously, this cannot be carried out when many or most of the permanent teeth have not yet erupted. A good example is the twelve year molars; they are closest to the jaw joints and muscles, and have a profound effect on function.

When considering an early phase of treatment it is important to weigh carefully the advantages and disadvantages. Dr. Ma takes a conservative approach when determining if a patient needs an early phase of treatment. In most cases no early phase of treatment is recommended, but this is a case by case decision. If there is a cross-bite (top teeth inside of bottom teeth), poor eruption of permanent teeth, a narrow upper jaw (a more common problem), or an especially severe problem, an early phase of treatment might be in order. Usually early treatment is six to twelve months in duration.