Our philosophy at Fry Orthodontic Specialists regarding all treatment is to facilitate orthodontics being completed in the shortest amount of time possible. The longer orthodontic treatment continues, the more money it usually costs, the more time kids need to be taken out of school, and the more hours are missed from work. Our goal is to eliminate the need for long orthodontic treatment.

Most patients treated by Fry Orthodontics do not require 2 phases of orthodontic treatment. A small percentage of patients will require braces before all of the baby teeth are lost, but most of our patients have one set of braces once their permanent teeth have come in.

Two situations present the most common need for an early phase (phase 1) of braces: 1) crossbite of permanent teeth or 2) self-esteem needs.

1) Crossbites: In a normal bite, the upper teeth bite on the “outside” of the lower teeth: the upper front teeth are out in front of the lower front teeth, and the upper back teeth are slightly wider than the lower back teeth.

Example of a bite without a crossbite

A crossbite is when the opposite situation presents: an underbite in the front or the lower back teeth bite “outside” the upper back teeth. See examples below:

Example 1 of a crossbite in the front, an underbite

Example 2 of a crossbite in the front

Example of a crossbite in the back

If a crossbite is not corrected early, there is some risk that treatment once all of the baby teeth are gone could be much longer and expensive.

2) Self Esteem: The second and most important reason to have an early phase of braces is for self-esteem needs. Children from age 7-11 are going through many developmental psychological changes. If a child is self-conscious about their smile, perhaps they don’t smile in pictures, or if they are teased at school, it is important to evaluate if an early phase of orthodontics could help.

The best way to know if early (phase 1) treatment is really needed is to schedule a complimentary consultation at Fry Orthodontics Specialists.

Dr. Jeremy Fry

Tags: Early Orthodontic Treatment, kansas city orthodontist, Orthodontic treatment, Orthodontics, patient care, Phase 1 Orthodontics