Phase 1 Interceptive Treatment

Can early orthodontic treatment benefit your child’s smile and oral development? We recommend that parents schedule a consultation with us at our Newport News or Gloucester, VA orthodontic office by their child’s 7th birthday to help answer this question.

Early orthodontic treatment — often called interceptive orthodontics — is typically used with children between the ages of 6 and 9, when the child’s baby teeth first begin to fall out. Sometimes, addressing orthodontic issues at this stage of life helps to mitigate or reduce jaw and tooth alignment issues early so that later treatment is easier and less invasive.

Even if your child doesn’t need Phase 1 orthodontic treatment, we recommend orthodontic checkups once a year so that we can continue to monitor the growth and development of the teeth and jaws. Jaw development issues in particular are noticeable and treatable early on, and addressing these issues can reduce the likelihood that surgery will be needed later in life. Teeth crowding issues can also be recognized and addressed, reducing the likelihood that teeth will need to be removed as your child gets older.

Phase 1 treatment is not intended to be a final solution for teeth and jaws alignment. Instead, the goal is to identify and address potential issues as early as possible in order to make treatment more comfortable and straightforward for your child over time.

Once all of your child’s permanent teeth have come in, we’ll work with you to determine what treatment, if any, is appropriate to create and maintain their best smile.

Our friendly, knowledgeable, and compassionate staff will support you and your child each step of the way, and we’re always ready to answer any questions you may have.

Contact our office today to schedule your child’s initial consultation.