Treatment can be classified into one of two main categories- Phase I and Phase II.
Phase I Treatment
Phase I treatment, or early treatment, occurs during childhood, usually before the age of 10, when baby teeth are still present. It identifies and treats young patients that will benefit from guided jaw development before starting braces through the use of expanders, tongue cribs, and space maintainers.
Phase II Treatment
Phase II treatment typically occurs after all permanent teeth have erupted and it is what braces are traditionally thought of. Brackets and wires are used to align the teeth into their optimal positions through targeting and correcting irregular tooth positions, spacing, crowding, and unhealthy biting relationships between the teeth.
