Last week Dr. Tatum discussed Early Orthodontic Treatment (Phase I). Today I am going to talk about the development of the permanent dentition (adult dentition) and what happens between the end of Phase I treatment and the adult dentition.
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Between Early Treatment & Adult Dentition
Between Early Treatment & Adult Dentition
January 28, 2016We accept the following insurance.
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Written by: Dr. Natalia Hodge
Find out when adult teeth usually erupt and why not everybody who has early treatment needs retainers.
Last week Dr. Tatum discussed Early Orthodontic Treatment (Phase I). Today I am going to talk about the development of the permanent dentition (adult dentition) and what happens between the end of Phase I treatment and the adult dentition. The transition between baby teeth and adult teeth does not happen all at once. As previously discussed, around the age of 6, most kids get their first adult molars. Around the same time (between the ages of 6 and 8), they lose their upper and lower front baby teeth, which are replaced by adult teeth. During that first moment of transition, there is always something new happening. There is frequent excitement with multiple loose baby teeth and new teeth coming in. Needless to say, the tooth fairy works hard during that time! The doctors at Westrock Orthodontics follow the recommendations of the American Association of Orthodontists and like to see kids at this stage, usually at age 7. Most kids will not need treatment at this time, but some will highly benefit from early detection and treatment of problems that only get worse and more complicated to treat as the child continues to develop. When Phase I treatment is needed, the orthodontist has several specific goals that typically require treatment lasting anywhere between 6 and 12 months. It is hard to develop comprehensive goals and treat everything at this stage because of all the changes that are still happening. Once the specific goals are achieved, the braces and/or appliances are removed. Not every patient who has Phase I treatment needs a retainer. Sometimes, the new position of the teeth is enough to hold the results of treatment. Other times, the orthodontist will determine that a retainer is necessary to maintain the teeth in the new position until the remaining adult teeth come in.Examples of orthodontic problems.