8:00am to 5:00pm

Monday - Thursday

Lunch from 1:00 - 2:00

3071 Kirby Whitten Rd. Bartlett, TN 38134

901-382-1564

At Bartlett Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we offer something unique in the Mid-South area…a convenient and progressive orthodontic program within our pediatric practice provided by our full time orthodontist and our pediatric dentists.

Here at Bartlett Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we

• Have expertise in both First Phase (elementary school age) and traditional (teenage) orthodontics

• Will evaluate at no charge your child’s orthodontic needs, and give you our opinion about what kind of treatment, if any, would be best

• Have over 30 years experience

• Offer parents the added convenience of combined orthodontic and hygiene appointments

First Phase Orthodontics

Often the dentist can detect developing orthodontic problems early – even before the permanent teeth erupt. For example, baby teeth with little or no spacing between them usually indicates that the permanent teeth will be crowded.

In the past, no orthodontic treatment was started until all the permanent teeth were in, somewhere between ages 11 to13. Orthodontists thought that, for full braces to straighten every tooth, all must be erupted before beginning. So, the middle school years became the time to get braces. Happily, this is still a good choice for children with mild orthodontic problems, because it gives a good result with a single phase of treatment lasting 18-24 months.

Now, however, modern orthodontic treatment suggests that dividing the treatment into two phases often gives the best results, especially in more complicated cases. First Phase refers to early treatment (ages 6-10 years), which uses a variety of appliances designed to make more difficult cases less severe. Second Phase, which refers to the traditional full braces (ages 11-13), is designed to correct what was not corrected in the first phase and to “fine-tune” the bite and the smile. Almost all children who need First Phase treatment will need Second Phase as well.

There are many different First Phase appliances, each designed to help a different problem. A youngster could require one, or several of them depending on what his individual needs are.

In our office, if your child needs Second Phase (full braces) later as most do, money that was spent on First Phase appliances applies HALF toward our fee for the full braces. In a few cases, full braces are not necessary, and partial braces to align a few teeth give good results. With partial braces, money spent on First Phase will not apply, but partial braces are much less expensive than full braces. In a very few cases, patients and parents are so well satisfied with results of First Phase, they elect no Second Phase at all.

Early Arch Development

One example of First Phase orthodontics that we find very effective is Early Arch Development, a form of therapy for the severe crowding problems of children aged 6 to 8. We believe it is advisable to begin treatment early because we can get significant improvement in the straightness of these children’s teeth and help their self-image during elementary school years. They are very cooperative and tolerate the procedures well. Although most of these children will still need braces when all their teeth have come in, their braces will not be on as long, treatment will be less complicated, and their teeth are less likely to relapse (go back crooked) after braces.

The idea behind Early Arch Development is to expand the upper and lower arches in width with a pair of appliances, cemented in the mouth behind the teeth. As the teeth erupt, the appliances will make sufficient space for the teeth to align themselves. Parents adjust the appliances for us at home, and we check the progress periodically. Active therapy lasts 6 to 8 months, and we leave the appliances in about 6 more months to keep the teeth stable. The sooner the treatment is begun, the more successful it will be, but it is not necessary to begin until the first two permanent teeth have come in. Once the treatment is finished, the teeth often continue to straighten as time goes on.

In a few cases, Early Arch Development is the only phase of treatment that a child needs. In other cases, other types of First Phase appliances are needed. In most all cases, there is still slight crowding or misalignment of the bite at age 11 or 12 when all the permanent teeth are in, and a shortened phase of braces can achieve the final result.

When choosing First Phase orthodontics, it’s evident that your child will be under our care over a longer period of time. We believe that there are several advantages to this: earlier improvement of the problem, more stable final results, less likelihood of the need to extract permanent teeth, and less time spent in the final phase of braces in the teen years.

 

3071 Kirby Whitten Rd. Bartlett, TN 38134 | 901-382-1564