When are Two Phases of Orthodontic Treatment Necessary?

Usually patients being treated with braces already have their permanent teeth, but in some cases we have to start treatment earlier while the patient still has baby teeth (age 8-10 years). We call this "Two-Phase Treatment". When we have patients that exhibit problems with jaw growth at an early age, it is best to start treatment when they are young, before the problems get bigger and more difficult to treat. Examples include jaws that are narrow, overbites, underbites, and permanent teeth that are crowded or can't fit into your child's mouth.

In these cases, we need to start with an early phase of treatment (Phase I) while the child still has baby teeth. The main benefit of this early correction is to take advantage of the rapid growth that occurs at this age, allowing us to easily and quickly treat any problems with the teeth or jaws. Unfortunately, jaw growth slows down quite a bit in the later teen years, making correction much more difficult and complex. Early treatment usually involves jaw growing appliances and/or limited braces to correct the size and position of the jaws and allow enough space for the remaining permanent teeth to erupt into the mouth.

After all the remaining adult teeth have come in, a short second phase of treatment ( Phase II) with braces is necessary to complete final straightening of the teeth and do any necessary bite corrections. By using a two-phase approach you can often avoid longer, more difficult treatments invoving pulling of adult teeth or even jaw surgery. If you are worried about your child's teeth, contact Dr. Souris to scedule a free exam: 440-734-1146, drs@bracesbysouris.com, or visit our website at http://www.bracesbysouris.com/!

Can Invisalign straighten my teeth?

If you are considering orthodontic treatment, you are probably wondering whether Invisalign will work for you! Invisalign is a series of removable clear plastic retainers called aligners that can straighten your teeth WITHOUT BRACES!! A new set of aligners is placed every 2 weeks and your teeth slowly get straight over time. Invisalign is able to handle most situations involving any type of crowding or spacing of teeth and can be used on teens as well as adults!

The process starts with impressions of your teeth which are then digitized with a special software to help create an extremely acurrate image of your teeth in their current position. Next, the sofware allows Dr. Souris to map out the exact path your teeth will take from the beginning of treatment to the end. A computerized movie of your tooth movement is then created which allows Dr. Souris to visualize the planned treatment and give his final approval. Finally, a series of customized aligners are then created just for your teeth. You then progress through each set of aligners until your teeth reach their final position. Since the aligners are virtually invisible, nobody around you will even know you are straightening your teeth. Imagine that...STRAIGHT TEETH WITH NO BRACES!!

Dr. Souris is a preferred provider of Invisalign and was one of the first certfied in northeast Ohio to use this ground breaking technique! If you have questions about Invisalign, or would like to find out if you are a candidate for this type of treatment, feel free to contact us by phone: 440-734-1146, by e-mail: drs@bracesbysouris.com, or visit us at http://www.bracesbysouris.com/.