Interceptive Orthodontics (Early Orthodontic Treatment)
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Creating healthy smiles starts early.
Interceptive orthodontics, also called Phase 1 treatment, focuses on guiding your child’s jaw growth and tooth development before all the permanent teeth come in. This proactive approach can prevent more serious problems later and often shortens or simplifies future orthodontic treatment.
When is it needed?
The Canadian and American Associations of Orthodontists recommend that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. At this stage, your dentist or orthodontist can detect bite issues and jaw growth problems early—even if your child still has baby teeth.
We may recommend interceptive treatment if your child has:
- Crowded or blocked teeth
- Crossbite, overbite, or underbite
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Thumb-sucking or other oral habits affecting teeth alignment
- Difficulty biting, chewing, or speaking
What treatments are used?
Interceptive orthodontics may involve:
- Expanders to widen the jaw and create more space
- Partial braces or aligners to guide tooth eruption
- Space maintainers if a baby tooth is lost early
- Habit appliances to help stop thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting
Benefits of early orthodontic care
- Guides jaw growth for better facial balance
- Reduces risk of impacted or severely crowded teeth
- Helps permanent teeth come in properly
- May prevent the need for tooth extractions later
- Can shorten Phase 2 (teen) orthodontic treatment