top of page
shutterstock_530925847_edited.jpg

Phase 2 Orthodontic Treatment
(Approximately from age 11)

“Achieve Straight Teeth, Beautiful Smile and Optimal Facial Balance

Our Phase 2 treatment is tailored for each patient, resulting in optimal treatment outcomes and stability. Both braces and clear aligners (Invisalign) are available.

Crowding

Non-extraction​

Minor or moderate crowding can be treated by expanding the tooth arches and/or filing.

Too much expansion of tooth arches can have negative effects on the smile and facial balance.

Figure 1.png

One Premolar Extraction

If there is severe crowding only in one quadrant of tooth arches, extraction of one premolar may be recommended for the best treatment outcomes and stability.

Figure 2.png

Two Premolar Extraction

If there is severe crowding in the upper arch only or there is overbite issue, extraction of top two premolars may be recommended.

 

Figure 3.png

Four Premolar Extraction

When there is severe crowding in top and bottom arch, extraction of four premolars may be recommended for the best treatment outcomes and stability.

Figure 4.png

Space


Space can be closed relatively easy. However, stability is sometimes difficult to achieve.

 

Figure 5-2.png

Crossbite in the Back Teeth


It is best to fix this bite issue before the patient reaches 15 or so. In general, it is difficult to fix this bite issue after growth is complete.

Openbite

This bite issue makes it difficult to chew food. The correction of this bite issue is difficult, but right approaches can fix this bite issues without jaw surgeries in many cases. Stability is sometimes difficult to achieve.

Figure 7.png

Deep Bite


If the bite is deep, it can hurt the roof of mouth or gum tissue at bottom front teeth.

​

​

​

Figure 8-2.png

Excessive Overbite


This bite issue can make it difficult to chew food and increase the chance to break the protrusive top front teeth. Proper approaches can correct this bite and can improve the facial balance.

​

 

Figure 9-2.png

Underbite


During growth spurt, bottom jaw grows more than top jaw, which makes it difficult to treat this bite issue. Right approaches can correct this bite issues without jaw surgeries in many cases, and might improve the facial balance to some extent.

Figure 10.png

Impacted Tooth


The earlier the treatment begins, the better. It usually takes time to bring down the impacted tooth. In many cases, exposure by oral surgeon is necessary.

​

​

 

Tooth Size Discrepancy


Top second front teeth are sometimes smaller than usual. This tooth size discrepancy sometimes causes more crowding in bottom arch than top arch. In these cases, filing is sometimes needed at bottom front teeth to make the bottom front teeth skinnier to match the size of the small top front teeth.

Figure 14-2.png

Missing Tooth


When an adult tooth is missing, the space can be closed by moving teeth. A top second front tooth is more frequently missing than many other teeth. In these cases, a top canine tooth can be used as second front tooth by reshaping the canine tooth (Canine substitution). Likewise, a bottom second premolar is sometimes missing. In these cases, back molars may be moved forward to close the space. 

If the tooth size discrepancy is severe, extraction of one bottom front tooth is recommended for the best treatment outcomes and stability, although the bottom centerline does not match the top centerline. 

In some cases, it is best to open the space for an implant placement. Adjacent teeth are usually tipped toward the space or the top tooth is dropped down toward the space. Orthodontic treatment can create an ideal space for implant.

If the tooth size discrepancy is severe, build-up of the small top second front tooth is recommended.

​

Protrusive Top Front teeth and Lips

 

Protrusive top front teeth and lips are not esthetically pleasing. Extraction of teeth or filing between teeth can improve the smile and facial balance. 

Figure 17-2.png

Jaw Surgeries


As shown above, orthodontic treatment alone can straighten teeth, improve the smile and facial balance. However, if the jaws have sever size issues, jaw surgeries are sometimes recommended for the best treatment outcomes and stability.

Figure 18.png
bottom of page