If you've had a consultation for your child and heard the term “two-phase treatment,” you might be wondering what it means and whether your child actually needs it. It's a great question, and one we hear often at Bankhead & Firth Orthodontics. Let's walk through what two-phase treatment is, why it exists, and how to know if it's the right path for your child.
Two-phase treatment is exactly what it sounds like: orthodontic care that happens in two separate stages, with a break in between.
Phase One usually starts while a child still has a mix of baby teeth and adult teeth, often between ages 7 and 10. The goal isn't to straighten every tooth right away. Instead, Phase One focuses on guiding jaw growth and making room for adult teeth to come in properly. This might mean widening a narrow upper jaw, correcting a crossbite, or creating space so teeth aren't as crowded later on.
After Phase One, there's a resting period. During this time, we simply keep an eye on things as the rest of the adult teeth come in naturally.
Phase Two begins once most or all of the adult teeth have arrived, typically in the early teen years. This is the phase most people picture when they think of orthodontics: braces or Invisalign working to bring the teeth into their final, ideal positions.
For many kids, one phase of treatment in the early teen years is all that's needed, and that's completely normal. Two-phase treatment isn't for every child.
It becomes the better option when a problem exists that's easier to fix while the jaw is still growing. Waiting until the jaw has finished developing can mean a more complicated fix later, sometimes even requiring tooth removal or, in more serious cases, surgery down the road. By stepping in early, we can often guide the growth in a better direction while it's still happening.
Some signs that a child may benefit from early treatment include:
• A very narrow upper jaw or a crossbite (where the upper and lower teeth don't line up properly when biting down)
• Significant crowding, where there clearly isn't enough room for the adult teeth
• Teeth that stick out noticeably, which can raise the risk of injury
• Thumb-sucking habits that have started to affect how the jaw or teeth are developing
• Difficulty biting, chewing, or breathing that seems related to jaw position
If a child would benefit from early treatment and it's skipped, it doesn't mean the smile can't be corrected later. It just means Phase Two may need to work harder to fix issues that could have been addressed more easily earlier on. That's why the timing of that first evaluation matters so much.
This is also exactly why we recommend every child have an orthodontic check-up by age 7, even if it doesn't look like anything is wrong. At that age, we can catch developing issues early and decide together whether Phase One treatment makes sense, or whether it's better to simply wait and monitor until the teen years.
Every child is different, but here's a general idea:
• Phase One typically lasts around 9 to 18 months, depending on what we're addressing.
• Resting period can last anywhere from several months to a couple of years while the remaining adult teeth come in.
• Phase Two usually takes about the same amount of time as traditional one-phase treatment, often 12 to 24 months.
We'll always give you a clearer timeline specific to your child once we've done a full evaluation.
This is a common concern, and a fair one. At Bankhead & Firth Orthodontics, every treatment type, braces, Invisalign, or ceramic braces, is priced the same. What changes the cost is the complexity and length of treatment, not which appliance we use. We'll walk you through exact pricing during your consultation, and we offer 0% in-house financing to help make treatment manageable however it's structured. We also accept HSA and FSA funds, work with all insurance plans, and will price match a comparable orthodontic quote.
The honest answer is that it depends entirely on your child's individual growth and development, which is exactly why an early evaluation is so valuable. A short visit gives us the information we need to recommend the right approach: early treatment now, or simply watching and waiting until the timing is right for one phase of treatment later.
If your child is around 7 years old, or if you've noticed any of the signs above at any age, we'd love to see them for a free consultation. Our team will take a look, answer your questions, and help you understand exactly what's next, no pressure, no guessing.
Call us at 314-843-5553 or visit bankheadandfirthortho.com to schedule. You can also find us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at @bankfirthortho.
