The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist by age seven. At this point the orthodontist will evaluate whether your child will need orthodontic treatment. Early treatment (also known as Phase One) typically begins around ages 7 though 9. Even if your child cannot yet have orthodontic treatment, we will enroll them into our observation program. While in observation, we will monitor their growth until they are developed enough to begin treatment. Phase One treatment usually involves treatment of primary dentition, or "baby" teeth, and is aimed toward correcting the growth of the jaw and bite issues. Early treatment also helps to make room for permanent teeth to come in properly, lessening the chance of extractions in the future. Phase One treatment is proceeded by Phase Two treatment, which treats the permanent teeth and corrects the alignment of the teeth and any additional bite issue.