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Adolescent Treatment

Dentist Examines Young Boy at Cambridge Massachusetts

Typically, Phase II treatment is normal orthodontic treatment which involves placing braces on the patient once his or her permanent teeth have erupted.

The braces straighten the permanent teeth and finish correctly aligning the patient’s jaw. By age 12, most, if not all, permanent teeth have erupted and are in place, which is when crooked teeth, gaps and bad bites can easily be detected. These problems will hardly ever correct themselves, so this is when most parents decide to seek orthodontic treatment for their children.

For many teenagers, wearing braces is a part of life – an important part of life because a beautiful and healthy smile can boost one’s self-confidence.

Children at this age are growing rapidly, and orthodontists can usually take advantage of these growth spurts to help shape the bite and teeth correctly. Pre-teens and teenagers have high metabolisms, which can help shorten overall treatment time and reduce the discomfort of orthodontic treatment.