Comprehensive mixed dentition treatment.

At the University of the Pacific, mixed dentition treatment is an integral part in the graduate program in orthodontics. One patient had a severe skeletal ANB discrepancy of 7 degrees, lower incisors crowding, and 12 mm of overjet. He was considered an excellent candidate for Phase I treatment to reduce the severity of the problem. It is our philosophy to take advantage of the growth potential in a patient by initiating Phase I treatment between the ages of 7 and 9 years, depending on the eruption of the permanent first molars and incisors and the severity of the malocclusion. We use leeway space to resolve crowding and to align lower incisors in the early mixed dentition. We find that these young patients are more compliant with orthodontic treatment than most adolescent patients. If treatment was postponed until eruption of the permanent dentition, we would have one chance for correction of the problem rather than a Phase I and Phase II (if needed) approach. We believe that the key to successful Phase I treatment is this comprehensive approach to early treatment. The entire malocclusion is addressed at an early age rather than only addressing one or two problems and postponing the majority of the orthodontic correction until the permanent dentition.