Phase 1 orthodontics: early treatment explained

Page updated October 22, 2026.

Phase 1 orthodontics, also called early or interceptive treatment, is treatment done while a child is still growing and still has some baby teeth (AAO). It aims to guide jaw growth and fix certain bite problems before they get harder to treat, and it's usually followed later by a second phase of braces or aligners (AAO). Most children don't need it (AAO). Here is who does, what it involves, what it costs and how insurance treats it.

What phase 1 treatment is

Two-phase treatment is a plan delivered in two stages at two different times, timed to a child's growth (AAO). Phase 1 usually starts when a child has a mix of baby and permanent teeth, and mostly aims to promote healthy jaw growth, make room for incoming permanent teeth and deal with bite problems early (AAO). The AAO's dental glossary describes interceptive treatment as treatment done to intercept or correct a developing problem (AAO).

Which children need it

Phase 1 isn't required for all children, and many problems can be treated in a single phase later (AAO). It's usually considered when an orthodontist sees a likely severe bite or jaw problem, or a risk of damage to permanent teeth, that early treatment is likely to reduce (AAO). Problems the AAO says may benefit from early treatment include (AAO):

• Underbites and crossbites
• Significant crowding or excessive spacing
• Extra or missing teeth, and certain tooth eruption problems
• Teeth that meet abnormally, or don't meet at all
• Thumb, finger or pacifier habits affecting the teeth or jaw growth (see thumb sucking and teeth)

The AAO also says early correction of a front-teeth crossbite can help prevent swallowing and speech problems (AAO).

Signs a child should be checked sooner

You don't have to wait for age 7. The AAO says to see an orthodontist as soon as you notice an issue, whatever your child's age, and lists these signs (AAO):

• Losing baby teeth unusually early or late
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Jaws that shift or click
• Frequent cheek biting
• A face that looks out of balance

The age 7 check-up

The AAO recommends a first orthodontic check-up when a problem is first noticed and no later than age 7, and stresses that this is the latest age for a first visit, not an age to wait for (AAO). By then a child has enough permanent teeth for problems to show (AAO). The visit has one of three outcomes (AAO):

1. No treatment is needed now.
2. Treatment may be needed later, so the orthodontist checks your child periodically as they grow.
3. A problem that would benefit from early treatment already exists, and the orthodontist recommends next steps.

A check-up at 7 doesn't mean a child will start treatment (AAO),. More in braces for kids and teens.

What phase 1 involves

Treatment depends on the problem, and an orthodontist may use a fixed or removable appliance, or simply monitor growth and tooth eruption (AAO). Common approaches:

Benefits and limits

The AAO says early treatment can make later treatment simpler and more predictable (AAO), and that catching problems early can save money down the road, because untreated jaw and tooth problems can need more expensive and invasive treatment later (AAO). It also warns that if a narrow upper jaw isn't corrected during growth, surgery may be needed in adulthood to widen it (AAO). The AAO doesn't publish figures on how much money early treatment saves.

The limit is that Phase 1 rarely finishes the job. Some children have a second phase once more or all of their permanent teeth are in, and early treatment doesn't guarantee a child will never need more (AAO). Ask the orthodontist whether your child's problem is one that gets harder to fix with time, or one that can simply wait for a single phase of braces.

How much phase 1 costs

We haven't found a reliable published average for Phase 1 treatment, and fees vary with what's done: an expander alone is a very different job from months of partial braces. For comparison, a full course of braces typically costs $3,000 to $7,000 for metal braces before insurance (CareCredit). If your child needs both phases, ask whether the orthodontist quotes them separately or as one fee, and what each covers. Questions worth asking:

• What problem would Phase 1 fix, and what happens if we wait?
• What is the fee for Phase 1, and what's the expected fee for Phase 2?
• Are appliances, check-ups during the resting period and retainers included (AAO)?
• Is there an interest-free payment plan? Many run 12 to 24 months (AAO)

See braces cost for kids for full-treatment prices.

Insurance and phase 1

Dental billing codes changed in 2022. The separate "interceptive orthodontic treatment" codes (D8050 and D8060) were deleted, and early treatment now falls under limited orthodontic treatment, whose description includes treatment before all permanent teeth are in and one phase of multi-phase treatment (AAO). In practice, ask your insurer how it pays for limited treatment and whether paying for Phase 1 uses up part of the lifetime orthodontic maximum that Phase 2 would draw on. In OrthoFi data for 2021, the average orthodontic benefit was $1,772 (Align Technology), so the maximum may not stretch across both phases. Children with Medicaid or CHIP may be covered when treatment is medically necessary (Medicaid.gov); see does Medicaid cover braces.