Testimonials

Hunter MacFarlane

My daughter has been attending Dr Borovay's Office for many years and while the procedure she underwent required constant monitoring, it never failed to impress me how much she enjoyed her visits, never offering any resistance to attending. I think that speaks volumes about Dr Borovay and his staff, always professional always friendly... Hunter has always enjoyed her Christmas card from the staff... a nice touch. [...]

Ed Brake

Dr. Borovay and his staff provide great service, excellent as a matter of fact. I appreciate his calming presence and the tremendous job he's done for me. [...]

One-Phase or Two-Phase Treatment?

Malocclusion means "faulty bite" and it refers to a situation where the upper and lower teeth meet improperly. This term was coined by Edward_Angle, a pioneering dentist and orthodontics educator, over 100 years ago. He had been so influential, that he's often known as the "father of modern orthodontics".

Treating malocclusions is the essence of orthodontics. The end result is to improve function of the bite. Where function leads, great looking smiles follow.

There have been two approaches to the timing of treating malocclusions. In the 2-phase approach, an early intervention with an appliance and/or partial braces, is conducted while some baby teeth are still present. A second phase follows, after a pause in treatment, when all of the permanent teeth have erupted. In the alternate strategy, a 1-phase approach, intervention is delayed until the vast majority of the adult teeth are in so that all of the problems can be addressed in one phase, requiring shorter overall treatment time and typically less expensive.

The end result of treatment needs to be judged, at least, with cost, time in treatment and end result in mind. Each patient's needs are ultimately different, and there may well be other factors involved too, such as self esteem. Parental input is important in deciding upon a treatment approach.

The 2-phase approach will be more costly for the patient and require them to be in treatment over a longer cumulative period. The question we ask ourselves every time we see a new patient is which approach fits best with their unique needs. There are certainly times when we will recommend a 2-phase approach. But if we think a 1-phase approach will yield the same result, then, all else being equal, that's the one we will recommend. Dr. Borovay prefers 1-phase treatment whenever the 1-phase approach can lead to the desired result. He will gladly follow and monitor your growth and development while waiting for the optimum time to start treatment for your particular situation. By the way, there is no fee for the occasional visit required to "keep an eye" on your development.

In orthodontics, there is a place for both 1-phase and 2-phase treatments. If you want to look deeper, you can start with this systematic review by the Cochrane Library: The Long-Awaited Cochrane Review of 2-phase Treatment, David L. Turpin,(2007) American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 132 (4), pp. 423-424. This extensive review of the literature clearly reports that 1-phase of treatment is preferable whenever it is a clear option. If you'd rather ask questions than research it, Dr. Borovay will gladly answer any questions you may have on 1-phase and 2-phase treatment. Answering these, or any questions you may have, is really important to us.