Is Early Treatment Necessary? An ongoing battle....

I know that in orthodontics there is a move away from early treatment.  Tulloch and similar studies have been used to vilify early treatment since the results of two-phase and one-phase treatments seem to be the same. And since two-phase treatment is less economical to both the patient and the orthodontist, then why do it?  Reasonable argument.  Especially since new approaches to fixed appliances have resulted in better arch development, better facial appearance and less extractions. 
However, the AJODO (the most revered juried journal in the field) recently published a systematic review(1) on the efficacy of functional appliances.  In summary, the review found statistical significance but little clinical significance to the way functionals could make a mandible grow.  And it also concluded that the data supports “that 2-phase treatment has no advantages over 1-phase treatment.”

But wait.  It concludes: “several benefits must be attributed to the early treatment …”

1. prevention of trauma to maxillary incisors associated with a large overjet, (ed: every one agrees with this one)
2. psychosocial advantages for the child during an important formative period of life,(ed. kids and mothers,  especially, appreciate this)
3. interception of the development of dysfunction, (which is why teeth get crooked in the first place)
4. stable dentoalveolar correction (ed. stability: the holy grail of orthodontics)
5. improved prognosis and shorter duration of treatment with fixed appliances.(ed. Better Faces: Less Braces!

So given those five reasons, why wouldn’t you want to do early treatment for our children??? Since when is money and efficiency more important that the health of our children?

(1) Marsico,E, et.al. Effectiveness of orthodontic treatment with functional appliances on mandibular growth in the short term, AJODO,  2011, 139:1, 24-36.