Is it right to wait?

[Shadowingshadows]

My 6 year old has crowded teeth and her adult ones coming in don’t have any space. Her (lovely) dentist says she needs to wait till all her adult teeth are in before considering treatment, but looking online there seems to be a lot of evidence that addressing these issues is more successful when they have the baby teeth still. At this point jaws can be widened more easily etc.

So I’m wondering.... is it the NHS won’t treat until adult teeth but it’s better to start earlier? Or are the private orthodontists pushing something that’s better to wait for!?

I had horrendous teeth as a child/ teenager and it ruined my life for a few years so am very hyper sensitive for her about it!

Any advice?

I think it's very likely you're projecting your own issues onto your daughter. You want objective opinions. What does her other parent think?

Intervention at this stage can be surgical; you don't want to go there. Jaw widening??!!

DS had orthodontic treatment from 8yo so I have a little bit of experience. In the end he had train tracks but nothing had to be pulled (in spite of initial orthodontist recommendation to remove some teeth when DS was 11/12, but luckily dentist refused because it was surgical procedure, so we waited & his teeth actually sorted themselves out as jaw grew)

Yes, as I said, having bad teeth led to me being bullied so I’m keen that if I can prevent that for her by treating earlier (and paying) then I would.

Widening the jaw isn’t surgical.....it’s done via something similar to a brace. I’m not suggesting she goes for full surgery!

Her other parent doesn’t really know much about early treatment, nor do I do that’s why I was asking here if anyone does.

She's 6. Surely that means her jaw has a lot of growing still to do?
DDs dentists & orthodontists said wait until adult teeth in as then you know what needs doing.

We were told the same. Registered with an orthodontist at 8; he took an x-ray and we went a couple of times to see how teeth were coming through before starting with the brace.

Having said that, there's an 8 month waiting list for our orthodontist so better to get them registered asap!

The stuff I’ve been reading though says if you treat early and widen the jaw then the adult teeth will come in properly, whereas jaws can’t be widened as an adult so extractions are then only option. Which obviously have a host of issues and risks. All so confusing!

Isn't there an interim stage? When a teenager they are still growing, so flexible bones, but all the adult teeth have come through?

6 does sound very young. I would go with the advice of the dentist. Ask again in a couple of years.
Both DDs had to wait a while before treatment would be considered.

I can only give you my experience but it's very dated now (I'm in my 40s).

I have overcrowding and an under-bite. I initially had canine teeth removed and a brace to push my top front 6 teeth forward as it was making eating uncomfortable. They then left further treatment until I was in my teens. I was having regular x-rays to keep an eye on my developing teeth. I had a problem that my milk teeth weren't dropping out and my adult teeth were coming out were they could. At this point I treatment.

My cousin's daughter had the same problem and the same treatment as me 20 years later.

6 is very young to be looking at Orthodontics. Orthodontics normally needs adult teeth to act as anchors, baby teeth have short roots so they're not really suitable. There is good evidence for interventive orthodontics when there is a difference in jaw sizes but this is not normally done until the preteens.
If you're looking at Orthotropics, be aware this is controversial and you will have supporters and opposers and even then 6 is very young to consider this.

My DC has a little overcrowding of teeth and our dentist (private) told us to hold off until later to allow for growth. Now they are 10 they're on the waiting list for braces.

Thanks all - just to clarify I’m not expecting her to start any treatment now at 6 (she’d be terrified!) I was just wondering if should be looking into it prior to all her adult teeth coming in which could be as old as 12 or 13.

Just let your dentist monitor it, they'll be able to give you an idea when she's ready, whether she might be eligible for NHS orthodontics and what the local waiting times are.