Dentistry/8 year old

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Expert: - 2/11/2009


Question
My daughter is 8 years & 9 months old and still has not lost any baby teeth, and has none coming in either.  She has NONE that are even a little loose.  Her dentist is aware and was worried and sent us to an orthodontist a couople of months ago and he said to wait a couple more months.  Unfortunatley nothin has happend.  How common is this?  Any recommendations???  The dentist can see her permanent teeth in the x-rays, but they are not pushing through at all.  Should I be worried?  I feel like we are running out of time . . . help!

Answer
Delayed eruption of permanent teeth not uncommon and usually doesn't present any problems other than delaying the start of any orthodontic treatment that might become necessary later on.  This can be an inconvenience but there's not much you can do about it.  You've already verified the presence of developing teeth so you've done all that you can do right now.  Just follow the recommendation of the orthodontist which is to wait for nature to catch up.

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Dr. Randolph Myerson

Expertise

Please limit your inquiry to questions about orthodontics (braces) and children's dentistry. I am both an Orthodontist and a Pediatric Dentist, having been trained in both of these dental specialty fields. Orthodontics is the dental specialty that treats problems of tooth, bite and jaw alignment using braces and removable appliances. Pediatric Dentistry is the dental specialty also known as dentistry for children, which deals specifically with the dental problems of this special age group from infants to adolescents. I am also experienced in Forensic Dentistry, the application of dentistry to law enforcement and identification using dental records.

Experience

I have been in the private practice of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry for over 20 years. Prior to that I served for three years on the Cleft Palate and Cranio-facial Reconstruction team at Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia and was an Assistant Professor of Dentistry at University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. I also served as a dentist in the U.S.Air Force, stationed at Andrews AFB in Washington, DC.

Organizations
I am a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, as well as a member of the American Dental Association and the Dental Society of the State of New York.

Education/Credentials
I received my BA in Biology from Frankin & Marshall College in 1969, and my dental degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1973. In 1978 I received both my Certificate in Orthodontics from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and my Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia after completing a three year Teaching Fellowship in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in 1978.

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