How often does correcting an underbite in a 9 year old lead to an overbite? should i wait to start treatment?

Don't wait: The correction should be done sooner than later . You should follow your orthodontist's advice. If you still have questions, seek a second opinion.

See orthodontist now: Experts agree that a child's first visit to the orthodontist should be at age 7. So many minor corrections can be made if needed, but major issues can also be corrected before they become a big deal! Sometimes all that's needed is to place your child under observation to wait for the appropriate time to start therapy. Orthodontists are trained in this part of dental medicine- see one ASAP.

Dental v skeletal: Dental under bites are best addressed as young as possible for maximum stability. Skeletal under bites may require both orthodontics and jaw surgery, best done after all growth has ceased. Timing and type of treatment best monitored by an Orthodontic Specialist. You are not saving anything by not going now for initial examination. Ask your Dentist to recommend best Orthodontist in your area.

An underbite: can become an overbite with early interceptive orthodontic treatment. If your 9 year old has an underbite right now and their are other family members with a similar type of bite, you should see an orthodontist right away and get a thorough evaluation of the problem. Often early correction will correct the problem and prevent the need for jaw surgery later.

Don't wait: I would not worry about corrections leading to other problems. corrections will adjust your child's bite and occlusion. Wait could mean they will be more likely to need surgery down the road. It's just easier to fix these issues when they are young and the bones are more maliable.

Don't wait: Some kids habitually bite into an underbite, we call that a "pseudo" underbite, which is not an underbite at all. This habit once corrected may reveal an overbite that was always there. However, a true underbite is hard to correct as it usually gets worse as a child grows. If your 9 year old has a true underbite it is best to start treatment right away.

Dental vs Skeletal: If a 9 year old has a skeletal underbite, it is important to note that he/she will continue to grow, well into their late teens. It is difficult to treat a skeletal underbite until jaw growth stops. A dental underbit can be treated at a younger age, depending on the cause of the dental underbite (upper front teeth erupting lingually, or lower front teeth erupting buccally). A comprehensive exam!

Early start: Different orthodontists have different philosophies regarding when to start a particular case. The orthodontist likes to see the patient early on so he/she can guide the eruption of the teeth with early intervention.

Treat early: I find underbites in younger patients are very ammenable to treatment, both quickly and easily. Many times early correction is very effective and reduces the possibility and/or eliminates the need for surgical correction later.