Dear Dr. Vinograd,

My niece is 11 years old with many dental issues. I need a second opinion about her conventional dentist's diagnosis/instructions as follows:

First of all, her dentist told us to remove her deciduous teeth #K, #T immediately because the adult teeth underneath (#20, #29) are so misaligned that they cannot push #K and #T hard enough for eruption. He referred my niece to an oral surgeon to remove them.
QUESTIONS: Is this removal necessary? Will this removal help the adult teeth erupt?


Second, her dentist told us that my niece's tooth #4 was severely rotated(about 90 degree), so she had to wear a brace for 1 year and then a retainer for 2 more years.
QUESTION: Is this the only way to correct the problem? If so, what do we have to do to make sure we're doing this the most safe and healthy way?

I need your opinion because this dentist is conventional in a very bad way(last summer he was about to use mercury Amalgam to my niece, but fortunately I intervened to stop him). So you see I have much reason not to trust what he said.

Of course, my sister wants to take her to a biological dentist but they live in Peoria, Illinois and it's so very hard for them to drive almost 3 hours to visit a biological dentist near Chicago area. Because my sister and her husband both are studying and working with two little kids. So they're stuck with this conventional dentist nearby for now.

Maybe can I call your office for a remote consultation? I can send the X-rays by e-mail.

I'd really appreciate your advice.