Pembrokeshire children are having to wait for up to a year and a half for treatment by an NHS orthodontist. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Conservative Parliamentary candidate Simon Hart also show that there are 1,200 children waiting to see an orthodontist in Carmarthen - where children from Pembrokeshire are also treated. "There have been seven orthodontists practising in the Carmarthen area for the past four years," said Mr. Hart. "But this is clearly not enough as there are 1,252 people, all of them under 18, waiting to be seen and the list is between 12 and 18 months long. "As I understand it, the problem in Carmarthen is particularly acute because there are no NHS orthodontists in Pembrokeshire and children from the west have to go to the town for treatment." Eight-year-old Ewan Howells from Narberth is one of the unlucky ones waiting for treatment. "He has got an overcrowded mouth and my dentist in Haverfordwest referred us to Carmarthen for orthodontic treatment," said his mum Katie. "I got a letter in January saying there was a six to eight month wait and they'd be in touch nearer the time. It's now been four months and I've heard nothing. "I'm worried because his teeth are obviously getting bigger and the longer it's left the worse the problem will be; this work needs to be done urgently. "I was told I could get treatment privately a lot quicker, but that will cost at least £115 and I can't afford it." Mr. Hart added: "We keep getting told how well the Government is managing the NHS, but this discovery raises certain questions as children are suffering through lack of treatment. The Government is not providing the service that taxpayers have already paid for."