Orthodontist and dentists

[practicallyperfectwithprosecco]

Still no mention of them

DD1 is well overdue her appointment now and her braces have snapped in places.

What on earth are we supposed to do?

And god help anyone with toothache

[TheWalkingTalkingRed]

I hear you. DD had two orthodontist appointments cancelled, the operation she had on her teeth in December seems like it was a waste of time now.
I have been diagnosed recently with Trigeminal Neurologia, however Dr would still like to rule out dental as I'm on some pretty heavy medication.
I know there's a lack of PPE but surely the Government BDA should be doing something for them, it must be effecting them financially as well as affecting those needing treatment

[blobbyface]

Fortunately my dd2's brace is still intact, but her teeth are moving further apart - gap between her front teeth is getting bigger now! Her last appointment was at the beginning of January as she had to cancel the end of February one as she came back from northern Italy with a cold.... It was rearranged for March, but then everything cancelled.

She was wearing elastics, but we've ditched those as she's so overdue an appointment.

[Chrisinthemorning]

We are waiting to see what the Chief Dental Officer has to say about Boris’ roadmap.
I am guessing July.

[EasterIssland]

A decay has appeared in the last week. I feel I need one :(

[samlovesdilys]

I rang ours, they recommended bands only at night and the British dental association website for any problems...

[Astressedmumoftwo]

I had my adult braces off before lockdown. My retainer has nearly cracked as I grind my teeth. They'll move back instantly without. It's utterly shit. Cost us 2 grand

[TeaAndBisquits]

@Chrisinthemorning I'm hoping the CDO advice doesn't take as long as the last one to arrive!

[Chrisinthemorning]

@TeaAndBisquits
I predict a webinar at 4pm a week on Friday 🤣

[beepbeeprichie]

Astressed have you thought about buying a kit to make your own? Places like biite do them online I think. I investigated this before when I thought I had lost an upper.

[Dontrainonmyparade]

My daughter is about 6 weeks overdue her braces check. She has a loose wire now and I called the dentist to see what they suggested. The receptionist said to use nail clippers and tweezers to cut and remove the wire if it snaps completely. I am not keen on this plan. Neither is my daughter - luckily it’s still intact at the moment...

[Aesopfable]

Reminds me we have an appointment this week - I presume it has been cancelled.

Friend is a dentist and she is despairing. No income. She still does on call but can only prescribe antibiotics and only refer to emergency centre if things really bad. The problem is the level of PPE they would need as their treatments create aerosols and the aerosols also mean they have to let these settle for an hour or so between patients as the next patient can hardly wear a mask! So currently it is restricted to pretty much just extractions for those in a lot of pain or facial swelling.

[NigellaAwesome]

My fixed retainer debonded 4 days in to lockdown. It's been flapping in my mouth since then and sometimes gets caught on my lip.

I ordered bonding glue online on 1 April, but I think it is coming from China, so still hasn't arrived.

[Desperateseeking]

Aesopfable - one of the problems I think is that they have applied the same rules to all practices - so a 2 chair practice or a 5 chair practice. The latter could even now operate in a reasonable capacity as it has spare rooms to allow ‘settling time’ for aerosols. (Provided they had the right PPE and met all other requirements etc etc). Obv they aren’t doing so at the moment as not permitted but it does feel like a one size fits all policy.

Practice owners in even worse boat than your friend. Zero income but business costs continue such as rent and rates (not getting relief betting shops and clothes shops too).

Very sad times ahead for dentistry - ironic in the middle of a pandemic when the government is spending money like water in healthcare, one sector is being destroyed as they can’t afford to keep going financially.

[TheGodWorm]

I thought I had an abscess yesterday, but it's going down. I called my dental practice and was told that if it gets worse they'll give me antibiotics. Then refer me to local emergency dental hub. But she warned me that all they are doing is an x-ray then tooth extraction! It's gone medieval. They cannot use hand tools, no fillings, no root canal work, just extraction.

Unless dentists can practice normally soon, there will be quite a few people going round with fewer teeth. I feel for kids who may lose their teeth unnecessarily.

[EffOrf]

I’m really hoping they open in July, I need a new bottom partial denture as at the moment I have had an extraction last year which I was waiting for it to settle by Easter and then getting a new proper denture as my temporary one which I have been managing with for the last year whilst having the extractions is now ill fitting and making it difficult for me to eat. I will need several appointments for casts and fitting for this and can’t see it happening even this year now. Every sympathy with people waiting for orthodontist treatment.

[cptartapp]

Both DS have braces with overdue appointments. DS2 brace has broken, nothing they can do yet.
As a nurse with close patient contact using PPE to see patients and keep our service going, I know that dentists/orthodontists are theoretically higher risk but don't understand why they just can't do the same for non aerosol generating procedures.

[foxessocks]

novella and astressed same sort of thing here, my adult braces came off just before lockdown and my bonded retainer fell off the week after so I'm very worried my teeth will go back , luckily I have the plastic retainers still and have been wearing them constantly...

[Desperateseeking]

Cptartapp - because they have been told they can’t by NHS England and the Chief Dental Officer.

Nhs are getting 80% I think of nhs fees . Mixed (For private element) and Private getting no industry specific help. So for those saying they hope they open in July - some May and some may not as they will have shut permanently. It won’t be as simple as saying I want to see them then - 1 in 5 looking at going bust. So they won’t be there to see you.

[Desperateseeking]

Still as there’s no national outcry about it And the politicians have ignored all requests for specific help (whilst giving rates relief to betting shops not dentists), guess all are okay with that. (Until they have toothache!)

[locksmithg]

I hear you , spent £3000 on my Invisalign just before lock down when I finished my treatment he put a wire behind but that has fallen out ! My teeth are already starting to move

[Desperateseeking]

locksmithg - hopefully your dentist will be one of the lucky ones who can financially survive and reopen - and then fix it for you. If not, I guess you will have to find another practice and pay to have it fixed 😣

[SpillTheTeaa]

Dental nurse here.
Were looking at opening in July the earliest but measures have to be in place before we return. We have to have screens put up in reception etc. We're also unsure if we can do any treatment depending on what the situation is around that time. Could be only check ups for a while and no invasive treatments. But we're not sure. We haven't really been supported by the government either which is a massive blow.