Help with DD's braces please. Long and Involved!

[FiveHoursSleep]

DD is 11 and has had braces fitted on her upper teeth after having a couple of premolars extracted in January. She is getting this treatment on the NHS. Her basic problem is that she has retained canines that need bringing down into the gaps. Her upper second incisors were a also couple of mms but parallel to her first incisors before the braces went on.
About 3 weeks after the braces went on, the brace on her upper RHS second incisor came off, and we were told there were no appointments available until the appointment she's been given on the 22th March, so we just sat it out. By the time we got to this appointment the RHS upper 2nd incisor was noticeably behind the other three incisors as it hadn't been attached to the brace.
At her recent appointment, the orthodontist attached brackets to, and wired up her canines which had been left out before. But that 2nd incisor has been left without a bracket and is noticeably moving behind the other teeth. To make matters worse, the bracket on her last LHS molar has come off too, so that side has a loose bit of wire sticking into her cheek.
We've been told that there are no appointments available until the 24th of May when she's next booked in, but should we really wait that long?
We are happy to go and see someone else and pay to get this sorted for now, but I'm guess that's not 'allowed'?
Can anyone give any advice as the dental surgery receptionists are not helpful at all and the orthodontist is only there for limited periods.

[KittyRogue]

Keep trying for last minute cancellations if I was you. Having been (and still am) a brace wearer the earlier things like this get seen to and sorted the more comfortable your DD will be :) HTH x

[FiveHoursSleep]

They are adamant there will be no last minute cancellations. There wasn't last time either. Do you think a private orthodontist would see her on a one off?
I have to say our NHS one is extremely unfriendly and not at all reassuring which isn't helping my poor nervous DD at all :(

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I wouldn't be happy with that at all, dds orthodontist (nhs) always saw her within a couple of days of any breaks. Can you get her into her dentist and ask them to advocate for her?

[FiveHoursSleep]

The surgery we go to is just a normal dental surgery that has an orthodontist come in 1-2 x a week. Does anyone know if you can change orthodontists part way through treatment?

[KittyRogue]

I have done so yes. I would try and go to an orthodontist only surgery if that's possible so at least they should be there more often or have others she can see if needs must. The first place I went to was a 45min to an hour+ drive away and then when we moved to the other side of the UK I transferred across. The longer she waits to get things sorted the longer it might take for things get sorted in the long run.

I had a friend who went private with similar problems as me. His treatment was more brutal (think surgery) but many years shorter than mine (NHS). It most probably cost his parents many thousands as the quotes we got to go private were ridiculous. hope I haven't worried you!

[sarahtigh]

is it the same practice DD gets her routine care if so a normal dentist appointment can almost certainly deal with lose wire at back though probably not the unstuck bracket, she should be seen sooner

[MrsMorton]

What sarahtigh said. Unfortunately this is a symptom of the nhs's perception of dentistry/orthodontics but it's not really acceptable. The pct will only commission a certain amount of treatment in a year, it's up to the orthodontist to spread it out evenly.
You can change orthodontists but you may have to be prepared for the treatment plan to change and be longer. Many ways to skin a cat.

[FiveHoursSleep]

Thanks guys. We weren't able to get anyone to see her on Friday so have been waiting over the weekend. We are happy to go for a private appointment or two to get it sorted if necessary :(