Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DD told she can’t have NHS orthodontist treatment

135 replies

Readysteadife · 23/09/2021 20:42

Was seen for an assessment about 2 years ago by the orthodontist. She was told she qualifies for NHS treatment .

Roll forward 2 years and yesterday she was told her teeth have improved and they are unable to offer NHS treatment . The teeth have “improved “ by 1mm and apparently that’s not on the parameters for NHS treatment.

Has anyone else experienced this ? I can’t help but think If it wasn’t for COVID she would have them . They said I can pay £2500 for them!

I am going back to the Orthodontist clinic next week to be seen by another Orthodontist as I wanted a second opinion . Should I get a independent opinion too ?

OP posts:
BeenThruMoreThanALilBit · 23/09/2021 20:51

Just to counter that orthodontics isn’t always just cosmetic. My DD had to have races due to severe overcrowding and snaggle teeth which, if left unresolved, would have ended in even worse gum erosion and tooth loss by her late teens. So, sometimes it’s actually necessary.

CrotchetyQuaver · 23/09/2021 20:48

It can't not help to get a second opinion but I suspect you'll find out you're stuffed regarding getting them done in the NHS and have to find the money yourself. I will be forever grateful to my daughters orthodontist who told me after my DD had a meltdown in the chair putting in the braces and we had to stop and rebook. She told me we had to get them on by a certain date otherwise she'd miss out on NHS treatment due to rule changes. That was a long time ago now. There was no way we could have found the money to pay for private at the time.

NapoleonOzmolysis · 23/09/2021 20:48

2.5K is a bargain price.

Nomoreusernames1244 · 23/09/2021 20:48

I had the opposite. Not eligible on nhs. Dd’s teeth then moved a bit as she grew and she wasn’t happy, so we paid for a private appt who said she is eligible as her teeth have moved enough to qualify.

Only by that time she was 16 and it’s a 2 year min wait list so we paid. They do interest free credit so we are paying monthly.

whenwillthemadnessend · 23/09/2021 20:47

My kids both got accepted and they could certainly close their mo the so I call bullshit on that last comment

Yes get a second opinion.

Oblomov21 · 23/09/2021 20:47

Same happened to me with Ds1 and worse still then Ds2. I am still so furious about it I can't bear it. I saved up £3k for both of them, which took me years for both, and now they are both in braces. Sad

Thadhiya · 23/09/2021 20:46

NHS changed the rules a few years ago and said they can now only pay for the most severe cases. Like, can't close your mouth severe.

Have to go private, like a lot now do.

Aquamarine1029 · 23/09/2021 20:45

If you can pay for them, I definitely would. It is worth it.

CarryOnNurse20 · 23/09/2021 20:44

I think you probably have to suck it up and go private. Like with so much of the NHS almost anything cosmetic is no longer covered which the majority of orthodontics is. I would pay for it for my kids if I possibly could though- I had braces and it changed my life!

pianolessons1 · 23/09/2021 20:43

It's cosmetic. The NHS is in a mess.