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Original poster

Getting my head around orthodontics for teens...

54 replies

cheeesenonion · 01/04/2025 20:04

Railtrack braces on a teen on the bottom row to correct badly placed teeth, with rubber bands attached to the upper row to correct skeletal overbite - once the braces are on, how frequently does the child usually need to see the orthodontist to get everything tightened and checked and so on?

Do most people in the UK pay for this privately, or do most people get this sort of thing done by NHS? Are some areas in the UK better than others in relation to getting work done by NHS?

Any other advice you could give me? I am just trying to get my head round it all!

OP posts:
Original poster
cheeesenonion · 01/04/2025 20:21

FortyElephants · 01/04/2025 20:12

What do you need to get your head around? If they are entitled to NHS treatment they will be referred by their dentist. It takes a good year usually to get to the top of the list. Once on they are tightened every 6-12 weeks. I don't know if most teens get them on the NHS, I see a lot at the clinic when I take DS but have no idea if they are paying or not.

Getting my head around the treatment needed hence the question about how often appointments were needed. Spoke to receptionist today who said after they were put on, the next appointment was in a year so I was confused, will check what they meant tomorrow. We aren't in the UK. I was planning to move back, but have recently found out about the orthodontic needs and it is a factor. Thanks for your other advice.

OP posts:
Youaremythtaken · 01/04/2025 20:17

I have no idea what most people in the UK do but I've had 2 kids have braces on the NHS. Both had very overcrowded mouths though, it was very obviously they needed them. We were referred to an NHS orthodontist by their dentist. We were told with my youngest there would be a long wait but in fact it wasn't that bad - maybe around a year?
I can't remember how often my eldest was seen but it's about every 3 months for my youngest at the moment.

BlondeMummyto1 · 01/04/2025 20:16

My daughter had her fixed braces for a cross bite. She was assessed and the problem was accepted under NHS treatment but she did have to wait two years on the waiting list.

She had two bands to pull the teeth over and her appointments were every 6-12 weeks but she only had to wear the bands for part of the treatment.

Her braces were on for around 20 months all together.

FortyElephants · 01/04/2025 20:12

What do you need to get your head around? If they are entitled to NHS treatment they will be referred by their dentist. It takes a good year usually to get to the top of the list. Once on they are tightened every 6-12 weeks. I don't know if most teens get them on the NHS, I see a lot at the clinic when I take DS but have no idea if they are paying or not.