Braces (orthodontistry) - when was your DC's first appointment and cost (if private)?

[Connieston]

My dentist said two years ago he would refer my (now) 11.5 year old son to the NHS orthodontistry services - but at our last check up in January there was no record. So he said he'd refer again. Three year waiting list though so we could be back at day 1 again.

I spoke to the practice manager today to see what was going on, and STILL no record! They're going to refer him to a different clinic which may be "quicker" (I just think they didn't actually refer him at all) but I'm considering if going private might be the best option. It wouldn't be easy to find the money but I want his teeth to be OK.

I've lost faith in this practice clearly, so once I've got the initial appointment letter from new clinic I'll be moving practice. If no letter in a couple of weeks I'll have to consider a private assessment. And then move surgery!

My son's teeth are a little crowded - just like mine were and I benefited from braces at around his age. That was thirty five years ago though...

Am I panicking unnecessarily that he might be nearly fifteen before he gets treatment via NHS, or is this normal?

If I do go private how much might it end up costing for averagely crowded teeth?

My dc has teeth which badly need braces, our dentist said they wont refer until all baby teeth fall out

My DD had top braces only with a perm retainer and it cost us £2500 in London though. DS has been on waiting list for a few years now but has 6 monthly check ups.

My just turned 11 yr old was referred and saw an orthodontist within about a months wait due to crowded teeth and teeth which hadn’t been replaced by adult ones.
The orthodontist said there was nothing they could do at this age (not sure exactly as my dad took him) and he would be referred again in a years time.
We are at the dentist again next week so I’ll ask again.
My sister had the same issue (not long ago as she’s only 19 now) and was sorted by the time she was 16 with her braces out. All on the nhs, she has lovely teeth now.

Dd was referred age 14 once all her baby teeth had come out, however her teeth weren't bad enough for nhs treatment - they protruded but weren't crowded. Cost was nearly £3k for top and bottom brackets plus removable retainer. Fixed braces came off a year after being put on.

That's interesting - thanks all, I wonder if his teeth might end up not being bad enough for treatment anyway on an NHS criteria! Reassuring that it's not necessarily 11 and 12 year olds getting the treatment - I just remember I did myself at that age but I did have to have quite a bit of work done and those were simpler times...

My dd is only just getting hers at 15.5y. They waited for all baby teeth to come out, then eventually did extract the last 2. With a crowded jaw issue I think they do tend to wait a little longer because obviously they might grow more. FWIW the waiting room at the orthodontist is full of students from her school every time we go and they must all be year 9 + so it seems fairly normal to wait til 13/14 at least.

DD was referred just before Christmas. She will be having her braces fitted this summer. She has a canine that has come out in her gum with no space below it so will need a couple removing to make space and then braces to straighten them. She is nearly 12.

The dentist told me she would need them a couple of years ago before this tooth had even come through as there was no space for it.

It will be braces for a couple of years followed by a retainer. They seem to go for train tracks now rather than the removable brace/retainer I had for a similar issue many years ago!

I had braces top and bottom by Year 7 and six teeth removed before that (1986ish at age 11). I remember getting into trouble for rinsing my removable top one in a glass of water so I could eat my lunch.

Seems the norm is to leave it later now.

My 5 year old had his first orthodontist appointment before he was born which was very surreal. He was diagnosed with teeth problems at my 20 week scan.

DD would have easily qualified on the NHS but would have had to wait.

We paid about £900 for block braces and £2000 for train tracks.

My DD was referred quite young because the dentist knew there was a waiting list of over a year (and the first appointment was cancelled and we ended up waiting about a year and a half in total!) for the NHS.

DD had to have some extractions (adult teeth) before fitting, so she'd just turned 12 when it went on earlier this year. She did lose her baby teeth quite early IMO and the dentist was trying to time getting to the top of the list with losing all the baby teeth.

FWIW I think the later you leave it the better. My DS had his done at 11, wore his retainers but they broke and because of the time it took to get new ones made his teeth moved. They moved even more when his wisdom teeth came through and now he's paying privately to have new braces. My DD had her braces much later and her teeth have stayed straight.