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Original poster

Children's orthodontist

52 replies

Rowgtfc72 · 22/03/2021 10:19

Dd is 14 and has been on a waiting list for 3 years to be given braces. Have just rung this morning and as a result of covid the list is still 3 and a half years.

She now has daily jaw pain, and has just been fitted this morning for a gum shield to wear at night.

Can anyone tell me the best way to go about this privately and the costs involved? My dh and me are on not much more than minimum wage, but cant watch her in pain for another three years.

Thank you.

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bluedomino · 22/03/2021 10:33

I'm interested to hear this too. They only seem to be doing private around here. My daughter has been waiting 6 years. Was at the top of the list then pandemic hit, so now only private available. Dentist told me 7k a few years ago. It's going to be like the USA where only the rich kids get treatment.

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 22/03/2021 10:37

7k!! Oh my god!
Weve been told we can be bumped up the list if it becomes an emergency. But nobody will tell us just how much pain she has to be in. Her jaw hurts all the time now and she avoids crunchy foods.

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TickleMyPickle · 22/03/2021 10:48

Bloody hell!! What part of the country are you in?
We are in Sussex and my son was only waiting 6 months from referral to fitting, and he was in no pain, just an overbite from thumb sucking.

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Monkeytapper · 22/03/2021 10:52

We nearly went private as we had been waiting over a year on the NHS, we finally got an appointment last year so braces been on a while and feel very fortunate.

I had priced up going private and was just about to make the call, estimated about £3.5 k ( Leeds),..

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 22/03/2021 10:59

Were North East Lincs. Apparently the list did go up to 5 and a half years in the middle of covid but back to three and a half now.
Looks like she'll be an adult before shes seen and have to pay anyway by that point.

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Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 22/03/2021 11:02

Dd has an over bite and overcrowding. Her front teeth overlap now and she still has an adult tooth to come through. Other than that, perfect teeth, no fillings. Shes looked after them.
All hereditary problems. Dh had braces, I had teeth removed.

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bluedomino · 22/03/2021 23:09

Wales. In 2015 there were over 4k children waiting and its not improved. Massive problems with NHS funding. Dentists refusing to share work with other dentists, saying if they couldn't have all of it they wouldn't do any of it. Orthodontist are extremely rare here. We had to travel 70 miles for an initial consultation, then told the surgery was closing down so put on another surgery waiting list. There aren't any NHS dentists in the county. For a long time we couldn't get the children taken on by a dentist. Dentists around here don't want NHS. They are minted, all drive Porsches or similar. Our MP isn't interested as he lives in London and its not something that will affect his children.

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 23/03/2021 08:03

@bluedomino that's awful!
It's a bit of a hassle getting an nhs dentist here but we can get them. And yes all ours drive very nice carsGrin
We have a lot of dentists from other countries too. The Greek guy we had was an absolute butcher. The Italian one was lovely and our current one is polish and likes traditional folk music!

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mumonthehill · 23/03/2021 08:10

I would go back to your dentist and say it is now an emergency and say how much pain she is in. She should then be seen quickly. My ds14 is already coming to the end of having braces, although they would not see him for routine appointments last year the orthodontist did see him as an emergency. We are in Wales and although the orthodontist is an hour away it has been worth it.

mylittlepeanut · 23/03/2021 08:32

We have gone down the private route and within 2 weeks of my daughters initial appointment her braces will be fit. We have opted for traditional bottom with ceramic top which will cost around £3k and can be paid over up to 4yrs interest free. She will be getting them for tomorrow.

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 23/03/2021 09:45

@mylittlepeanut thanks for the info. It may come to that. Is that through a dental plan direct with the dentist.

@mumonthehill shes back mon to pick up her gum shield. I'm going this time instead of dh and will suggest that as it's now affecting her jaw and no longer cosmetic perhaps it's become more urgent.

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massistar · 23/03/2021 09:47

We went private for my DS as they were just under the criteria for free treatment. It was £2400 but paid up interest free over 2 years. Definitely worth a consultation.

ilovemydogandMrObama · 23/03/2021 09:51

Friends DD had them privately for £2500. Bristol.

Would it be an idea to contact the local dental hospital where it's possible to get an appointment with a student? They are usually very well supervised, and in final year, I think?

waterlego · 23/03/2021 09:52

We were really lucky in Sussex. DD and DS are both getting orthodontics on the NHS after waiting for no more than about 18 months. Actually DS is still waiting for his brace to be fitted but that’s only because they’re waiting for the last of his baby teeth to fall out before they start.

I would push to be bumped up the waiting list as your DD is in pain so it should surely be classed as urgent.

Failing that, I would look at going private with a payment plan.

DIshedUp · 23/03/2021 13:27

There's no evidence that orthodontic treatment will help with jaw pain, I really wouldn't go down the route of private orthodontics thinking its going to help the pain. The best bet is for the dentist to manage the pain, which they have only just started to do

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 23/03/2021 13:42

Dentist told me she needed teeth removing to make space and then braces to correct. He said because shed been referred to the orthodontist he could no longer remove the teeth.
Rang the orthodontist and the receptionist said they dont pull teeth just sort braces.
I have a list to ask our dentist on mon. Nobody seems concerned shes actually in pain.

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Worknoplay · 23/03/2021 13:48

I'm in East London, and I have gone private for both my kids. One had a complex problem because he had a quite severe overbite, treatment was just shy of 4k. The other one had one tooth sitting behind all the other teeth and had a few wonky teeth and it was £1500.

It depends on what the orthodontist has to do.

I think the initial appointment was around £60. I've heard that some orthodontists are trying to push for invisaline type braces which are a lot more expensive, a friend of mine just had a quite for 7k for private Invisaline braces for her teenage son.

mylittlepeanut · 23/03/2021 14:28

@Rowgtfc72 it was a payment plan with the orthodontist, it’s a chain called total orthodontists. The initial free appointment involved us uploading a series of photos of her teeth and a video consultation which meant that we could go through all of the treatment options and payment plans ahead of the next appointment who b was in person when X-rays, measure etc were all taken. I’ve been really impressed so far, she had the measurements taken 2 weeks ago and the braces will be fit tomorrow.

Jessica82 · 23/03/2021 14:47

I’m shocked at these wait times! My daughter was referred by her dentist to an orthodontist on 14/01/2021 and had her first orthodontist appointment on 01/03/2021. She has had a couple of appointments since and will have her brace fitted on 15/04/2021. So 12 weeks from referral to brace fitting. I guess it does depend on location, I’m west London.

waterlego · 23/03/2021 15:00

He said because shed been referred to the orthodontist he could no longer remove the teeth.

That doesn’t sound right. My DD had an initial appointment with the orthodontist. They made a plan for treatment which included removal of 4 teeth to make space, followed by a brace. We went back to the dentist for the extractions and then back to orthodontist to have the brace fitted. I assume the dentist and ortho were sharing records to make sure they were on the same page re which teeth to remove etc.

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 23/03/2021 15:04

Ah. Maybe that's what will happen once the orthodontist has had a look.

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DIshedUp · 23/03/2021 19:03

The orthodontist will decide the teeth and write to the dentist who will take them out. The dentist cant remove them without the orthodontists plan

But it is not these teeth causing her pain. If she has a decayed tooth that's causing her pain then of course the dentist can remove it, but its her jaw.

Blustered · 23/03/2021 19:20

It might be worth looking up TMJ disorder. She may be suffering from that if the pain is coming from her jaw and she may need to be cautious about dental work if that is the case. Hope all goes well.

teletone · 23/03/2021 19:39

COVID and a lost dentist referral letter meant a potential 2 to 3yr wait. Found a private practice at £1800 interest free which I though was actually a good price compared to what others have paid. Teeth removal needed. 3 weeks from first appointment to brace on.
In Yorkshire. Well worth ringing round as I thought it would be a lot more expensive.

Original poster
Rowgtfc72 · 23/03/2021 20:24

I get the feeling shes clenching her jaw because of her teeth. We pick up a gum shield mon and have to try it for 3 weeks. Her jaw pain has come on the more her teeth get squeezed.
Her front two top teeth overlap now, this has happened within the year. She has an adult tooth still trying to come through at the top. There is nowhere at all for that to go. That hurts to touch.
If she lost a couple of top teeth it would create some space. I had two out age nine, perfectly straight teeth now, no issues even with wisdom teeth.
If the dentist hadn't already made the referral I get the feeling he may have removed the teeth.

I will go in mon much more informed thanks to you all and hopefully will at least find out where we stand and what our options are. At 14 she doesnt need to be on daily painkillers.

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