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Original poster

Orthodontist - wait two years for NHS or pay now?

29 replies

chickensandbees · 26/09/2024 17:43

DD (13) has a problem in that one of her adult teeth at the back isn't there, so when the baby tooth comes out she will be left with a gap. We had a referral from the dentist to the orthodontist. They say the dentist can take the tooth out and then she will need braces to push the teeth together and get rid of the gap. There is a two year wait for the NHS treatment or we can pay £3-4K now. (£4k for nicer braces.) I think we should wait as it doesn't affect her at the moment. She wants it done now with the more expensive braces (obviously) because they are less visible.

I know 2 years seems a lot when you are 13 but my thinking is we didn't even know there was a problem until the dentist spotted it at a routine check up so why not wait till it is free.

We could afford it if we had to and it was essential for her health but £4k seems a lot to pay when it isn't essential. However I feel guilty for not paying.

What would you do?

OP posts:
Mumistiredzzzz · 26/09/2024 17:44

If I could pay, even if it were a stretch, I'd do it.

LivelyGoldOrca · 26/09/2024 17:46

We are still on nhs wait list two years in. Paid to see a private orthodontist to see of still waiting was ok or if we should act now. Dd is 12 now.

after 80, imaging and consultation included they told us we could wait as the situation could be dealt with in a further year or two without consequence.

itf the imaging had shown some concern we would have continued private. We are seeing the orthodontist again privately next year to keep an eye.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 26/09/2024 17:47

No guarantee it'll still be free by then. DD1's orthodontics would have been free had we been able to get a referral appointment a week earlier, but the requirements changed and what she needed wouldn't be funded.

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PaminaMozart · 26/09/2024 17:48

Beg, steal or borrow...

hby9628 · 26/09/2024 17:51

We have this situation & have decided to wait. DD is 14 next year so I reckon she will be 15 before she gets seen. If things change we are fortunate that we can pay for it for her but she's not bothered at the moment.

UnhappyAndYouKnowIt · 26/09/2024 17:53

We waited the 2 years. Even if we had been able to afford them privately, I would have waited. At 15 she was better equipped to deal with the pain every time the brace was adjusted.

FionnulaTheCooler · 26/09/2024 17:57

I'd probably wait for the free NHS treatment, we were incredibly lucky in a way that DDs teeth were so bad that we qualified for completely free treatment (not as lucky as if she'd had straight teeth to begin with, but anyway). The money we've saved on it will come in handy for University expenses, hopefully, providing she gets the grades to be accepted.

LoremIpsumCici · 26/09/2024 18:37

Whether you wait or not, it needs to be done. Braces are not cosmetic, but essential healthcare. Gappy or crooked teeth are at higher risk of decay and gum disease.

I would pay for private consult to see how urgent the need is as it is true that in some cases waiting 2 years is perfectly fine.

KnickerlessFlannel · 26/09/2024 18:41

I'd do it now, as wouldn't want the disruption during exam years. Many orthodontists only offer NHS appointments during school hours, and she might need to go quite frequently

LoremIpsumCici · 26/09/2024 18:45

I know my DC were happy they were getting theirs off before prom (age 16) and even though the initial estimate was say 2yrs, one of them had them for over 3!

So the child should have some say as well.

36and3 · 26/09/2024 18:49

We paid £5000 for Damon clear braces so train tracks but white ones white with wires. This also included a camera attachment for her iPhone so she took weekly scans of her teeth which were analysed and commented on but the orthodontist. Very little pain with wire changes and all done after 14 months with beautiful teeth. She has them between ages 12-13

cloudjumper · 26/09/2024 19:21

We decided to pay and start now, DS is 13. He'll be done with it all in 18-ish months. I think it'll be a lot harder at 15 (or even older), they'll be even more conscious of how they look...

SunblockSue · 26/09/2024 19:29

If the more expensive are Invisalign style ones I wouldn't do that option for kids and stick to metal ones. So many kids have them that they don't look odd.

bridgetjonesmassivepants · 26/09/2024 19:36

Slightly different as we were told three years wait but we went private. £4500 for Invisalign. It was worth every penny. No pain at all, very quick and now my child's teeth are perfect.

It all depends how easy it is to find the money. It's not worth putting yourself into debt for example as you'll get the braces eventually anyway. But if it's not too much of a struggle I'd do it now.

snoopyfanaccountant · 26/09/2024 19:57

I'm 54 and I still have a baby tooth. There wasn't an adult tooth to push out the baby tooth so there has never been a gap. It sounds to me like the orthodontist is taking you for a ride. My understanding has always been that a baby tooth only comes out when there is an adult took pushing to replace it.

Helpwithfamily · 26/09/2024 20:03

Have you phoned around to see if there are other orthodontists with a reduced waiting list time? It can very quite a lot between practices. The wait time at my orthodontist has varied between 2 years and 3 months in the time my children have been using them.

ShowOfHands · 26/09/2024 20:08

DS has a baby tooth which has been pushed into a weird position and now won't come out as all adult teeth are through and three adult teeth which have come through the side of the gum and stick out above the others like vampire teeth. Also has other overcrowding issues and needs 6 out to make room. We can't afford private and have been waiting for 2 years already. He is so miserable.

Button28384738 · 26/09/2024 20:34

Just wait, save the money to pay for something else when they're older

Sadless · 26/09/2024 20:38

my sons nearly 17 now and only just seen them he’s due to have some impressions next week but there saying 3 years to complete.
but if he starts now then even after 18 the nhs has to finish the treatment plan .

sal

DutchCowgirl · 26/09/2024 21:11

My son is also missing one of his adult teeth. I am not in the UK and no waitinglist here, but we also decided to wait until he was older and able to go to some of the appointments by himself/handle pain/ take care of the braces. The orthodontist told us he is going to need an implant tooth, but he can only get that when his jaw is fully grown, around 18 years old. Until that time, a brace can make room for the implant and when there is enough room they fit in a temporary dental bridge. So we didn’t have to start that young at all.

discoballdave · 26/09/2024 21:13

Beg, borrow or steal to get private braces now.

JanglingJack · 26/09/2024 21:16

I've ended up paying on a payment plan.

NHS here took over 3 years, so bit the bullet and went private. They're very good, but I'm skint.

Dds teeth were growing over each other at the front though, it was really affecting her confidence.

2K in 🙄

JanglingJack · 26/09/2024 21:19

discoballdave · 26/09/2024 21:13

Beg, borrow or steal to get private braces now.

I'm actually behind with my payments and they don't seem too fussed! Not that I want them to get fussed.
Daughter is much happier with them.

Crojo · 26/09/2024 21:21

If it's not essential I would wait personally, it's a lot of money and she's still very young.
Having said that I would discuss the implications of waiting before making the decision. Some things can't be corrected if left too long, or may cause more problems if left.

BookShark · 26/09/2024 21:26

Pay now. DS has only just finished after two years of treatment and had appointments every six weeks. Even going privately to get the preferential early/late slots, that was a lot of missed lessons. No way I'd want to be doing that during GCSE years.

We also paid for "invisible" ceramic braces (not Invisalign, just clear train tracks) which wasn't worth the cost of going private on its own, but once we'd made that decision it was a relatively small extra cost for a big confidence boost. Wouldn't have got that on the NHS.