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Original poster

4 year waiting list for child braces

55 replies

Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:10

My DC's dentist advised us that he needs braces & referred him a year ago. However, at last week's appointment, he told us there is a 4 year waiting list in our local borough. DC is 12 and will be 16 when he'll be fitted for braces.
A neighbouring borough has a 1.5 year waiting list, and I asked DC to be added to that waiting as DC is keen to have the braces ASAP. However, this will probably entail a 25 min drive to every dental appointment.... I was wondering if it would have been better to wait until he was 16.

OP posts:
car1sberg · 17/09/2025 15:12

What’s your question? A 25 minute drive isn’t long and potentially shaves off 2.5 years of waiting. Whats the problem?

Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:12

There won’t many appointments

in any event, 25 mins really isn’t prohibitive

TheGreatWesternShrew · 17/09/2025 15:12

Nope better to get it done earlier imo. Braces usually take longer than they estimate so if he starts at 16 he may still have them on at 18. Nobody wants to start work or university in train tracks if it could be prevented.

25 minutes is not far… that’s less than my commute to school was.

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Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:12

I was wondering if it would have been better to wait until he was 16.

to save a poxy 25 minute drive to another dentist op

terrifying you have to ask!!

Namechangeagain842 · 17/09/2025 15:14

No advice on the best age for braces, but I wouldn't consider a 25 min trip particularly extensive to save an additional 2.5 year wait for medical treatment! It's a 20-min drive to our dentist anyway!

arethereanyleftatall · 17/09/2025 15:16

Woah, these responses aren’t my experience!! We had to go every 6 weeks for about 4 years for both my girls. And during school hours only. I guess it depends how bad their teeth are, but 25 mins extra would have added hours and hours in the end for me.

fluffiphlox · 17/09/2025 15:17

I guess the alternative is to pay privately and get your choice?

PreciousTatas · 17/09/2025 15:19

Can I ask how we check the wait times in neighbouring boroughs?

Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:19

arethereanyleftatall · 17/09/2025 15:16

Woah, these responses aren’t my experience!! We had to go every 6 weeks for about 4 years for both my girls. And during school hours only. I guess it depends how bad their teeth are, but 25 mins extra would have added hours and hours in the end for me.

Are you saying you would have missed a 1.5 year waitlist and taken up a 4 year waitlist to avoid a 25 minute drive every, gasp, 6 weeks?

Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:20

arethereanyleftatall · 17/09/2025 15:16

Woah, these responses aren’t my experience!! We had to go every 6 weeks for about 4 years for both my girls. And during school hours only. I guess it depends how bad their teeth are, but 25 mins extra would have added hours and hours in the end for me.

Every 6 weeks for 4 years???!! They must have had issues because they isn’t normal!

Original poster
Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:20

car1sberg · 17/09/2025 15:12

What’s your question? A 25 minute drive isn’t long and potentially shaves off 2.5 years of waiting. Whats the problem?

We'll need to go every month I think, so DC will miss an afternoon or morning of school, plus I'll be taking time off work. I was thinking, waiting might have been the better option in the long run.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:21

PreciousTatas · 17/09/2025 15:19

Can I ask how we check the wait times in neighbouring boroughs?

The dentist knew and advised us.

OP posts:
BoudiccaRuled · 17/09/2025 15:21

I mean, I drive 2 hours to our ortho, admittedly that's unusual. 25 minutes is nothing.
They probably have to pay once they turn 18 anyway.

Original poster
Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:22

TheGreatWesternShrew · 17/09/2025 15:12

Nope better to get it done earlier imo. Braces usually take longer than they estimate so if he starts at 16 he may still have them on at 18. Nobody wants to start work or university in train tracks if it could be prevented.

25 minutes is not far… that’s less than my commute to school was.

Fair point..
At 16 he'll be more conscious of the way he looks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:22

Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:20

Every 6 weeks for 4 years???!! They must have had issues because they isn’t normal!

Show quote history

What's normal??

OP posts:
Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:23

Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:20

We'll need to go every month I think, so DC will miss an afternoon or morning of school, plus I'll be taking time off work. I was thinking, waiting might have been the better option in the long run.

Show quote history

You won’t op

but presumably you have asked the dentist?

DeQuin · 17/09/2025 15:24

My DD had hers put on at 15. It takes us 45 minutes to get there. We need to go every 6 weeks or so. It's a pain in the arse, but it's free, and we wanted to be done before she went to uni, at which point it would be even more of a pain in the arse. DH is able to take time off work to take her.

Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:24

Thevibb · 17/09/2025 15:22

What's normal??

Show quote history

Initially yes

but then every 8 weeks minimum unless readjusting in between

Jacobfinished · 17/09/2025 15:24

Book in for school holidays etc

mamagogo1 · 17/09/2025 15:25

It’s a 45 minute drive to our dentist!

CatHairEveryWhereNow · 17/09/2025 15:29

It usually every 6 to 8 weeks not every month - or has been across three kids with slightly different problems.

There is also 12 months of retainers being most days and then a check back at orthodontist - ideally you want that all done before uni or moving away.

DD2 was latest starting mid Y10 15 - she Y12 and may get them off next visit - so Y13 final check - so we're likely okay. Also give me time to get habbit of wearing reatiners after treatments stopped. She was on waiting list like sibling from Y6 so about 10/11.

It is awkward because it was all during exam periods so time off mattered and as it was NHS often couldn't get it in holidays or after school.

We've been about 18 - 2 ish years with actual treatment ie braces in - but a lot of faffing before hand with younger two.

I'd get it started as soon as possible - even with 25 minute drive - as non driving we were looking at that sort of time for travel anyway often.

betsy99 · 17/09/2025 15:33

My dd got braces at 14 and was one of the last of her peers to get braces. There were no issues. but DD did feel different from her peers, luckily she only had them for about a year. This was years ago and from memory braces were delayed because she had other dental issues.

Imo it would be slightly odd for a teenager to have braces whilst at 6th form. Having said that if you can't make the logistics work it won't be the biggest problem in the world.

Handsomesoapdish · 17/09/2025 15:37

DS is in a dental hospital 35 minutes away for pretty specialist but much more importantly free dental work. Because it is complex we have been told it will take 3 ish years. I think the price makes it very much worth the journeys. We work full time and need to take time off for appointments.

Bluefloor · 17/09/2025 15:41

I’d definitely ask to be put on the list and would happily drive 25 mins!

LondonLady1980 · 17/09/2025 15:46

My son was 10 when we were told he'd need orthodontic work to alter the shape of his upper palate and brig his lower jaw forwards. The NHS waiting list in our area was also 4 years.

We decided to go Private as we did not want to wait that long and ideally we wanted the work done before he went to Secondary school.

He had an appointment every 3-4 weeks and it was a half an hour walk there and back. I'd much prefer to have had a 25 minute car journey 😂

Just get it done OP, the sooner the better!!