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Original poster

Kids Teeth Braces £2,000! Really!?

81 replies

SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT · 07/09/2017 11:47

So my DS2 needs a brace, his canine tooth hasn't come down and although it's come through the gum it hasn't come down in line with his other teeth. Hence it wouldn't be funded under the NHS and I'm given a list from the Dental Hospital of a list of orthodontic dentists who can help.
We visited one yesterday, private, and they start from £2K! I've since phoned a couple of others and they start from £2,900! WTH! How can parents afford this, we certainly can't. What does everyone do?

OP posts:
StickThatInYourPipe · 07/09/2017 12:59

Really stupid question but is that all in? I remember friends having to go back over and over again for refits and other apppontments.

Original poster
SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT · 07/09/2017 12:59

Gosh, I guess I just didn't realise how expensive they were going to be. Thanks for your replies, the thing is his teeth look really nice when he smiles, it's only when he lifts his lip up that you see the canine tooth so tempting to leave it. My DS2 not bothered and at 13 is still quite small (he looks younger), he's happy not to have a brace.

Following our appointment yesterday where pictures/Xrays were taken, I've got an appointment to see the dentist in a couple of weeks and I guess we will take his advice.

OP posts:
squiz81 · 07/09/2017 13:03

I didn't realise it was a struggle to get NHS braces for kids either. I'm going to start saving now!

I never had one as a child and hate my teeth, but now feel at 36 it's not worth all the money. I think it would be worth it for a teenager though.

Just make sure they keep their retainer, a friend of mine has braces now as an adult even though she had them as a teen. The retainer always needs to be worn to keep them in place.

Oldie2017 · 07/09/2017 13:07

My son has NHS braces (he is 18) - they are coming out next week. I think he met the criteria about under bite or something.

The orthodontist we were sent to I noticed had a pregnant woman in one day - I think it's free if you are pregnant so people on here who don't like their teeht might want to have it tackled during pregnancy. Well it's not free at all - I pay masses and masses of tax to fund all this tooth work for people.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 07/09/2017 13:09

I would say £2k is a reasonable quote for braces as it's really expensive.

Shutupanddance1 · 07/09/2017 13:10

I needed braces and my husband has uneven teeth so we know our lil ones will need orthodontics. I've earmarked her first two years savings for these - thought that's what most people did tbh

OlderGolder · 07/09/2017 13:11

4,200 euro for each child where I am.

The Irish govt don't fund it unless the teeth are extremely BUCk, over jet, under bite, something like that.. So any kind of snaggle tooth, no, they have to protrude 9mm I think! Kids are ordered to suck their thumbs.

Hope you feel a bit better now after reading that!

OlderGolder · 07/09/2017 13:11

When I say ''each child'' I mean each of my own!

LivLemler · 07/09/2017 13:11

I think my parents paid about that 20 years ago, for each of us. It's not just the hardware and the moulds etc, it's the monthly visits for tightening etc, plus of course profit as it is a private business.

If you can afford it, I would really recommend it. My teeth were terrible and I'm so happy they're straight now. If you can't afford it, well then you can't afford it. It's likely a purely cosmetic issue, and your DC can fund it themselves when they're older as a few of my friends have done.

HotLadybird · 07/09/2017 13:12

DDs braces are going to cost £4,500 Shock IF we decide to go ahead. Ask if they have an interest free credit payment plan. Most do I think.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 07/09/2017 13:13

I've earmarked her first two years savings for these - thought that's what most people did tbh

Most people? Are you aware that it's quite a privileged position to be in to be able to have children's savings let alone to be able to earmark a few grand for braces?

BrieAndChilli · 07/09/2017 13:17

DD has just turned 9 and is about to be fitted for a retainer on the NHS. She's having it early even though she still has lots of milk teeth left as her front tooth on the top refused to fall out and was sticking it at a 45 degree angle and her adult tooth came down behind and at an angle so she had the baby tooth out and the adult tooth did move forward on the own but the has an underbite which is stopping it moving forward any more and if left will damage the enamel on her tooth.

KarmaNoMore · 07/09/2017 13:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RB68 · 07/09/2017 13:19

NHS have a system where by points are given for certain issues with the teeth so if its only one and there is no discomfort or misbite then you don't get enough points - however if there are several issues and it causes problems in temrs of the bite or will do once all teeth out and grown then you do get treatment - best to go before they are 12 as well apparently as they need to be considered at that point and this can impact funding. Some of the waiting lists seem really long - we are in an affluent MC type of area and I would have thought they would have been busy but weight is around 6 weeks from referral to first appt

daisypond · 07/09/2017 13:22

Most people do not set aside money in advance for children's braces - not in my world anyway. If your children's teeth fit the criteria for funded treatment on the NHS you don't pay. It has to be considered necessary for "medical" reasons - teeth being so crooked that it will be hard to clean them properly, hence causing more dentistry problems long term. Cosmetic dentistry isn't funded. But there's a grey area where teeth might be crooked, but the degree of crookedness isn't enough to qualify.

BrieAndChilli · 07/09/2017 13:24

www.totalorthodontics.co.uk/iotn/
This is the criteria for NHS braces
Levels 4 and 5 qualify and I gues level 3 depends on your area (and how strict they are) or whether you have a sympathetic dentist who can push it through

RolyRocks · 07/09/2017 13:26

It has been this way for a very long time - it's not new. It is why I didn't have braces until I was 17 (for a similar issue - I had two teeth that wouldn't come down so had gaps and had to wait until they had) as my parents couldn't afford to go privately. I'm 36 now!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 07/09/2017 13:27

My ds was SO lucky to get braces, his teeth were fine and braces never crossed my mind. Our dentist referred him but told us to be prepared to be turned down as they weren't bad at all. The orthodontist said he was 'borderline' but put him through anyway- I was stunned and had already told D's we wouldn't be paying for them privately. He only wore them for 8 months. We really lucked out especially as the wait time was 6 weeks like the pp.

KarmaNoMore · 07/09/2017 13:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

implantsandaDyson · 07/09/2017 13:29

My eldest is just about to get hers fitted. She needs three appliances and has already had about 6 or so appts over 2 years. Our Dentist first referred her about 2/3 years ago, she had an initial couple of appts but the orthodontist wanted to wait until she was about 12. She has an overbite and her jaw hasn't aligned - she is well within the NHS parameters but that's because of the jaw issues. I think when we were originally talking to the dentist he thought that if we were paying for it, it would be about £3,000. I'm really not sure how we would afforded it otherwise, she's the only one of ours that will need them.

Jaxhog · 07/09/2017 13:29

I'd do it, but you may want to wait. I had the exact same thing. My canines burst straight out through my gums and I ended up in hospital to have them out. I then didn't get a brace and now have permanently backwards pointing front teeth.

(With no canine teeth, at least I can't become a vampire)

puzzledbyadream · 07/09/2017 13:34

Crikey, didn't realise I got mine on the NHS purely because my teeth had so many issues (8mm overjet, top jaw was too narrow, gap between my front teeth, crowded bottom teeth and 4 premolars that didn't have adult equivalents).

Unfortunately I left my retainers at Glastonbury Festival when I was 17 so lots of my teeth have drifted. 2.5 years of braces! Retainers are a must!

Original poster
SPARKLYSTARSHINESBRIGHT · 07/09/2017 13:34

Thanks BrieAndChilli, very helpful. Looking at the Grade 5 "overcrowding and teeth not being able to erupt naturally". My son's teeth look like that because there is another tooth behind so worth querying it again.

OP posts:
PoppyPopcorn · 07/09/2017 13:36

If he's 13 then you have time. I would do nothing for another year and then go back to see the orthodontist. His jaw will change shape as he grows, and this may mean that either he doesn't need a brace at all, or the need is more clear cut.

Orthodontics is an expensive business. The NHS doesn't have a bottomless pit of cash to slosh around on people whose teeth aren't perfect, but which are healthy and not causing bite issues. A line has to be drawn somewhere. Two of my kids have braces at the moment - one was a very clear cut case of needing braces as her teeth were twisted, overlapping and not meeting properly when she bit. The other was a borderline case and we were warned that he may not meet the threshold for funding under the NHS. We were told his work would be about £1.5k - £2k over a couple of years and the orthodontist offers a variety of interest free ways to pay for this such as monthly payments. 0

coddiwomple · 07/09/2017 13:37

Many dental practice offer payment plans, so you could chose one where you don't have to come up with all the cash upfront but pay every month.
I don't mean go to see a bad one, just a friendly one!