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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to object to having to pay 2 and1/2 grand for DS's brace

45 replies

clam · 12/10/2008 11:09

He's an NHS patient (like most kids) and needs a brace - full set of train tracks, the works. Braces are apparently now considered cosmetic, unless non-treatment is likely to cause significant problems. There's no fudging the criteria for this, and it's not means-tested. What do other people do? Loads of kids have braces. Are all their parents happily forking out?

OP posts:
mamaberta · 12/10/2008 11:12

Bloomin' Nora - is it gold plated and diamond-studded??!! Dental care is a bag of poo in this country. Not enough dentists, some of whom are grossly incompetent and rip-off charges for people who need treatment. Your poor DS. It's not as if you want to have some frivolous thing done. No wonder Americans call us "snaggle-toothed Brits"

Hope you get some good advice.

mrsmike · 12/10/2008 11:15

my 2 sons were graded on a scale from 1 to 5 - I think if you score a 4 or 5 the treatment is free. Luckily (in a way luckily) they were a 4 and a 5. Does your orthodontist not use this grading system? I thought it was a national thing? Very frustrating though, I agree

giraffescantdancethetango · 12/10/2008 11:17

gosh thats loads!

Freckle · 12/10/2008 11:17

DS1 has a brace. Fortunately his course of treatment started (i.e. he was referred by dentist and had first appointment with orthodontist although nothing was actually done at that stage as he still had baby teeth to lose) just before they changed the rules regarding NHS payment of fees. In his case, I still think the work would have been covered by the NHS because he had already broken two teeth due to the fact that his upper and lower teeth meet (as opposed to the upper teeth coming in front of the lower teeth which is normal). If we'd had to fork out, then I suppose we would have had to find the money from somewhere, but it wouldn't have been easy.

Not sure I want everyone going around with an "American" smile anyway. Their teeth are just too perfect.

unaccomplishedfattylegalmummy · 12/10/2008 11:19

Bloody hell realy? DSD had a brace fitted when she was 11 so about 5 years ago. Had it removed when she was 14. Didn't have to pay for it back then. When did this come about? Jeez have been told DD1 5 will need a brace, granted it won't be for another 6 or 7 years but thats outrageous. What are you supposed to do if you're on a low income/benefits just let your kids have buck teeth. I really can't believe this.

Oh YANBU BTW.

WendyWeber · 12/10/2008 11:21

Anybody whose treatment started before the new rules kicked in (I don't know exactly when that was but certainly a couple of years ago) will still be getting theirs free. Otherwise it goes according to the IOTN

My kids are old enough to have missed this. OTOH they are all short-sighted & we have shelled out quite a bit for specs & contact lenses over the years (not £2.5K each though. I feel your pain)

There should be means-testing IMO.

Original poster
clam · 12/10/2008 12:57

MrsMike, yes, the orthodontist does use this grading system, but DS doesn't qualify. And it doesn't look as though DD will either, and her teeth are worse than his. So that'll be another potential 2.5k gone.

OP posts:
Original poster
clam · 12/10/2008 13:00

And the concession to low-income families is to be allowed to pay in installments (at an extra cost, though).
Also, we have the option of only having the top deck done, as his lower set aren't so bad. That would "only" be £1500.

OP posts:
AbbeyA · 12/10/2008 13:01

I am glad mine are nearly at the end of it. DS2 has an appointment next month when I expect him to be signed off. They have both got lovely teeth now and all free.

MaryBS · 12/10/2008 13:07

Good grief! Never mind saving for kids going to Uni, looks like we should be saving for their dental treatment!

dancedance · 12/10/2008 13:38

Think the rules changed somewhere between my 2 kids, though we paid for DDs as they put her on an 18 month wait list. We rang after the 18 months to be told they'd lost her from the system and she was back to the bottom. She'd still have had braces at the end of 6th form so we chose to go private.

By the time DS was referred few years later you had to pay for cosmetic treatment, he chose not to have them done and to be honest we didn't push him very hard. Think he may regret it in future though and I feel bad for that.

RubyRioja · 12/10/2008 13:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 12/10/2008 13:53

We didn't have to pay as dd's teeth were quite severe and we qualified under the grading system . Loads of her friends have had to pay though.

Original poster
clam · 12/10/2008 14:10

So, am I right in thinking that many of us have been unware of this change in policy? Those in RL who I've mentioned it to have usually looked at me blankly and said "but aren't you NHS? We are, so it'll be free." Seems like many are in for a rude awakening!

OP posts:
Freckle · 12/10/2008 14:20

The rules changed in April 2006 when new contracts were drawn up. I don't think it was widely advertised at the time and, as I said before, we only got DS1's brace provided on the NHS because his initial referral and appointment with the orthodontist pre-dated the change in rules, even though the actual work didn't start until after the change.

I do think a lot of parents are in for a rude awakening if they automatically assume that, if their children are NHS dental patients, they will get free orthodontic treatment.

jura · 12/10/2008 14:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

witcheseve · 12/10/2008 14:37

Oh my god. I've been trying to get an appointment for DD with the orthodontist because on of her front teeth is protruding a little. I assumed if we manage to get the appointment the brace would be free of charge.

Lots of kids are wearing braces cannot beleive their parents shelled out money like this.

I knew that dental services for adults had gone down the pan unless you are private but had no idea they were cost cutting for kids. Disgraceful. I suppose that if they are really bad then the grading system should provide free treatment but it should be available to all under 16's.

needmorecoffee · 12/10/2008 14:44

god grief. I had no idea there was a charge for this. dd1 had her braces in 2005-2007. ds1 is ok and I'm not sure about ds2 but he'll have to live with wonky teeth. I don't have 2.5 grand!
dd2 will have wonky teeth cos of her CP but I've heard dentists refusing treatment for kids with cp in a 'wahts the pojnt' kind of way.
I haven't been to the dentist for years cos of cost. Need 3 fillings too and a tooth removed.

Original poster
clam · 12/10/2008 14:45

Well, my dentist is furious about it, but says there's nothing they, as a profession can do about it. There's a limited pot of funds, and so it's rationed.

OP posts:
Freckle · 12/10/2008 17:07

As far as I'm aware, it is down to each PCT to decide its own criteria, so I suspect we're back to a postcode lottery with regard to available treatment on the NHS.

IllegallyBrunette · 12/10/2008 17:11

I think it is absolutly disgusting that people now have to pay for braces for children.

My dd suffers terrible teasing because of her teeth and will definatly need braces.

I have no idea if hers will be graded bad enough to get it done for free, but there is no way on earth i'd not let her have them straightened. She hates them, and regularly asks why she can't have braces yet.

If Dd doesn't qualify for free treatment, then I woulds have to get a loan.

Quattrocento · 12/10/2008 17:12

DD has been referred and the grading system thingy (see mrsmike's post) was applied. The cost would have been around the same if her teeth hadn't been so bad. I would have had to pay for it had she scored a 3 or something.

needmorecoffee · 12/10/2008 17:13

so the poor will have wonky teeth and the rich straight teeth

ScareyBitchFeast · 12/10/2008 17:17

exactly needmorecoffee, it is so unfair

plumandolive · 12/10/2008 17:17

My elsest dd has a brace which is on the national health. Her teeth aren't even that bad.
I don't quite see the criteria tbh- a friend had to pay and her teeth semed far worse.
Would it be different with another dentist?