orthodontic treatment for children

[orangeblosson59]

hi does anyone know if its true parents are now going to be charged for their childs braces and treatment as it is no longer covered by the nhs?

This has been true for a number of years.

The dentist gives a score to the positioning in the mouth. Only the more severe categories, where there is risk of long term compromise, are eligible for work in NHS. Work for minor misalignment (essentially cosmetic reasons) hasn't been covered for ages.

Som dentists have a reputation for being freer with referrals than other, but I think everywhere is pretty strict these days.

Yes it's true, unless your DC is in the most severe category for long term problems.

We have already been told 2 of our 3 will probably need braces, but will have to pay as they are likely to be outwith the most severe catagories, but will have prominent/misaligned teeth unless sorted.

The alternative is to let them pay for their own orthodontic treatment when they are adults.

thanks for getting back to me both dc have had xrays [one with extractions]as they are holding onto their baby teeth too long it will be at least another year before 14 year old will get his but no one has mentioned money to me

They won't talk money until the time when treatment could be started as things change. DS had known he would need braces from the age of 3 when he lost a front tooth. His second teeth came through crowded, front teeth protruding and then he broke those!

As he got older the overcrowding improved as his teeth moved naturally, and when he had all his second teeth he was deemed not bad enough for NHS treatment as his worst tooth needed to be another 1-2mm protruding. We were offered to wait another year and see if it got pushed out more by another tooth that was not fully descended, but our opinion was he had put up with his teeth for long enough (the front ones were mainly filling) and we paid.

He is now very proud of his straight teeth :) (Still wears an invisible fixed retainer as his teeth would break if he had to keep putting in & out a removable one).