Orthodontics wait times

[TutiFrutti]

Ds has been referred to orthodontics for potential braces. We've had the initial referral letter cone through quoting about 12mths for initial assessment then further 17mths for treatment to start.
He'll be 13 in Sept so potentially edging towards aging out of eligibility by the time we get there.
The letter helpfully offers the option of going private (no costs mentioned though) 🙄
Is this usual? (we're in the south of England if it makes a difference).
Can't decide whether to wait or bite the bullet.
He's a twin so really hoping the other one doesn't follow suit!!!!!

In our area it’s 3.5 years wait

Had an NHS referral but wait time 12 mths went for private consultation, 4 year wait so we went private, £3500, can be paid over 18 months interest free.

So I've looked back over some of my letters and the hospital say the initial appointment currently is 8-10 weeks after referral!

It's because of lockdowns. My daughter had her initial records appointment Dec 2019 then due to COVID only had her first brace fitted a year ago so June 2022. She has moved onto train tracks 4.months ago whereas she should be finishing now if covid didn't happen. Friends are saying there's a 2-3yr wait now. Dentist is saying it's because the NHS have massively reduced the amount of funding since COVID so only doing half the amount of cases they used to be able to do hence wait times increasing

That's crazy. They should be increasing the funding to catch up surely?!

NHS 2 years (SE)

Increase funding u must be having a laugh 😅

its very depressing. Nhs orthodontic treatment will soon be a thing of the past as will be the rest of dentistry

Nearly 16 yr old. Currently a 3 year wait which we are nearly 2 years into. Was told yesterday as long as he’s on the list and starts treatment before 18 he’ll be fine.

Crazy. It really does look like the end of nhs dentistry. It's all so unfair and wrong.

Yes, that's what I said. DS1 was a 5 and got seen a lot quicker than DS2, who was a 3. In what way am I not correct?

DD was referred last June, had her initial appointment in August and then started in October with scans etc. The longest wait was for the appointment to have teeth removed at the dentist and then the dentist was ill and had to wait again! She got her braces in February. Fairly sure she was a 5. We were initially quoted £5k for private at the initial appointment, but they changed the treatment plan after the scans and suspect it would be cheaper now, but NHS has been great. Also in the south.

@IglesiasPiggl because it doesn't mean you get you initial consultation any quicker as they haven't been seen by an orthodontist to be assessed yet. There is processes to rush patients through in different circumstances once they have been seen eg ectopic and impacted canines that risk compromise to adjacent teeth.

Seems like everywhere is having problems. I seem to have got confused about the "aging out" thing, that was something I'd read on the NICE guidelines so was a bit concerned.
Letter states "approx wait times for initial consultation 10-12mths from the date of referral then if found eligible you go on the treatment waiting list which is currently 17mths".
I think I'll sit tight for the 1st consultation and take it from there (and start saving just in case).

My DS will be starting his braces journey a day before his 17th birthday and 3yrs 8 months from referral. If you can afford private i would go that route.

By starting i mean will have the moulds taken of his teeth and braces fitted a few weeks later - he's been assessed etc

What is the optimal age bracket to have braces if needed? My eldest is likely to need treatment but I’m unclear, from a treatment perspective, what is optimal and so whether just going private to make sure we hit it?

Difficult to say without seeing the teeth and X-rays.
certain problems are best seen around pubertal growth spurt ie 14 ish , ditto impacted canines are best seen early.
some problems are not time dependant.

Ds waited about a year from referral, didn't meet NHS criteria so I paid, £3000 and the treatment started the next week - Scotland

I kept phoning up to ask if they'd had any cancellations and managed to move my DD appt to quite a few months earlier for her initial consultation

I didn't harass them I just phoned every couple of weeks when I remembered

My DD was referred in 2019. Finally in 2023 we got the referral (she was then 15)

Within about 5 minutes; we were advised NHS criteria was really strict and she wouldn't qualify,

Offered a private appointment same week; braces fitted the following Friday.

Wish I'd gone private from the get go.

We were told it was a 2/3 year wait. We went private and paid £4k for Invisalign as waiting would have meant having teeth removed as the issue would have got worse in the wait time. If you can go private, do it.

Should've said - I've paid £2.2k interest free for 2 years treatment.

We can't afford 2k never mind how much my daughters would cost so bizarrely hoping she's bad enough to get treatment.

We were two years waiting to get seen (during covid), twin block braces 3 weeks later, whole treatment finished in 18 months. All free and finished just as he turned 15. Wonderful teeth now.

East of England. Dd went on the waiting list 4 and a half years ago, she gets her braces on Tuesday.
We only got an appointment because a new orthodontist opened and our dentist told us to get in there quick. We are still on the original list and I won't be removing dd till Wednesday morning.