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Original poster

Orthodontics wait times

57 replies

TutiFrutti · 01/07/2023 13:39

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!!!!!

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GeriatricMumma · 02/07/2023 16:21

ContractQuestion · 02/07/2023 16:16

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

Sadly they have to be really bad now.

They do plans with instalments split over the length of treatment (appreciate that may not help at all)

YerAWizardHarry · 02/07/2023 16:22

Usernamenotavailab · 01/07/2023 14:19

i went private.

oldest’s teeth moved when he was 15, before that he didn’t need braces and didn’t qualify for NHS.

if we’d have waited for nhs (3-5 years in our area) he would have been 18+ when the referal came through.

also braces are better the younger they are, especially if it involves jaw realignment etc.

we have also noticed that dc’s friends who are getting nhs treatment is taking much longer as there are fewer appointments. I think dc had 4 brace tightenings while his mate was still waiting for their first. The private dentist was focused on health and cosmetics, where we’ve found nhs often does enough for the health of the teeth, but aren’t t so worried about the cosmetic result.

My youngest had really bad teeth and was referred to nhs at 11. At 14 the referral still wasn’t through so again we went private.

4 brace tightenings? He must have barely needed braces for that to be the case. I had my braces on for 2 years and got them tightened every 6 weeks so easy over 15 times…

Usernamenotavailab · 02/07/2023 16:25

YerAWizardHarry · 02/07/2023 16:22

4 brace tightenings? He must have barely needed braces for that to be the case. I had my braces on for 2 years and got them tightened every 6 weeks so easy over 15 times…

Show quote history

You’ve misread.

4 tightenings privately while the nhs patient was still waiting for their first as they couldn’t get an appointment.

YerAWizardHarry · 02/07/2023 16:25

NowYouSee · 02/07/2023 15:44

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?

Before they stop growing ideally so younger for girls. Boys have a bit more leeway though! I started orthodontics at 11 years old (extractions, twin blocks, fixed braces…) and finished my treatment when I was 16

creamcheeseandlox · 02/07/2023 21:04

Forgot to say my DD is 13 now, was 10 went she went for initial appointment. We are in southeast. She has a 11mm overjet which was the most severe so was always going to qualify for NHS.

NowYouSee · 03/07/2023 10:32

Thanks @Lollygaggle and @YerAWizardHarry for info, helpful.

ContractQuestion · 03/07/2023 11:23

I'm pretty sure my daughter is a "5" from. That chart, and the initial appointment is a 3 month wait. But it seems that once you've had the initial appointment it can still take a long wait?

I really hope not. Ours is very much clinically necessary but we're bouncing between hospitals a bit to get started.

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