Braces/Aligners for teenage son :)

[Su2019]

My son thinks he need Braces/Aligners to get his teeth in good shape! After a quick inspection I could see some alignment issues with lower front teeth. I thought if sorting out that gives him more confidence then..why not..?

This is extremely new for me, I did good search of in the forum to find some threads mainly Talking about INVISALIGN!. I suppose this in one brand? I am just wondering what is the best way to find best option ..?

1. Going to my NHS dentist and ask options..? Is there any NHS cover for these kind of treatments which may be considered as cosmetic treatment..? Hopefully some reduced cost with NHS dentistry?

1. Any Dental Insurance cover for this so that I can get to reduce cost impact..? Or again this is considered as cosmetic treatment and not covered by any Dental Insurance..?

1. Exploring local option is best I thought as these braces need regular adjustments as we progress with treatments..?

Anyone here have experience or guidance to share as I am totally in dark and I can see some online expense quotes are as high as £3K to £4K.

Please help. thanks

Your regular dentist will be able to refer him to an orthodontist, my son is nearly 18 and is having braces fitted in next couple of months. All covered under NHS.

My DD has some movement in her teeth but the dentist says that it doesn’t fit the criteria for an NHS orthodontist, we’d have to pay privately.

Invisalign requires strict adherence to work, 23 hours a day and brushing and cleaning after all food and drink except water. Not sure I’d recommend for a teenage boy. Cost wise there are cheaper options like smile direct club.

NHS orthodontist will do fixed train track type braces if your son fits the criteria. I actually think these are a better option for a teen.

Sounds like they’re unlikely to be covered by the nhs. My daughters teeth are very wonky making her too self conscious to smile and still don’t meet the criteria. Unless there’s a deformity of the jaw etc, there needs to be > 5mm misalignment for nhs to cover it.
We’ve gone with Invisalign which is pricey at £3k but in our case actually less than traditional braces £4k! Going well so far but still early stages.
I would start with your local nhs dentist though. In our case dd had her final baby teeth removed by our nhs dentist with no charge so she could start the private orthodontics.

Go to your normal NHS dentist as a first port of call to ask for an NHS orthodontic referral. They can then tell you whether or not it would be covered on the NHS - it depends on whether or not it's a dental health impediment or purely cosmetic.

As above, the likelihood of you getting Invisalign on the NHS is next to zero. The likelihood of train track braces is higher but only for dental health and not cosmetic appearance.

As someone who is just finishing 8 months of Invisalign @ £3.5k and now needs four composite veneers to make the straightened smile less “peggy” @ another £1100 it has been arduous and expensive. IMO it would take a really dedicated teenager to be committed enough to complete the treatment especially if it didn’t cost them anything.

Braces are hard work and uncomfortable, but I understand how important straight teeth are these days. I just hope I like the finished result 🙈

We paid for braces to correct overlapping and twisting teeth on a DC as they didn't meet NHS criteria but would have led to worsening problems as they got older.
Invisalign was actually the most expensive option but I would not trust a school age child to keep them in place 22-23 hours a day. We have near invisible ceramic braces.
You only have to read threads on here about adults saying Invisalign isn't working but they don't keep them in virtually the whole day.

Thanks very much for all thees inputs . Looks like first step for me is to consult my dentist. I remember my previous dentist mentioned about need of aligners couple of years ago. At that time my son was not that self-conscious I think, so he didn't show any interest. My current dentist never mentioned about this, so I might have to get his attention I think.

My son is very keen to get this sorted but after knowing difficulties to keep braces and keeping it clean etc..I need to discuss his further I think, especially if I end-up paying £2/3K for this.

Thanks

smile direct club - I read its like DIY work, after initial assessment everything done via post.. Not sure how effective are they..? Also I could see only central London clinic for smile direct.? Though London travel is only 2 hrs I couldn't see anything near Southampton area .

train track type braces: I need to see if he agrees to put something like that. teenagers!😀

it would take a really dedicated teenager to be committed enough to complete the treatment especially if it didn’t cost them anything!
Bills will be from my account🙂

We have near invisible ceramic braces.
are they costier than invisalign..?

As I said, Invisalign were the most expensive option (and the one least guaranteed to work because they can easily be removed). The standard braces given on the NHS treatment were £2200, ceramics £2600, Invisalign £3200.

My DD2 didn’t qualify for NHS braces. Teeth were crooked but there was no medical reason for the NHS to pay. Her dentist does NHS and private so we stayed with him and went with regular train track braces. £1800, top and bottom. They’ve been on 4 months and her teeth are already straight, they should be off just after Christmas.

My daughter has Damon clear braces (white brackets and white wires), £5.5k but includes an attachment for her phone to take fortnightly scans from home which get analysed by her orthodontist so don't need frequent face to face checks.