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Original poster

Oh my giddy aunt, just HOW MUCH are orthodontic braces???? < faints >

32 replies

MadreInglese · 12/10/2009 13:58

Have just taken DD for an orthodontic appointment as our dentist thought she might need braces as she used to be a thumb sucker.

Turns out they have a new NHS priority scale for children's teeth. They can only give NHS (ie free) braces to very severe cases of wonkiness, and of these severe cases they only have a limited number they can treat each year. In the current year (Apr09-Apr10) they have already filled their allowed quota of severe cases.

They recommended that DD have braces fitted, although she is not a severe case they think she will definitely benefit from them (apparently her overbite is less than it should be as one of her canines is slightly out of line). She also talked A LOT about the psychological effects of wonky teeth. Up to this point DD didn't even bother about her teeth, and I didn't think there was a problem.

She also said that although DD has much straighter teeth now than most of her friends, by the age of 16 all her severely wonky-toothed friends will have had braces and DD will be at the other end of the scale have worse teeth than all her friends.

Oh but the punchline is, it's going to cost £2500!!!!! even the blooming orthondontist was apologising at the price.

How come the optical treatment here is great and she gets free glasses all through her childhood, and yet we have to fork out a couple of months wages to sort her teeth out??

Has anyone else been in this situation and what did you decide to do?

OP posts:
StretchFucksTheMailDaily · 12/10/2009 14:03

How come you have to pay?? I had braces for free. Although that was about 15 years ago.

Original poster
MadreInglese · 12/10/2009 14:04

Yep, I thought it was all free for children, but apparently not any more

How much does a decent kidney sell for these days? DP & I can sell one each, that might cover it

OP posts:
TsarChasm · 12/10/2009 14:06

OMG!

Both dd's are v likely to need a brace. I assumed when the time came (early teens I assumed) they'd trot off and get them fitted on the NHS.

I'm starting to wonder how on earth we're going to get our dc into adult hood without selling a kidney at this rate.

Sounds like they've managed to plant lots of seeds of worry in your mind about this too.

TsarChasm · 12/10/2009 14:07

Lol! X-posted on the kidney idea there!

Rindercella · 12/10/2009 14:08
Shock
said · 12/10/2009 14:09

But why aren't they free for your daughter? I know they are quite strict about borderline cases but was told last week that as long as one tooth (I think orthodontist said this) requires treating then you'll qualify for NHS. We've just been told we have to wait for April but we won't have to pay. Oh, and waiting for traetment won't cause any long-term problems - everything is fixable

StretchFucksTheMailDaily · 12/10/2009 14:10

AAh, just googled. Says that if it's for 'cosmetic' reasons, then you have to pay.

So, the orthodontist bigged up the braces, and made your daughter be potentially worried about the her teeth now when she was fine before? Great.

How many DCs do you have? You may well run out of kidneys!

alwayslookingforanswers · 12/10/2009 14:13

can I just say - I was fine with my teeth as a child - needed braces but my last baby tooth was so late to fall out that I never had them in the end.

Even in my late teens I was fine with my teeth........I hate them now, they're really awful and I do wish I'd had some braces fitted as a teenanger .

but @ the price though!

said · 12/10/2009 14:14

Ah, but what is "cosmetic"? A number of girls I know have braces and their teeth look absolutely fine to me. If teh dentist referred her to orthodontist then s/he presumably thought it was more than a cosmetic problem?

stuffitllllama · 12/10/2009 14:14

Would you consider dental tourism? So, imagine you go on holiday to wherever. You look at wherever.com expat forum and find out which dentist the expats use. (not racist: only because expats usually have insurance and children, and use decent dentists who speak good English). And contact them.

Problem: it would have to be quite a bit cheaper than the UK because of orthodontic maintenance costs which would need to take place in the UK. Also, you still need to find an orthodontist in the UK for maintenance, tightening.

However if desperate not to be ruled out!

MayorNaze · 12/10/2009 14:14

oh gosh - dd1s teeth are v wonky, plus the entist has also mentiond veneers as her front teeth are badly discoloured (not her fault). i'd better start growing kidneys in ptri dises, hadn' i?

MayorNaze · 12/10/2009 14:15

petrie dishes

StretchFucksTheMailDaily · 12/10/2009 14:16

I was really naughty with my braces, kept losing them! Still have wonky teeth now though as a result!

DD1 has quite large buck front teeth, and very wonky bottom teeth. Hopefully she'll get braces. if she doesn't though, no way we will be able to afford £2k.

SKYTVADDICT · 12/10/2009 14:18

DD1 has a long list of appointments starting in October having two then another two teeth taken out before having braces fitted. I think I need to find out if it will be free then as we most definitely CANNOT afford to pay for it!!

Songbird · 12/10/2009 14:18

Madre, I'm sure it can wait until the next financial year. If it's the dentist saying she should have them, the NHS should pay IMO. If it had been you or her going 'I just don't like them', and the dentist saying they were fine, then fair enough. Ridiculous!

TsarChasm · 12/10/2009 14:19

Oh well, more money to worry about then

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 12/10/2009 14:23

DSs are costing £4k.

Each.

DD will most likely need them too.

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 12/10/2009 14:24

Thing is, in most cases it is purely cosmetic so I don't actually think the NHS should fork out for it.

Original poster
MadreInglese · 12/10/2009 14:24

Well I'm no expert but I wouldn't have even said she was borderline, she has a beatiful smile - but she won't get funding unless she is a severe case. Makes me wonder why I even bothered getting her to stop thumb-sucking!

My teeth aren't perfectly precisely straight but I've never had an issue with it.

I do feel a little like she was pushing us into it, although our dentist did say if she's not severe enough for it to be free then she's not severe enough to need braces, IYSWIM.

I asked about what might happen if we didn't go ahead and she was quite doom and gloom about this one canine tooth might wear away at the bottom if it's not sorted out, and something about jaw and inner ear problems from misalignment. You honestly cannot see the difference unless you are inches from DD's face, but hey we're supposed to listen to the experts aren't we............

Oh and she was also pushing the white ceramic attachment bits instead of metal ones (extra ££££ of course) for 'psychological reasons'!

Oh dilemma!

OP posts:
TsarChasm · 12/10/2009 14:25

Gasp! £4K each For a brace?

I am speechless.

GypsyMoth · 12/10/2009 14:27

move here ....i have 5 dc,3 older ones are all now in the system for braces. the benefit is great,as eldest dd has just had hers removed and teeth look great.

the waiting list took about a year,but all 3 were granted them

said · 12/10/2009 14:27

Well, I agree that teeth don't need to be perfectly straight. As long as there's no hidden problem with jaw misalignment/whatever I don't think I'd pay if there was no funding.

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 12/10/2009 14:28

To be fair, it is private orthodontic treatment which started when they were 7. By the time they are teens, they will have beautiful teeth, perfect jawlines/cheekbones and no need for extractions.

TsarChasm · 12/10/2009 14:28

Where are you Tiffany?

ADragonIs4LifeNotJustHalloween · 12/10/2009 14:29

Oh, and they won't snore.

which is a bonus

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