Orthodontic treatment declined - help

[Bebsie]

Can someone please help. My DD2 is 14 and we had an appointment at the orthodontist as her teeth are really skew (dentist said she needs braces), anyway to cut a long story short the orthodontist said she is a borderline case and she cannot get treatment on the NHS :eek: Her sister now 17 got braces and her teeth were exactly the same, my DD2 is so upset as she hates her teeth and feels so upset that her sister has straight teeth and hers are all skew. I just cannot afford to pay £3000 for her to have them done. Does anyone know if I can appeal this decision or it this just something I have to accept? :confused:Please I know there are more important things that the NHS money can go towards but I would really like some advice - Thanks

[rocketdog]

I am 31 years old and I had to have fixed braces when I was 14. I know that my Mum and Dad had to pay for my top set (almost £20 per tooth) as they were a clear stuck on brace ( I was a madam and refeused to wear "train tracks"!) and at that time everything was (so called) NHS!

It's rubbish isn't it?!

[dipsy]

surely if the dentist says she requires braces then she should be allowed them on the NHS?

I know when I saw the photos of how bad your teeth need to be now to get them on the NHS I was horrified, I had braces (many years ago), my daughter who had a front tooth trauma (broke off whilst playing french skipping in playground) has been referred for braces to help sort out her front teeth and she is under a dental hospital, if they refuse I guess I will find the money somehow.... maybe sell my son as he is a total pain in rear at the moment (only kidding about selling him - I would have to pay :-) )

Can you go back to your dentist again and ask them to maybe write a more firm application for the braces, say how it effecting her mental health etc? Just a thought and good luck with it x

[Artytarty]

I agree with Dipsy, i would go back to my dentist and say how her self esteem was poor, her confidence low etc. Possibly she is also being cruelly teased at school? You get the idea, lay it on thick!
Manipulative I know but sometimes you have just have to work the system to your advantage. I hope she gets the braces she needs.
Arty.

[Paparika]

Keep looking back at this thread, and hopefully toothsmith will have some answers for you

[Toothsmith]

If she's a borderline case, it might be worth asking your dentist to refer you to another orthodontist.

The one you've seen might have limited NHS funding, so saves that for the worse cases. Another one might use all his NHS money on a 'first come first served' basis, and then only see people privately once that runs out.

The rules are pretty strict now (since April 2006) which is why your older daughter might have got away with it.

Everything has to be justified though (unlike MP's expenses!) so if she doesn't qualify, private would be your only option.

[Bebsie]

Thanks for the replies, I will go to my dentist and see if there is anything she can do! My daughter was really upset so that would not be a lie! If not I will have to try and find the money, perhaps pay it off monthy - does anyone know if orthodontist accept payment plans? :confused:

[anguk]

Thanks for the replies, I will go to my dentist and see if there is anything she can do! My daughter was really upset so that would not be a lie! If not I will have to try and find the money, perhaps pay it off monthy - does anyone know if orthodontist accept payment plans? :confused:
I think most have some sort of payment plan. Our dentist referred my DD to the dental hospital for orthodontic treatment and when we received the appointment in the post there was also a letter explaining that there was a shortage of orthodontists and limited funding so they could only treat the most severe cases.

My daughter's teeth weren't that wonky so we thought she may get turned down for treatment but it turned out she had a problem with her jaw being too far back (I forget the name) so the dental hospital agreed to treat her. And we only had a 4 month wait instead of the normal 2 years!

I'd looked into private orthodontic treatment just incase she was turned down because she hated her teeth and found that all private practices in our area offered a monthly payment plan. I think it worked out at about £100ish a month, (alot of money for us as we're on benefits due to my OH's disability & illness) but we decided we'd tighten our belts elsewhere so she could have the treatment. I must admit though I breathed a sigh of relief when the dental hospital accepted her.

[Bebsie]

Thanks anguk, we are being referred to another orthodontist (spoke to dentist today) so I will see what they say. If they don't agree with the NHS treatment £100 a month would be OK, it will be tight but I will definitely do this for my daughter (esp as her sister had it done). I just hope and pray that this orthodontist will treat her....... :o

[anguk]

Just in case type orthodontist and the area where you live into google, some of them may have a website that'll give details of dental plans etc to give you some idea of cost. I found one that cost between £1750 and £2800 depending on which plan you took and also the treatment you required, and the interest free payments were made over 12-18 months. Of course also seek advice from your dentist, they should know who is good and also who offer payment plans.

[Bebsie]

Just in case type orthodontist and the area where you live into google, some of them may have a website that'll give details of dental plans etc to give you some idea of cost. I found one that cost between £1750 and £2800 depending on which plan you took and also the treatment you required, and the interest free payments were made over 12-18 months. Of course also seek advice from your dentist, they should know who is good and also who offer payment plans.


Thanks so much.

[wept]

Can someone please help. My DD2 is 14 and we had an appointment at the orthodontist as her teeth are really skew (dentist said she needs braces), anyway to cut a long story short the orthodontist said she is a borderline case and she cannot get treatment on the NHS :eek: Her sister now 17 got braces and her teeth were exactly the same, my DD2 is so upset as she hates her teeth and feels so upset that her sister has straight teeth and hers are all skew. I just cannot afford to pay £3000 for her to have them done. Does anyone know if I can appeal this decision or it this just something I have to accept? :confused:Please I know there are more important things that the NHS money can go towards but I would really like some advice - Thanks


I really empathise with you as we were in exactly the sanme position. My daughter was supposed to have been put on the waiting list but they forgot!
We chased this up(even got told off for chasing!) and waited 18 months for her initial consultation to then be told they doubted whether she would qualify as she would be nearly 16 by the time the second appointment came around!
She was getting teased and upset at comments at school...I was listening to my local radio station and they were having a competition where the winner could win Orthodontic treatment. I wrote a letter explaining what was happening on the NHS
and enclosed a photo....the entry was lost and not fowarded as I found out when I had not heard anything as all entries were supposed to at least get a consultation.
Which we wanted to find out how much it would cost as we had decided to fund this somehow due to the upset it was causing her.
Luckily the competition had not progressed so our entry was re-registered and we won the £3,800 treatment. My daughter is half way through her treatment from Octagon/Smilemakers in Southampton and the results are amazing.

Ok this does not help you at all but please accept my sympathy and if you are unlucky via the NHS please do try and have the treatment for her as the change in my daughters confidence has been amazing.

[ailuro2]

Start putting the money away now, then you'll have a bit of breathing space when the money is needed.;)

If you get the treatment on the NHS, then you could use the few hundred pounds for something else, most folk c/would find something to spend it on..:money:

[Bebsie]

I really empathise with you as we were in exactly the sanme position. My daughter was supposed to have been put on the waiting list but they forgot!
We chased this up(even got told off for chasing!) and waited 18 months for her initial consultation to then be told they doubted whether she would qualify as she would be nearly 16 by the time the second appointment came around!
She was getting teased and upset at comments at school...I was listening to my local radio station and they were having a competition where the winner could win Orthodontic treatment. I wrote a letter explaining what was happening on the NHS
and enclosed a photo....the entry was lost and not fowarded as I found out when I had not heard anything as all entries were supposed to at least get a consultation.
Which we wanted to find out how much it would cost as we had decided to fund this somehow due to the upset it was causing her.
Luckily the competition had not progressed so our entry was re-registered and we won the £3,800 treatment. My daughter is half way through her treatment from Octagon/Smilemakers in Southampton and the results are amazing.

Ok this does not help you at all but please accept my sympathy and if you are unlucky via the NHS please do try and have the treatment for her as the change in my daughters confidence has been amazing.


Wow, that was lucky - fantastic! She will definitely have the treatment as her sister had it and even though we did not pay for it I will always do the same for both of them! My DD1 teeth are fantastic and I cannot believe the transformation - I just think it is very unfair, the keep raising the barriers :confused:

[Bebsie]

Start putting the money away now, then you'll have a bit of breathing space when the money is needed.;)

If you get the treatment on the NHS, then you could use the few hundred pounds for something else, most folk c/would find something to spend it on..:money:
What a good idea, I think I will start at the end of May, at least them we will have a good deposit to put down by the time they see her, if they do agree to the treatment, we may just put it towards a long needed family holiday :o

[kindofagilr]

I hope they treat her, I mean come on she is a kid and its upsetting her, I would have thought if the dentist admitted she needed a brace then they would have given her one, its insane that he is saying she cant have one on the NHS.

[border collie]

There are measurements of tooth movement required in millimetres to obtain nhs funding.

If the amount they need to be moved is less than the nhs minimum then they refuse to allow the dentist to do it.

Privately is a different matter altogether.


A dentist has to submit models to get approval so he can't get away with telling fibs etc.

Our orthodontist let us pay a deposit of 250.00 then the rest in 75.00 per monthy payments.
Good luck

[Bebsie]

There are measurements of tooth movement required in millimetres to obtain nhs funding.

If the amount they need to be moved is less than the nhs minimum then they refuse to allow the dentist to do it.

Privately is a different matter altogether.


A dentist has to submit models to get approval so he can't get away with telling fibs etc.

Our orthodontist let us pay a deposit of 250.00 then the rest in 75.00 per monthy payments.
Good luck


I could pay that, it will be very tight but I would do that for my child although her bottom teeth are sooooo bad (top are not that bad), I wonder if they even take into consideration the bottom teeth as you don't really see them :confused: Oh well, best get saving :o

[border collie]

Yes bottom teeth are included in all decisions.


Hope you get sorted.

[Penny Watcher]

Just to give you some idea of the cost of Private Orthodontic Fees (received this morning for DD2's 'cosmetic' need for braces)

Consultation for child £75

X-rays £35 each

Treatments

Removable braces £500 - £1200
Fixed braces £1700 - £3700
Lingual* braces £4800 - £8300
Invisalign aligners £2000 - £4300


Interest free payment plans are available.

* Lingual braces are the ones that go inside (next to the tongue as opposed to outside next to the lips).




I've seen the truly remarkable work this orthodontist has performed on my son's teeth (on NHS as they were so badly misplaced they were in danger of being knocked out) so although we can't really afford for DD2 to have braces we'll have to manage somehow.

[Toothsmith]

Just to give you some idea of the cost of Private Orthodontic Fees (received this morning for DD2's 'cosmetic' need for braces)

Consultation for child £75

X-rays £35 each

Treatments

Removable braces £500 - £1200
Fixed braces £1700 - £3700
Lingual* braces £4800 - £8300
Invisalign aligners £2000 - £4300


Interest free payment plans are available.

* Lingual braces are the ones that go inside (next to the tongue as opposed to outside next to the lips).




I've seen the truly remarkable work this orthodontist has performed on my son's teeth (on NHS as they were so badly misplaced they were in danger of being knocked out) so although we can't really afford for DD2 to have braces we'll have to manage somehow.

I'm surprised that the consultation and x-rays aren't on the NHS PW. Without the consultation, how would they know it wasn't eligable for NHS treatment?

[Penny Watcher]

I'm surprised that the consultation and x-rays aren't on the NHS PW. Without the consultation, how would they know it wasn't eligable for NHS treatment?

Hmmm..... very good point.

I think it's because our NHS dentist did an initial assessment before he referred her to the Ortho. To be fair (as a lay person :confused:) her needs do seem to be cosmetic - top two front teeth are slightly overlapping and several teeth top and bottom are not quite in alignment.

Compared to DS1 who used to look like his teeth had been shot into his gums with a blunderbuss she already has a good smile, but it could be better.

[Toothsmith]

That's fair enough, but I'm pretty sure (I'm not an orthodontist) That the IOTN only kicks in for treatment.

Everyone would be entitled to an orthodontic assessment on the NHS.

[Penny Watcher]

Oh really! :think:. Food for thought there.

After all the 'free' extra treatment DS1 had from this orthodontist (usually broken wires in the huge gaps he used to have between his teeth) that we weren't charged for I'm tempted not to rock the boat too much. I'll have a quiet word with the receptionist next week when I'm in with DS1.

Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated. :)

[Toothsmith]

Oh really! :think:. Food for thought there.

After all the 'free' extra treatment DS1 had from this orthodontist (usually broken wires in the huge gaps he used to have between his teeth) that we weren't charged for I'm tempted not to rock the boat too much. I'll have a quiet word with the receptionist next week when I'm in with DS1.

Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated. :)

That's a sensible approach.

At the end of the day I'm not 100% sure of my advice here, and it sounds like you have a good relationship with a good orthodontist.

It might just be possible that they've made an honest mistake here though (Like so many MPs seem to have done recently!!! :D) and if that's the case, I'm sure they'd put it right straight away and it's £100 saved.

[Penny Watcher]

A bit of updated info re cost of 'private' braces.

Apparently DD2(12) is a 3/a on the IOTN scale. She has a some overcrowding, a 4mm over bite and her bite on one side is the wrong way round (top teeth bite inside bottom teeth rather than the other way round). We have been quoted £450 deposit plus just over £100 per month for 18 months interest free. This includes a 15% discount for taking appointments during school hours.

[Bebsie]

A bit of updated info re cost of 'private' braces.

Apparently DD2(12) is a 3/a on the IOTN scale. She has a some overcrowding, a 4mm over bite and her bite on one side is the wrong way round (top teeth bite inside bottom teeth rather than the other way round). We have been quoted £450 deposit plus just over £100 per month for 18 months interest free. This includes a 15% discount for taking appointments during school hours.

Thanks, it's good to have an idea of how much it's going to cost...... £450 deposit is quite a lot :o

[Penny Watcher]

Thanks, it's good to have an idea of how much it's going to cost...... £450 deposit is quite a lot :o

I must say it made me swallow hard :eek:. The deposit is going on the credit card and will be paid off ..............eventually :o