Braces offerred too late by dentist..is private only option?

phebe3

Hi, not sure which board should post this on but here goes...
My daughter is 12 and we have just returned from our first visit to the orthodentist. It transpires my daughter needs blocks and braces, to alter her jaw and teeth. HOWEVER, the dentist says she is shocked my duaghter has been referred to her for treatment so late in life as there is a 1 to 2 year waiting list..and by the time she can have treatment on the NHS she will be nearly 14 and it will be too late as by 14 girls jaws etc are nearly always fully formed and you can't do anything...nothing moves! She says she will put urgent on our wating list request etc but thinks that if we want the treatment we will have to go private...£2800..and it is urgent we start as soon as possible. I am so upset about this...anyone any ideas? haven't spoken to dentist yet (NHS too)because they don't open til 3pm

Toothsmith

Something is very very wrong here.

I cannot believe an orthodontist has told you that, as it's complete b*llocks.

Apart from a few very specific exceptions, there is no point starting orthodontics before the jaw is fully formed and the adult teeth are all through.

No-one can possibly predict exactly how much any one persons jaw is going to grow, so how can you possibly predict where to move the teeth to until you can see that.

You can have orthodontics right through adult life - the oldest person I've referred for it was in her mid 40s.Bone is bone, not concrete. It's being broken up and remade all the time, not just until you're 12.

If that is really what your orthodontist has told you, then it is a blatent attempt to get you to pay for something you needn't do, and I would make a complaint. There is no problem about having orthodontics at 14, and bearing in mind I can't see your daughter so can't be specific, in many cases it would probably be better done at 14 than at 12.

Toothsmith

BTW, was this a foreign dentist?

In Europe, and the States, they often do start orthodontics much earlier. BUT - due to the problem of not being able to predict growth exactly, the kids are in braces from the age of 8 until they are 15 or 16. In this country, we start at 13/14 and are finished in a couple of years.

The difference in Europe and USA is more down to orthodontists incomes than best clinical practice!

System

My daughter didn't get her braces until 14 1/2. They insisted on waiting until she had lost all her baby teeth.

littlerat

I got braces when I was 16 (in fact, 2 months before my 17th birthday!), due to teeth needing moving and my jaw being a bit misaligned generally. Definitely not too late!

Some orthodontists are awful though, I originally was going to have them about 18 months earlier, but the one I saw was quite nasty and offputting, basically made me feel as though I was being stupid for wanting them.


Does this dentist by any chance also do private orthodontics...

Blackpool_Saver

Doesn't it just show you how you cannot trust anyone and it always is best to get a second opinion

lauren_1

I got my first brace at 7 but still had train tracks until i was 19.

My sister got hers at 15 and just had them removed a few weeks shy of her 18th.

I think you have been fed a line ormis informed.

rainbow81

I got braces at 16 too (on the NHS)! My sister was in her 30s when she went private for a brace.

As everyone has said, it's not an age thing. I had to wait until I lost my baby teeth.

you_wicked_gay

I got braces when I was 16 and had them for two years, so you have definately been misinformed - which is quite worrying coming from a dentist/orthadontist eek!

My cousin (12 years old) will need a brace, but has been told by the dentist that she will have to wait a year or two until all her baby teeth have fallen out.

welshdent

Toothsmith as usual speaks sense. I rarely if ever refer until about 12 as 9 times out of 10 they send the child back as it is too soon. Unless there is a specific problem or I have a concern surrounding an adult tooth the referral waits. NHS ortho for the time being is available until 18 years of age as long as the condition is deemed to be of a high enough need.

phebe3

Thanks...and yes they do do private work. Think the problem is she needs blocks to alter her jaw and apparently they have to fitted before 14? Phoned our hosp too and they gave me a number to phone to discuss it with a complaints/customer service helpline.