Braces

Buster_Danog

Just an update on this. I managed to see a local orthodontist who said I did qualify for treatment. He did not seem to have the same equipment for measuring, but said he thought the overjet was 8mm which qualified me automatically. Unfortunately, I will have to wait until September at least until they put them in, and then I might have them in for 9 months to a year. Better than paying for them, but a lot of wasted time in the past.

Anyway, the lessons from this are don't get referred to a hospital if you are not a severe case as they are likely to refuse you. Do get referred to a local practice if you think you might qualify under the index of treatment need. Another lesson is do not trust what the first ortho tells you. I suspected the first guy I seen was lying to me to deny me treatment, and it seems I was right.

Toothsmith

Well done! Persistance pays!

looby75

Toothsmith wrote: »

Use the principle of 'if you can't hide it - make a feature of it' and get the multi-coloured elastics to hold the wires onto the brackets. That can look quite funky!!!!

Totally agree with this, DD had her fixed braces on for 2 years, she got different coloured bands depending on the season lol Red and green for christmas, yellow and blue at easter, black and orange at Halloween and when she was bridesmaid at my sisters wedding she got pink ones to match her dress :rotfl: She loved having the option of a change of colours to match what what happening in her life/time of year.

NastyMatt

My dentist has said I can not have my teeth straightened on the NHS, so I got referred to a private clinic. The bill is a healthy £3,000 to have a fixed brace. Unfortunately, I have other things to pay for at the moment.

A few days ago my gf comes home and says a guy in her office has been referred and is having a his brace done on the NHS (foc obviously). This has sort of annoyed me (he has only lived in this country 2 years) and I was wondering if anyone knows how you qualify to have braces on the NHS?

Bendybops19

I expect the dentist has to work to a strict criteria - and you dont fit that criteria.

Maybe the other guy has quite severe problems? It may be causing problems with his jaw? i dont really know.......but i'm sure your dentist would have helped you more if he/she could?

avfc4life

I am going to be getting my braces soon after waiting a long time on the NHS. I think you have to have been signed onto the NHS waiting list while you are still legally a child (under 18) if you are over 18 and signed onto the waiting list then you have to pay.

Toothsmith

There is an interesting thread about it here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=379079&highlight=braces

I'm a dentist, and I didn't know some adults would qualify!! Apparently if you have an overbite of more than 7mm (That's how much the front upper teeth are in front of the lowers) then you can qualify for NHS orthodontics.

This is pretty extreme though, but as you will see in that thread - there are a few people up and down the country who have.

choccyface2006

I haven't been brave enough to have coloured ligs on yet, fancy pink but have heard they can get stained.

I am very happy with how my treatment is going, I had my rougue tooth added to my brace last week and my molars now have metal bands on and have been added on too. Yay!

Sarah

NastyMatt

mmm?!?! doesn't look good. Oh well.. think I am going to have to save up. I have already had 10 (yes ten) teeth pulled out and had a brace when I was younger.. so more pain to come.

Thanks for the info.

Alikay

Even if you qualify, there could be a long waiting list. Our daughter's upper canine didn't emerge by the time she was about 14 (so the milk tooth in it's place didn't fall out either). One day a small white dot appeared on her gum above her 2 front teeth...turned out to be the missing canine erupting in completely the wrong place.

The dentist said he could refer her to an orthodontist on the NHS, but since there was over a year wait for even an intial appointment, then a further 6-12 month wait for treatment we went private. If she'd have waited for NHS treatment, the tooth erupting in the wrong place would have wreaked absolute havoc with her whole upper jaw and the treatment would've taken years. Going private, the brace was on within 2 weeks, a chain-type device put on the canine, and everything was pulled into position very quickly (about 18 months). It cost about £2500, but we were able to pay in instalments.

So even if you qualify for NHS treatment, getting it done may not be that easy. If you want your teeth fixed, its probably easier to get the cheapest finance you can and get the braces on ASAP... the quicker they're on, the quicker they'll come off!