Braces

Tiff_2

NastyMatt wrote: »

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?

Hi nm!
I really sympathise with your dental problems - had an awful lot myself.:o I guess sometimes it comes down to being between medical or cosmetic maybe? The NHS dental service is so much the poorer for privatisation imho. It's very hard to find an NHS dentist in many places. Good luck with your problem nm.

However hun, I take exception to the point you raise about him only living in this country for two years. This has nothing to do with your problem.
I'm not starting a catfight nm., but it was really unnecessary to make that point, no matter how you feel about it personally. Please try and be a little more tactful hun and think about your wording before you post.;)
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

NastyMatt

You miss read what I meant.. he has managed to get a brace within two years on the NHS i.e. that is not a very long wait.

Tiff_2

NastyMatt wrote: »

You miss read what I meant.. he has managed to get a brace within two years on the NHS i.e. that is not a very long wait.

Hi nm,
It's yet another example of how easily writing/reading online can be misinterpreted ? - as I say I wasn't being rude to you hun.;)
Further thought on your situation...
How about looking into where the nearest dental training medical college is?

They may offer you free/cheaper braces and any students would of course be supervised while they were doing it. Colleges do this for hair and beauty and for car repair in some areas.
Anyway nm - good luck.;)
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Hapless_2

You have an NHS dentist!!!!!!!!???????
Didn't think there were any left...lol

Negotiator

Ok, braces are for straighting the teeth. Is part of the process of having braces also to shape the teeth so they fit next to each other? i.e. sand of the edges they they look perfect.

Toothsmith

Not usually.

Teeth have a natural curve on their contact points. To straighten that would make them look like tombstones.

Also, natural enamel shouldn't be wacked off for the sake of it. It's only 1 1/2 mm thick at it's thickest, so you don't really have a lot to play with.

Occasionally, you can make quite a difference to a smile with a tiny bit of shape adjustment to the teeth. But it's not to be done without a lot of thought, and it isn't a routine part of orthodontics.

Toothsmith

Tiff wrote: »

Hi nm,
It's yet another example of how easily writing/reading online can be misinterpreted ? - as I say I wasn't being rude to you hun.;)
Further thought on your situation...
How about looking into where the nearest dental training medical college is?

They may offer you free/cheaper braces and any students would of course be supervised while they were doing it. Colleges do this for hair and beauty and for car repair in some areas.
Anyway nm - good luck.;)
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Dental Hospitals are on very tight budgets as well I'm afraid, and the waiting lists there are likely to be just as bad as anywhere else - plus to get treatment you generally have to write off most of at least a morning or afternoon, if not a whole day as you are poked, prodded questioned and generally mucked about with by groups of spotty teenagers, who one day, if they can stay out of the student bars long enough, might just be let loose on an unsuspecting public as dentists!

(I know - I was one of those spotty teenagers!)

choccyface2006

I am going to have a tiny bit of reshaping as part of my orthodontic treatment but that is because I have a canine that is going to be made to look like a lateral insisor as my natural insisor was far too small and so extracted.

My first premolar will then become my new canine but this will come about by rotating it to give the appearance of a canine rather than reshaping it.

Sarah

Lifeisbutadream

Hi Sarah!

How are the braces???

Mine came off last week!!!

:j :j :j

Negotiator - my teeth seemed to 'wear down' and sit correctly whilst I was wearing the braces. I thought that mine would look odd as I grind my teeth and they were all different levels - but they look fine.

choccyface2006

Hiya lifeisbutadream!

I got them on at the beginning of Jan after 6 extractions so I have a few gaps but I am really happy and my ortho assures me they will close, it should take another 2 years. I was really worried about them, very panicky that I would feel abit freakish but I've been shocked by how little they have affected me.

Although I don't mind them I am really looking forward to getting them taken off, are you happy with your finished result, you are about the same age as me (33) did you feel self concious?

I think I will be an even more smiley person at the end of this!


Sarah