Braces

Toothsmith

At the moment, 'bad' teeth would get orthodontics on the NHS no problem.

What it will be like in about 8 years when your DS will be due treatment if necessary is anybodies guess.

If you assume the worst, and start saving now then over the next 10 years (8 yrs until treatment and then 2 years of treatment) you will need to save about £200 per year, or about £17 per month.

There is a brilliant signature on here which I noticed today from someone called Churchmouse I believe.

"A pessimist moans about the wind direction, an optimist hopes the wind will change, a realist sets his sails accordingly"

This is so true for dentistry at the moment.

You can moan about the state of it, you can hope it gets better, or you can plan your life around the situation as it is.

This is just as much a problem amongst dentists at the moment as it is for the patients!

Toothsmith

Gemmzie wrote:

I'm just worried about losing my dentist - I will be de-registered at the turn of my birthday as apparently it's a different list as an NHS adult and he doesn't have the room And I can't afford his private prices, I'm a student

Thanks for your input

Sorry I can't be more help.

You need to have a good talk to the people planning your treatment.

Does your dentist operate a monthly payment scheme? If you go straight from his NHS list to that, there will be no 'dental fitness' issues, and if your anything like the average 19yr old I see, your teeth will be in pretty good nick.

It shouldn't cost you more than the price of a couple of drinks in the student union bar each week? And that should cover pretty much anything your likely to need.

alyssa_mae

I'm 35 and have today been to see about having my teeth streightend. something I have wanted to have done for a long time. My chin seems to be dissapearing and apparently thats due to poor dentistry in my child hood. where my dentist took out too many teeth. as I got into my 20's my teeth all moved and crossed my lower jaw is now out of line and needs bringing forward ( I have quite a few problems with a painful crunching jaw)and my mouth widening? all at a cost of £3500. A down payment of £800 in the next 3 weeks and then pay monthly. He also asked if I wanted a crown at £350 done next week. like I can just pull £350 out of my pocket! If you can get your childs teeth sorted now I'd say do it. Theres always a way. you normally can pay in installments. My cousin has just finished having her teeth done at the age of 30 and say's it's the best thing she's had done. and a freind who is 50 is half way through having her treatment and has no regrets and her teeth really were bad. stuck out like esther ransons used to. One of the most important things I think for your childs confidence is having nice teeth. I know I have spent the last 15 years feeling self consious about mine.

slim_bird

Hi there
Just to update you all.Got a letter from regional dental hospital and they've offered my daughter an appointment for beginning of October.Have put the private one on the back burner for now till see what they say there. I've got to travel for it regardless so i'd rather travel and get it for free than splash out £1500. It may be worth asking your dentist to refer you to the nearest dental hospital if you've got one. I was told that it depends on how bad they assess your case to be as to how soon they start treatment.
Will keep you posted

looby75

Toothsmith wrote:

What it will be like in about 8 years when your DS will be due treatment if necessary is anybodies guess.

If you assume the worst, and start saving now then over the next 10 years (8 yrs until treatment and then 2 years of treatment) you will need to save about £200 per year, or about £17 per month.

If my ds follows in the "family tradition" he will need to start having work done in aprox 4 years time, Myself, my dd and most of my siblings first needed work when they were 9 and it carried on in various forms until we were about 15, so I would have to save at least £34 a month, something that just isn't an option for me at the moment.

A very good suggestion though, and something I will definitely consider when I am in a better financial position jic.

Mrs_pbradley936

My son had NHS treatment a few years ago on the NHS because he needed oral surgery as well as "traintracks" and a thing which looked like a horse's bridle. He had a milk tooth that was growing across the roof of his mouth rather than erupting. They said it would damage the roots to his other teeth so he was treated on the NHS with no wait at all. But we did have to go to a hospital outside our immediate area.

Gemmzie

Toothsmith wrote:

Sorry I can't be more help.

You need to have a good talk to the people planning your treatment.

Does your dentist operate a monthly payment scheme? If you go straight from his NHS list to that, there will be no 'dental fitness' issues, and if your anything like the average 19yr old I see, your teeth will be in pretty good nick.

It shouldn't cost you more than the price of a couple of drinks in the student union bar each week? And that should cover pretty much anything your likely to need.

I'm not totally sure, he wanted £40 a month from my parents :eek:

Unfortunately, I'm not a HE student, still in further education (3rd year) so still on CB and parents still get CTC - not really fair, but am stuck in limbo this year.
My teeth are in good nick, no fillings or any problems bar the ortho work. So was hoping to get away with just paying X amount for a check once a year

Toothsmith

Gemmzie wrote:

I'm not totally sure, he wanted £40 a month from my parents :eek:

Unfortunately, I'm not a HE student, still in further education (3rd year) so still on CB and parents still get CTC - not really fair, but am stuck in limbo this year.
My teeth are in good nick, no fillings or any problems bar the ortho work. So was hoping to get away with just paying X amount for a check once a year

Your parent's teeth are probably worse than yours.

Anyway, £40 for two people is £20 each which is just less than £2.50 a week.

So it is about the same price as a couple of drinks a week

Poppy9

DD (11) has overcrowding of bottom teeth. They are quite crooked and for years she has complained they are painful. Dentist has said she will just have to live with it until the last of her first teeth come out as her jaw will grow and they may have room and will straigten themselves out. Well the top ones came out 6 months ago but no sign of bottom ones coming out and now she is growing more back teeth down the bottom.

OH took DD for her routine checkup last week and Dentist said they are overcrowded and will probably stay like that. OH asked about having a brace to correct them and dentist didn't seem keen saying they were not severe enough. I asked if they had mentioned the constant pain, it's so bad sometimes that I have to give DD ibrofen. The dentist also remarked that she is not cleaning the crooked ones properly. She tries her best and has a small headed electric toothbrush, an interdental brush and floss but given the way they lie food gets stuck.

I'm thinking of taking her back to see the dentist to get her referred. Is she the right age though or is it too early to give her a brace to correct her teeth if more are still growing.

Overcrowded teeth do run in our family. I had numerous extractions and a brace aged about 13 and two members of my family had to have surgery to remove large amounts of excess teeth when they were young.

If I have to pay because it's cosmetic, so be it but I don't want to shell out now if it will need redoing in a couple of years time.

bobobrussel

A friend of mine's daughter (12 yrs old) recently had a brace on her teeth. This was removed and was told she had to wear a retainer, which ws issued free of charge. A mould was taken and the dentist supplied the new retainer. After 14 days the retainer broke in two. My friend took it back and was told she'd have to pay for another one to be made (£56!), but she could fill in an NHS claim form and claim the money back. The NHS have written back saying that as the retainer only lasted 14 days it must have been faulty and therefore cannot provide a refund. they recommended that she should take this up with her dentist. She has tried this but the dentist is not very forthcoming with a refund. So who's to blame, does she have a valid claim and how does the sale of goods act apply in this matter - the original retainer was free?