Cost of Orthodontist for DD query

Mrs_Arcanum

Took DD to the Orthodontist to see about braces. Got quoted £950 under NHS (she is 16). :eek:

My query is, why have several of her friends had similar braces for nothing under NHS and why will her treatment cost so much?

Fire_Fox

Were her friends under 16 at the time perhaps? Or were the families on a low income so qualified for free dental treatment? Or have the rules changed in the interim? Have you asked the dentist?

Toothsmith

NHS dental treatment is free for under 18s.

Something is wrong here. I think you have misunderstood. If it was NHS, it would be free, and yet as a quote for private treatment, it seems quite cheap.

Mrs_Arcanum

Toothsmith wrote: »

NHS dental treatment is free for under 18s.

Something is wrong here. I think you have misunderstood. If it was NHS, it would be free, and yet as a quote for private treatment, it seems quite cheap.

This was what confused me. A friend of DD did not get his brace until 16 so fully expected this to be free on the NHS.

There was some mention of her having her jaw brought forward which at £10k plus would be done on the NHS, but without this her brace would be cosmetic only. She has a small overbite and doesn't want or really need such excessive treatment but does have wonky front teeth.

trumpton

It should be free if it comes within nhs guidelines - there is actually a measurement system for the degree of 'wonkiness'. If it's not free, then the price seems phenomenally cheap. I would ask for clarification and an explanation of what you are actually being asked to pay for.

Toothsmith

This makes a bit more sense now.

The full treatment plan would qualify for NHS funding, but would require major surgery to realign the jaws.

Undertsandably, your daughter doesn't want this, (At least not yet - chances are if she changes her mind it might well still qualify for NHS treatment even if she's in her 20s - these more severe cases can sometimes still qualify even in young adults)

So, the compromise that has been suggested is just to straighten the front teeth. This is probably quite a simple treatment, and being cosmetic only does not qualify for NHS funding, but it is a relatively simple process hence the quite cheap (relatively!) private charge.

I would just ask about how stable the result is likely to be. Without doing the more major work, I would be inclined to think that the result from just simply straightening up the front ones wouldn't be easy to keep straight.

Mrs_Arcanum

Toothsmith wrote: »

This makes a bit more sense now.

The full treatment plan would qualify for NHS funding, but would require major surgery to realign the jaws.

Undertsandably, your daughter doesn't want this, (At least not yet - chances are if she changes her mind it might well still qualify for NHS treatment even if she's in her 20s - these more severe cases can sometimes still qualify even in young adults)

So, the compromise that has been suggested is just to straighten the front teeth. This is probably quite a simple treatment, and being cosmetic only does not qualify for NHS funding, but it is a relatively simple process hence the quite cheap (relatively!) private charge.

I would just ask about how stable the result is likely to be. Without doing the more major work, I would be inclined to think that the result from just simply straightening up the front ones wouldn't be easy to keep straight.

He did say she would need to wear retainers on a regular basis in order to keep them straight. What I am worried about is I suspect the wonky teeth will get worse, especially when her Wisdom teeth come in. If they realigned her jaw her front teeth would then not meet and there would be huge visible gaps.

Picture only really shows the overbite. The middle two overlap whist #2 top left is starting to flare outwards, #2 on the top right is twisting to overlap #3 (counting #1 from the middle back).

Further advice is most appreciated.

brook2jack

A photo is not sufficient to treatment plan. You need x rays, models, and to see all if the teeth and jaw relationship.

You need to discuss this again with your dd orthodontist who can actually see all the above.

However it sounds as if the problem is not your daughters teeth but the relationship of her jaws. If this is the case her teeth will look worse as time goes on.

If it is her jaw relationship that is the problem just moving her teeth about will just give cosmetic improvements that will not improve her bite and will be compromised.

The only way to correct a severe jaw discrepancy is combined surgery and orthodontics which is normally started in late teenage years or early adulthood when jaws have stopped growing. However it is gruelling treatment not without risks.

Sometimes at the age of 10 before the pubertal growth spurt functional appliances (special braces that guide growth) can be useful to create a better bite. You may wish to ask if your dd might be suitable.

All treatment needs the wearing of retainers for life , be it a wire cemented to the back of teeth or a plastic retainer.

Wisdom teeth don't affect crowding of other teeth or push them forwards.

So your choices are wait and see about surgery/braces at a later date.

Compromised treatment to just make a bit of cosmetic difference.

10 is very young to make final choices about dental health that will affect your daughter for life.

Mrs_Arcanum

She is 16.

However, the real question was over the costs. Seems crazy that costly invasive treatment will be free yet simple braces will not.

Toothsmith

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

She is 16.

However, the real question was over the costs. Seems crazy that costly invasive treatment will be free yet simple braces will not.

Not really.

The first treatment is the 'proper job'. The cheaper one might well turn out to be a waste of money.

Quite sensible that the tax payer isn't being asked to pay for the possible waste of money.

brook2jack

Sorry misread age.

The rationale is that "simple" treatment is compromised and not based on a health benefit but purely cosmetic.her bite will not be improved and because it is compromised treatment with no health benefit it cannot be justified.

A combined surgical and braces approach would improve the bite and the way the teeth meet together (no gaps would be left that's why both surgery and braces are used) as well as appearance so it has health benefits. However it is a long treatment (2 to 3 years minimum of braces and surgery) and has potential complications. Many people choose not to go for this option or put it off until a further date.

Braces on their own have compromises in this case and may affect the likelihood of the brace/surgery option being successful.

So the short answer is that the nhs will not pay for purely cosmetic bracework that has no health benefit.