Help with cost of braces?

wideboy09

Hi, my girlfriend is thinking about getting braces for her teeth, she has very little money.

She is getting income based universal credit and is 32 years old.

Is she able to get any help with costs?

Thanks

marliepanda

Is it cosmetic? Then no.

Is it medical in some way? Then maybe.

Bogalot

The chances of getting child orthodontics on the NHS are slim.

The chances of getting adult orthodontics on the NHS are close to zero.

Her dentist will let her know if any treatment is clinically necessary.

wideboy09

It's just cosmetic I think. I'm guessing braces will cost a fortune

marliepanda

wideboy09 wrote: »

It's just cosmetic I think. I'm guessing braces will cost a fortune

Unfortunately then it's something she needs to wait until she is back in work for.

TESCOBABE56

Has she asked Bobby Ball?

Loz01

You won't get NHS braces for adult, Im 30 and have been told I have I would need to pay 3k for some. The best they could offer me is £1600 up front and pay the rest back monthly over 3 years.

GlasweJen

Loz01 wrote: »

You won't get NHS braces for adult, Im 30 and have been told I have I would need to pay 3k for some. The best they could offer me is £1600 up front and pay the rest back monthly over 3 years.

That's not quite true, I was told I could have them at 28 but the front of my bottom teeth was skewed round my mouth by several millimetres so that when I bit down the middle of my top teeth met with the end of my second tooth on the bottom.

The waiting list was long (almost 3 years) and I could only have the most basic metal train tracks.

Loz01

GlasweJen wrote: »

That's not quite true, I was told I could have them at 28 but the front of my bottom teeth was skewed round my mouth by several millimetres so that when I bit down the middle of my top teeth met with the end of my second tooth on the bottom.

The waiting list was long (almost 3 years) and I could only have the most basic metal train tracks.

Are you in Scotland? I'm in England and the dentist here told me that there is no way I could get mine for free because I was over 18! There's different types of braces but I need the full works train tracks and had to go to a local orthodontist who they dropped it on me it was 3k!!! Bit of a shock

GlasweJen

Scotland, my tooth problem cause me problems biting though which is what swung it for me. When I bite into a ham sandwich I leave an impression in the bread but can't bite down to take a chunk out to eat. I manage by pressing my tongue up to cut the bread with my top teeth.

Apparently this is a medical issue and can be fixed on the NHS but if I could eat normally no matter how bad my teeth look the NHS wouldn't care.

Went private, we're £3K in with some to go.

marliepanda

Yup you'll only get NHS for medical needs related to your teeth, nothing purely cosmetic