The standard starting point for seeking orthodontic treatment, usually starts with your general dental practitioner, who will provide a referral to an orthodontist. However, it is possible to self refer, which will require payment of a private fee. There is a waitlist for those seeking NHS funded orthodontic treatment.
The NHS uses an IOTN (Index of Treatment Needed) scale to determine if a young patient qualifies for funding. This essentially decides if your child needs treatment to improve their dental health, and is not designed for purely cosmetic problems.
The IOTN scale is graded from 1 to 5. A grade 1 indicates that the teeth are near perfect and do not need any treatment, so will not be eligible for NHS funding. Grade 2 is for patients with a minor irregularity that is superficial and not detrimental to a patient’s dental health. Grade 3 indicates moderate irregularity, which may be entitled to NHS treatment. In this case, the appearance of your child’s teeth will then be assessed to decide whether they qualify. A grade 4 or 5 means there is serious irregularity such as severe dental crowding, a severe over or under bite or missing teeth. In this case you qualify for NHS treatment.
If determined to be eligible, the specialist will bring you back for a treatment planning and discussion appointment. During this time it will be explained what appliances would be best suited to your need and you can ask any questions regarding this.
NHS funding will reduce the amount of treatment options we can offer and, in most cases, we will use fixed braces to treat your child. These consist of a small metal bracket glued to each tooth which is then attached to a thin flexible wire, held in place by small elastic rings. Every 6 to 12 weeks we will need to see the patient in order to tighten the braces and monitor their progress.
If you find your child does not qualify for NHS treatment, we can still treat them privately. We can discuss costs and treatment options at the practice to see what will work best for you.
Without NHS funding, we can offer a wider variety of braces and dental appliances that can help with anyone suffering from self-esteem issues and speed up the treatment time.
Even with NHS treatment, there is still a charge if the patient’s brace breaks or is lost. The NHS charge stands at £98.00 per arch of the appliance that needs replacing.
In the case that your child’s brace breaks, contact the surgery right away or 111 if it occurs outside of trading hours. We will make sure we can see you at the earliest time available to rectify the situation and keep their progress on track.
*There are special circumstances in which an adult could be considered for NHS funded orthodontic treatment, however these will have to be exceptional or for complex health reasons for requiring correction.
Get in touch to find out how we can help you and we will do our very best to see you at your earliest convenience.
