11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi,

Our dentist has recommended braces for my 11 year old, has anyone got dc who has/had braces. are the braces painful? how long do they have to keep them, how much do the cost?


thanks

Hi - I can answer your first question - some children find the brace painful when first fitted, but only for a few hours and you can give paracetamol to relieve pain. My DD didn't suffer much. And when you go to have them tightened it's similar, but honestly it's not that painful and definitely worth it.

How long depends on your child - only time and your orthodontist can tell you that - just depends how much work your child needs.

I'm afraid I can't help with costs as we were lucky enough to get it on the NHS.

If the dentist has said your dd NEEDS braces, then they should be free - assuming you use an NHS dentist (I say needs, rather than wants. If it's wants, then you will pay.

I'm given to understand they are uncomfortable when first put in, but paracetamol and a few days will sort it out.

As to how long they stay in, that depends how much her teeth need to be realigned.

My dd is having them fitted in March this year (hopefully - depends on his lists) and she will need them for about 2 years.

I'm sure others will be along shortly and will expand upon the above.

We have an appointment for my DS to see the orthodontist next month. We have been referred by an NHS dentist but the orthodontist's practice is predominately private. I have been told, however, that they do undertake some NHS work. I think we will only receive free treatment if we are eligible and, even then, only if the practice will agree to carry out whatever specific treatment is required. If we are really unlucky we will have to go private and have been told that braces could cost anything between £2,000 to £4,000. It is quite shocking to think that we may be faced with this kind of bill. I can only hope that luck is on our side on the day!

Hi,
My eldest , now 15 started her wearing braces in year 5,(age 10) and still has them although they are due to come off this year.She has braces up and down and something inside to widen her jaw.The regular tightenings do hurt for a day or so afterwards.The work she has needed has been extensive and we have had to pay some, £300, ourselves.
My middle daughter didn't start treatment till 11 and will finish when she is 13/14.She has a more standard brace all paid for by the NHS and has not really had to suffer with it.
So, as Gorgeous said, there isn't a standard answer.When you see the orthodontist ask a lot of questions and ask around as to whether they are considered "good" at what they do.We did switch early on.
Most treatment is free unless it is unusual in some way.
Good luck

DS had them fitted late last year. The first two days were awful. He was crying in pain, I was crying that I had made him go through it!! Now, four months down the line no problems whatsoever. He eats everything (even the things he shouldn't!). He has them tightened every few months, on for 18 months to 2 years. We were lucky to get on NHS. I think most are done on NHS if a need, if you just want straight teeth then maybe not. As others have said every child is different. What I thought would be a disaster is actually ok and he cleans them properly twice a day. I think he realises that in the long run it will be worth it and also it is the 'norm' to have them. Good luck

ausvic wrote: We were lucky to get on NHS. I think most are done on NHS if a need, if you just want straight teeth then maybe not.

My daughter's treatment was deemed to be necessary but we still had to pay a small amount.It was to do with the schedule of treatment - one of the mouth widening devices the NHS would pay for to be put on but not taken off.(only when all the other treatment was taken off at the end of the whole process) So she could bear the extra discomfort and associated risks with this device for a further 4 years and it would be removed free of charge then , or we could pay to have it removed after a year.Every case is different but we were unlucky.I don't think it is that common to have to pay.

What age do dentists start to talk about braces? DS2 is 8 and has prominent teeth due to thumb sucking, and short of amputation we have tried everything to make him stop. If we can get him to stop do teeth "move" on their own?

Doodles, from my understanding, it's all to do with all the 2nd set of teeth being through properly.

Doodles, you have just described my DD of 10! She stopped about a year ago (after sucking her thumb more or less continuously from the time she discovered it).
And she only stopped because shefelt like it. I took her to the orthodontist who said the gap between top and bottom teeth was very severe (no surprises there) and obviously she now needs a lot of work.

However because she is very slight in build, that in turn means she has a small mouth and she has just not grown enough to start the treatment. I'm dreading it when it comes because she is a total drama queen!