Braces - Need some info please

TequilaMockingBird

Hi there

My daughter is 10 and will need braces, her two upper front teeth are quite out of line.

She has only had the school dentist examine her so far, and all is fine, bar the need for braces.

We have a medical card, and also have private healthcare. Is there a difference in the treatment she would receive if we went for one over the other? I am concerned about waiting times, effectiveness/time, visibility of the braces and obviously pain.

I really have no idea about braces. I'm not even sure she is old enough for them yet, although I would love to get them started sooner rather than later. Should I go to the HSE dentist and get it started or will she have to wait years? If we go private is there much extra cost?

Any advice/experience would be greatly appreciated.

kkth0360

There would be absolutely no difference in the treatment provided whether it is carried out by the HSE or a private orthodontist - in both cases the treatment would be planned and provided by a fully qualified registered specialist orthodontist, and the materials and appliances used would be very similar. The waiting time is likely to be much longer for HSE treatment, and varies depending on what part of the country you live in.

However, HSE orthodontic treatment is only provided to those patients whose orthodontic problems are towards the more severe end of the spectrum. It makes no difference whether you have a medical card or not, and the family's income / means is not taken into account. Your HSE dentist can give you an idea whether she your daughter is likely to qualify and can arrange a referral to the local orthodontic unit where the final decision will be made.

Private treatment costs vary depending on the nature of the problem and the type of treatment provided. A full course of treatment for a child, with a specialist orthodontist, is likely to cost somewhere between 3000 and 4000 euro. Tax relief is available at 20% for those paying income tax, but unfortunately private health insurance normally does not provide any cover (Garda medical aid and similar schemes usually provide some level of cover).

At 10 your daughter is probably still a little early to start definitive treatment; however it would be a good idea to have her assessed by an orthodontist at this stage in case there are any issues that may need addressed early (not usually necessary) and to get a clearer idea of what type of treatment she is likely to need, and when it should be started.

So, I would suggest that you ask her HSE dentist whether a referral to the HSE orthodontic service is an option, and if not then you might like to think about arranging an assessment with a private orthodontist. You can find a list of specialist orthodontists in your area at www.orthodontics.ie

TequilaMockingBird

Thank you so much for your reply. That's exactly what I needed.

I will make an appointment with the HSE dentist and go from there. Hopefully our waiting lists aren't too long in Sligo. Finding 3/4k would be a nightmare, but we would find it if necessary. I do wonder sometimes what use the private healthcare is at all.

Many thanks again.