Dental Braces

Name: Bhandal Dental Practice
Address: 298A-C Foleshill Rd, Coventry, CV6 5AH, UK
Telephone: 024 7668 6690
Price range: $

Achieve your dream smile with dental braces from Bhandal Dental Practice, with a wide range of options available.

Orthodontic braces help to gradually move your teeth into the correct alignment. Dental braces are available for free on the NHS for those under 18s that meet the requirements.

Dental braces help to straighten the teeth using brackets and wires. Generally, you will need to wear the brace for in-between six months and two years to complete the treatment. During this time you will be monitored closely, and we will make appropriate adjustments to your brace to ensure the desired finish. Caring for your teeth during this time is essential, so we’ll give you advice and support to make sure you know how to brush your teeth with braces and how to protect them.

NHS Braces Explained

We offer free treatment on the NHS for those under 18s who fit the criteria. We will monitor your teen’s teeth to determine if they need orthodontic treatment and will advise on the necessary steps to secure this treatment. Children and teens that do not meet the requirements for free NHS treatment are welcome to explore private child orthodontic treatment with us.

Young patients are entitled to braces for free with NHS treatment. This treatment is limited to fixed metal braces and is only available for patients with a clear clinical need. To prioritise the patients who need this the most, your dentist will make an assessment about the severity of your child’s alignment issues. If they determine that your child would benefit from dental braces on the NHS, then they will join a waiting list for treatment.

The wait for NHS braces is currently around 2 years, so some patients will “age out” of the eligibility window for free NHS braces. If this happens, patients will either have to leave their dental alignment issues, or opt for private treatment. Patients remain eligible for free NHS dental braces up to the age of 18, or 19 if they are in full-time education. Dentists will start to monitor a child’s teeth from around the age of 12 for signs of alignment issues. The earlier a child can start treatment, the shorter and simpler it will be. Dentists can even prevent overcrowding and misalignments by using spacers as the child’s adult teeth are emerging.

The process of an NHS referral

High demand for NHS braces means that there may be a long waiting time for treatment. If your child’s dentist determines that treatment is necessary, they will refer you to an orthodontist. At Bhandal Dentistry, we are able to handle the entire process, so you won’t have to be referred to another dental practice. If you think your child might need braces, book a routine checkup to learn more.

Which cases are suitable for NHS orthodontic treatment

In order to qualify for free NHS treatment, your child’s teeth will be assessed on the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) scale. Treatment is typically offered for grade 4 and grade 5 cases and may be offered for grade 3 cases if your dentist believes it would be beneficial. Treatment may also be available if the appearance of the teeth, jaw or face is of concern.

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024 7695 6690

Orthodontics

Smile with confidence again with teeth straightening for children, teens and adults.

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Invisalign

An innovative treatment plan that straightens teeth without the need for fixed metal braces.

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Patient questions

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024 7668 6690

Children’s teeth grow at different speeds and when teeth are still being lost there is a degree of movement to be expected. Teeth will settle and move as new teeth continue to come in.

If your child does need orthodontic treatment, braces are usually fitted when most of the adult teeth have come through at around 12 years old. The braces usually stay in place for 18 months to two years.

You may have to wait a long time to start treatment. The typical waiting time is currently between 6 months and 2 years. If you are keen for your child to start treatment right away, we can explore private orthodontic treatment.

No, only fixed metal aligners are available with NHS treatment. If you are interested in skipping the waiting lists and exploring invisible aligner options for your teen, we also offer private children’s orthodontics.

Dentists will use the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) to determine if a child has a medical need for braces. This looks at a number of different factors and then assigns the child a score. Patients need to be a Grade 4 or Grade 5 to qualify for teeth braces on the NHS. This would mean they have severe functional irregularities, rather than just a purely cosmetic issue.

Most patients will start treatment in about 1-4 years, but there are no guarantees. Treatment times will vary depending on where you live, as some areas are better served than others. This is why it’s important to get your child assessed and added to the list as young as possible, as this will reduce the risk that they will “age out” of eligibility. It’s also possible to start private orthodontic treatment at any time if parents have the means to pay for treatment.

There has always been a long wait for NHS braces due to high demand and a shortage of dentists able to accommodate the treatments. The pandemic made this issue worse, as fewer patients could start treatment. Since then, NHS braces waiting lists have remained long due to a decline in the number of dentists offering NHS care.

Patients might consider private treatment if their child is approaching the age of 17 and hasn’t started NHS treatment yet. The sooner we correct orthodontic issues, the better. Opting for private treatment will also give patients access to treatments like Invisalign.

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treatments

We offer a wide range of preventative, restorative and cosmetic treatments to help keep your smile healthy and beautiful. Learn more about individual treatment options or book a consultation to find out how we can help.