UK Users - How much did your brace cost?

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#1 Post by **BraceFace2o1o** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:02 pm

Hi all,

I should be going for a consultation next week for a fixed brace (originally wanted to go for Invisalign, but have since changed my mind).

Can I ask these following questions?...

1) How much are you paying for your braces?
2) What is/isn't included in the above fee? (did you have to pay extra for a retainer, x-rays etc etc)
3) Did you have to have any extractions? If so how many and which teeth and how much did this cost?
4) What type of fixed braces do you have, metal or ceramic?
5) Where abouts in the UK are you? (I am not asking for exact location! me for example, I am in the South East)

The Orthodontic practice I will be having a consultation with doesn't do extractions (if they are needed) and it says on their website that you have to either see your regular dentist or another to get these done. I am hoping I wont need extractions because I've Googled prices and each tooth can cost £100!? to extract, and £177 for a wisdom tooth removal!? Wow, I'm not sure I will be able to get the cash to pay for the extractions if they cost that much. I will hopefully be able to pay for the brace fees montly, interest free, but will obviously have to pay upfront for extractions... eek.

#2 Post by **Sandpiper** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:15 pm

Hi Chrystal,

As you can see, I'm located in Buckinghamshire. I paid about £70 for the first consultation, and then will pay about £4000 (just under) for the treatment, which includes x-rays, moulds, ceramic fixed braces upper & lower, palate expander and retainers when it's all done. Tooth extraction is extra (if required....I'm hoping not!)

Can you get anything done on the good old NHS? My regular dentist said they had funding for adult orthodontics (depending on need).

Good luck with your journey.

#3 Post by **BraceFace2o1o** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:49 pm

Sandpiper wrote:Hi Chrystal,

As you can see, I'm located in Buckinghamshire. I paid about £70 for the first consultation, and then will pay about £4000 (just under) for the treatment, which includes x-rays, moulds, ceramic fixed braces upper & lower, palate expander and retainers when it's all done. Tooth extraction is extra (if required....I'm hoping not!)

Can you get anything done on the good old NHS? My regular dentist said they had funding for adult orthodontics (depending on need).

Good luck with your journey.

Hi Sandpiper,

Thank you for replying, I wouldn't mind Ceramic braces like you are having, but realise they are more expensive than metal.

Well, I was meant to have been referred for a brace when I was 12! (12 years ago) but nothing ever came of it

I do see an NHS dentist, the same one since I was a very young child, but I believe you have to have quite a severe case to get a brace on the NHS if you are over 18, and my dentist has never said that was the case for me. I don't mind having to pay, it's just I didn't realise each tooth cost so much to extract! It would be ok if they charged £177 for all 4 teeth, rather than one!

Luckily I had 3 of my wisdom teeth removed (uppers and lower left) in November because they were causing me alot of pain, but the dentist wouldn't remove my 4th as it was still under the gum (and still is, but is now starting to cause me a bit of discomfort). But was noted on the x-ray it was growing at an angle (like the other 3) towards the tooth next to it.

I guess I'll just have to have the consultation and see what the Ortho says. I am not sure at what stage they can tell whether you need extractions or not though, if possible I'd like to know prior to paying/going ahead as I will need to check if I will be able to afford the prices of extractions as well as everything else.

#4 Post by **Leyfy** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 1:39 pm

1) How much are you paying for your braces?
£3,300 - I paid in one lump sum. If I wanted to pay in installments it was more.

2) What is/isn't included in the above fee? (did you have to pay extra for a retainer, x-rays etc etc)
Everything, unless I break the retainers an 'excessive' amount. I haven't got onto that yet as I've only had them just under 3 months.

3) Did you have to have any extractions? If so how many and which teeth and how much did this cost?
I am not having any extractions. I might need a wisdom tooth out, but that is on the NHS and nothing to do with my braces - just that my wisdom teeth are a pain in the backside!!!

4) What type of fixed braces do you have, metal or ceramic?
I have ceramic top and bottom. I wanted invisalign but my overbite was too big for them

5) Where abouts in the UK are you? (I am not asking for exact location! me for example, I am in the South East)
I am in South East too - Essex. I use Orthoworld.

#5 Post by **Emmauk** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:02 am

Hi

Cost is £3500 for ceramics this price includes all bracework, moulds x rays, retainers, adjustments - not dental i.e extractions.

I am having 5 extractions but as they are wisdoms will be done on the NHS under GA.

I am also in the South East, near Billericay, i can recommend a good ortho if your near by.

The cost would have been less if i wasnt a surgical case, so i think really his price wasnt too bad. In the last phase i will be having normal retainer for a year followed by a bonded retainer. All breakages are inclusive of cost and i will be covered for 3 years once everything is finished, so if a tooth moves within the 3 yrs i can go back and get it done withour paying again.

#6 Post by **abaglady** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 10:31 am

Hi Chrystal,

I'm in North Yorkshire, and have ceramics on both arches - the cost is £3400 which includes all consultations/adjustments and retainers afterwards, but I didn't need extractions - it also includes minor repairs/emergencies etc unless they are clearly my fault. There was a one-off consultation fee of £170 also, which included x-ray, moulds etc.

If had had metal braces, it would have been about £2900.

Perhaps I am lucky, but my ortho doesn't charge interest for payment in instalments...

#7 Post by **wilson123** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:24 am

I'm in Lincolnshire and I have had full metal uppers and lowers on.

Initial assessment cost me £40, with £40 on casts. £850 each brace (x2), my fixed retainer is costing £60 and a removable also £60, with the monitoring of this costing £140

total cost £2040

This has included any breaks I have had (and I have had plenty). I have been able to pay for them during the treatment on an interest free basis so I wasn't crippled by any payments

#8 Post by **wilson123** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 1:45 pm

Oh I also had two extractions (still the worst bit of the whole process if you ask me) but he charged them to the NHS so I saved a fair bit

#9 Post by **dredgos** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 3:59 pm

I am from the south west. My whole treatment plan costs a total of £2050 which is for upper and lower metal braces including all the moulds and retainers. I was able to stagger my cost into 3 payments, one at the start, one in the middle and one at the end at no extra cost. Fortunately i did not require any extractions as i had 4 teeth out when i was younger!

#10 Post by **miggins** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:14 am

I'm in South Somerset - I go to Mark Brickley at Resolution Smile. I've got metal Damon brackets upper and lower. The cost should have been £3600 but as I was a "guinea pig" for a system that was new to my ortho, he charged me £3150. I paid £70 for an inital consultation to include x-rays (I think the charge is to deter time wasters) but apart from that, the only thing I pay for is missed appointments and none of those so far.

Everything's included and unlimited - toothbrushes, mouthwash, electric toothbrush heads, elastics, interdental brushes, x-rays, retainers, etc. I didn't have to have any extractions because they were done when I was 10 and about to go into braces first time around...

#11 Post by **BraceFace2o1o** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:22 am

Thank you all for your replies, great appreciated. It's interesting to see how prices/plans can vary.

For anyone who needs wisdom teeth/teeth removed and is having them done through the NHS - I thought you could only have teeth removed on the NHS for medical reasons, and not because you need 'room' to have a brace. I see an NHS dentist and would be much happier to pay NHS extraction prices rather than private!

I just phoned a local Orthodontist to book a consultation, the consultation fee is £130 but is taken off the total fee/bill if I decide to go ahead with treatment. They said the maximum price they charge for metal braces (for both arches) is £2900... but should get an exact figure after my consultation.
Ideally, I'd like to see a few Orthos, but not sure what I'm going to do yet.

#12 Post by **HelenUK** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:22 am

Hi, I am having braces and surgery on the NHS and so can't answer all your questions, but I did have an initial consult with a private orthodontist which cost £100, including xrays and moulds.

I had 4 pre-molars extrated prior to braces, and these cost £45 for all 4, because I have an NHS dentist and the cost is subsidised. The teeth only needed to be removed because of the orthodontist work, and I do pay privately for prescriptions etc, so you should be able to get the extractions for the same price if you have an NHS dentist.

hope that helps, and good luck!

helen

#13 Post by **BraceFace2o1o** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:55 am

HelenUK wrote:Hi, I am having braces and surgery on the NHS and so can't answer all your questions, but I did have an initial consult with a private orthodontist which cost £100, including xrays and moulds.

I had 4 pre-molars extrated prior to braces, and these cost £45 for all 4, because I have an NHS dentist and the cost is subsidised. The teeth only needed to be removed because of the orthodontist work, and I do pay privately for prescriptions etc, so you should be able to get the extractions for the same price if you have an NHS dentist.

hope that helps, and good luck!

helen

Thanks for replying Helen. NHS prices for extractions sounds alot better than paying £100 per tooth!

... I just always thought that NHS treatment only covers medical issues... I'm glad to hear that wasn't the case for you.

#14 Post by **BraceFace2o1o** » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:35 am

Just thought I would update with my first quote I got.

£3500 for traditional metal braces (I would have to pay an extra £300 on top for the ceramic or SPEED Braces).

Consult fee £100

Just one arch.

Total cost £3600

I have another consultation with a different Ortho in September and will see how his 'treatment plan' differs.