Photos finally and they're horrible!
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Hi, I couldn't really say if the NHS would agree to treat you but if yours is similar to mine, which I think is quite a significant underbite, then I would have thought so.
I also had overcrowding and had 6 teeth removed, which is another thing I think they look for. Basically if your bite/teeth could cause you problems in the future you have more of a chance.
I'd go and see your dentist, if you haven't already, and ask for their opinion. He/she may say they will refer you to an NHS clinic, although waiting lists are a bit insane...
Can I ask how old you are & where in the UK you are?
If you have any photos you could post them on here & people could maybe give you some advice?
Beth
I also had overcrowding and had 6 teeth removed, which is another thing I think they look for. Basically if your bite/teeth could cause you problems in the future you have more of a chance.
I'd go and see your dentist, if you haven't already, and ask for their opinion. He/she may say they will refer you to an NHS clinic, although waiting lists are a bit insane...
Can I ask how old you are & where in the UK you are?
If you have any photos you could post them on here & people could maybe give you some advice?
Beth
I think you would, like Beth said if it causes problems now (TMJ, sleep apnea etc) or could in the future then it is treated as medical. I am not sure that if there is anyone on this board from the UK with a significant underbite/overjet etc that is paying out of pocket. Its always worth going to get a consultation about it to find out if you qualify.badbyte wrote:i have a similar underbite to yours approx 8-10mm, so do you think i would qualify for braces on the NHS?
I agree, if your results are like Rach, your smile/profile will be stunning!
Aww jeez thanks guys. I'm sure you will end up with fantastic results!if I end up with a result half as good as Rach then I would be happy.
Beth - I know it is so annoying waiting on this surgery but I 100% agree with Lou that the better your teeth are when you go in, the less time you are likely to be in braces when you come out. You want them out ASAP when you've had surgery. Wheras before you are more concentrating on the surgery aspect of the process. So it is better to get the bulk of the work done beforehand and only the tweaking after.
Rach
Beth85 wrote:Hi, I couldn't really say if the NHS would agree to treat you but if yours is similar to mine, which I think is quite a significant underbite, then I would have thought so.
I also had overcrowding and had 6 teeth removed, which is another thing I think they look for. Basically if your bite/teeth could cause you problems in the future you have more of a chance.
I'd go and see your dentist, if you haven't already, and ask for their opinion. He/she may say they will refer you to an NHS clinic, although waiting lists are a bit insane...
Can I ask how old you are & where in the UK you are?
If you have any photos you could post them on here & people could maybe give you some advice?
Beth
i'm 28 based in manchester, my problem is i havent been to a dentist since i was about 13, and now my teeth arent in the best of shape,
i'm mean they're not bad bad just not good,so already i know i'm not anywhere near ready to being "braced up"yet, my first pre- molars are broken so hence i'm too ashamed to put up any pics , and is probably also one of the reasons i dont want a dentist to see the state there in.
but i know it's a long process from where i am now right through to jaw surgery so i know i should have taken the first steps months ago:(.
Hi there, I just discovered this website yesterday. I live in Wales and have been treated in Hereford which is just over the boarder in England
I have an 7-8 mm underbite and wasnt concered about it until my new dentist enquired 'how do you eat?', one thing led to another and was refered to the nearest Maxi clinic in hereford just before last christmas, lots of appointments, I havent missed one and last thursday I had an operation for assisted jaw widening something or other. All went well but thought yesterday that I would look on the net to see what it entailed.
It sounds like I am lucky regarding waiting times, and have nothing but praise for the staff at the clinic.
I have had an expander fitted and crank it twice a day, and then will have the top jaw moved forward, i wasnt looking forward to my op but as i didnt feel a thing it was great.
I am 39 and must say that I am looking forward to having a better bite and also to install confidence. I have on occasions been overlooked for promotion several times in my career by people that were less qualified than myself, I have wondered if that was because of my appearance. Its lucky I do have a stubburn attitude and work harder at proving myself to the people that have overlooked me. Hopefully I am wrong, but you cant help but think that if my appearance had been different then things may have turned out different. So I am happy to have this now on the NHS and would support all with it.
Have a rambled on, I think so.
I have an 7-8 mm underbite and wasnt concered about it until my new dentist enquired 'how do you eat?', one thing led to another and was refered to the nearest Maxi clinic in hereford just before last christmas, lots of appointments, I havent missed one and last thursday I had an operation for assisted jaw widening something or other. All went well but thought yesterday that I would look on the net to see what it entailed.
It sounds like I am lucky regarding waiting times, and have nothing but praise for the staff at the clinic.
I have had an expander fitted and crank it twice a day, and then will have the top jaw moved forward, i wasnt looking forward to my op but as i didnt feel a thing it was great.
I am 39 and must say that I am looking forward to having a better bite and also to install confidence. I have on occasions been overlooked for promotion several times in my career by people that were less qualified than myself, I have wondered if that was because of my appearance. Its lucky I do have a stubburn attitude and work harder at proving myself to the people that have overlooked me. Hopefully I am wrong, but you cant help but think that if my appearance had been different then things may have turned out different. So I am happy to have this now on the NHS and would support all with it.
Have a rambled on, I think so.
Badbyte, don't worry about posting photos. I only suggested it because it helped me to have other people's opinions who are going through the same thing.
And please don't feel ashamed about your teeth, the fact that you want to fix them is great. The dentist isn't there to judge you either.
If you go & see a dentist he will assess you & decide if you qualify for the NHS.
We're all here going through what you are & the people on here are very supportive & helpful.
Let us know what happens if you go through with it.
Oh and don't beat yourself up about not doing anything about it earlier!
Take Care,
Beth
Hi matthut, sounds like you are well on your way.
I have to agree, the NHS staff at the hospital I'm being treated at in Essex are very good to me & doing a fantastic job!
It's great that your op went well how are you doing now?
It's nice to see you are being so positive about the whole thing, it's a major process to go through, physically & emotionally I think.
Good luck with your treatment & let us know how things are going.
Beth
And please don't feel ashamed about your teeth, the fact that you want to fix them is great. The dentist isn't there to judge you either.
If you go & see a dentist he will assess you & decide if you qualify for the NHS.
We're all here going through what you are & the people on here are very supportive & helpful.
Let us know what happens if you go through with it.
Oh and don't beat yourself up about not doing anything about it earlier!
Take Care,
Beth
Hi matthut, sounds like you are well on your way.
I have to agree, the NHS staff at the hospital I'm being treated at in Essex are very good to me & doing a fantastic job!
It's great that your op went well how are you doing now?
It's nice to see you are being so positive about the whole thing, it's a major process to go through, physically & emotionally I think.
Good luck with your treatment & let us know how things are going.
Beth
Hi there.
Went for a chek up today and all is fine, have another week of expanding and then to stop, have another appointment in 7 weeks time. Have a largegap in my front teeth but have been told that when I stop cranking they will gradually return!
As for my speech, that isntgood, but then you can surprise people by asking them something and you can see them working it out what you have said, so I am turning a negative into a positive.
Went for a chek up today and all is fine, have another week of expanding and then to stop, have another appointment in 7 weeks time. Have a largegap in my front teeth but have been told that when I stop cranking they will gradually return!
As for my speech, that isntgood, but then you can surprise people by asking them something and you can see them working it out what you have said, so I am turning a negative into a positive.
Hi all
3 weeks since my SARPS opp and am starting to eat with more confidence, and getting back to normal food, I have lossed several pounds since having the expander fitted.
Went to see my consultant last week and all ok, I stopped expanding yesterday but have to keep the expander on now till August, I am so looking forward to buying and eating a sniker bar after its been removed!
I have a large gap in my front teeth, people ask if i have lossed a tooth!
My speech is about the same, and cant say 'sixpence'! I work with people with learning difficulties who have communication difficulties and this has made me relise more about this. I am experiancing some of their difficulties with communication, sometimes I think its easier to keep quite rather than explain everything as its some times difficult to talk. This is a real eye opener!
Hope everyone else is doing fine on here.
3 weeks since my SARPS opp and am starting to eat with more confidence, and getting back to normal food, I have lossed several pounds since having the expander fitted.
Went to see my consultant last week and all ok, I stopped expanding yesterday but have to keep the expander on now till August, I am so looking forward to buying and eating a sniker bar after its been removed!
I have a large gap in my front teeth, people ask if i have lossed a tooth!
My speech is about the same, and cant say 'sixpence'! I work with people with learning difficulties who have communication difficulties and this has made me relise more about this. I am experiancing some of their difficulties with communication, sometimes I think its easier to keep quite rather than explain everything as its some times difficult to talk. This is a real eye opener!
Hope everyone else is doing fine on here.
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littlespark
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:55 am
- Location: Cambridge, UK
Just a note to badbyte about referral options - it sounds like you'd be able to get a lot of info if you found a dentist, especially if you need basic dental work as well as orthodontics. However, I actually got referred to an NHS ortho by my doctor rather than my dentist. It took me 4 months to even *find* an NHS dentist when I moved to Cambridge, and then, as usual, had to wait months for an initial appointment. When I went to see him, he claimed not to know how NHS referrals worked (he's South African), and told me his friend could do it privately! I didn't want to wait another 6 months to find another dentist before even getting onto the orthodontist's waiting list, so asked my GP if she could help. She was willing to refer me on grounds of the psychological as well as funstional aspects of having an open bite (I was unhappy with the way my jaws gave me a very long face) From thereon in, the NHS have been fab. The treatment can take longer because the appointments are so precious, but the expertise is there, and it's free, obviously!
SARPE
Well, the gap in my front teeth widened to 8mm, but now has reduced to 3 mm which has improved my speech no end. Cant wait to have the expander thing removed in August, I am sure it will seem odd with out it in.
Hope everyone else is ok on the board.
Hope everyone else is ok on the board.