Just found this forum yesterday..Im a 34 year old woman and basically my self confidence couldn't be much lower..i hate what i see when i look in the mirror...people have said i'm pretty & attractive..but i don't see it...one of the things i hate about myself is my teeth..and obviously alot of you here will relate to this...i never laugh without putting my hand over my mouth..never smile in photographs...people think i am aloof, unfriendly...but this couldn't be farther from the truth..i love to laugh and smile.. just hate for people to see my crooked teeth..i wish i wasn't so self conscious..how i feel about myself holds me back from what i want to do in life..i feel like life is passing me by and i'm not living it to the full.
I haven't made any steps towards getting braces yet..still haven't plucked up the courage to actually go and talk to someone..i have so many questions..would it be best to go and have a chat with a dentist first? I know they can be very expensive...would i be able to sort out some sort of payment plan?
Any helpful advice would be very greatly appreciated.
Kez.
I need to start making steps to changing my life for the better, and i have to start with the way i look to give me the confidence to go out there and start living life to the full.
Please help me...in the UK.
Moderator: bbsadmin
Hello 
If you're thinking about getting braces I think the best first step is to go to your normal dentist for a check up and ask if they think braces might be an option for you. Most orthodontists in the UK work on a referral only basis so you will need your dentist to make that first step. But if you don't like the orthodontist s/he recommends do get another referral.
Things in the UK work a little differently from the US and you probably will need to pay somewhere around £70 - £100 for your initial consultation. The cost of braces seems to vary a bit and it can depend on the length of treatment, how complex your case is and of course what kind of braces you want. I think on average they are between £2250 and £4000. My orthodontist asked for £1000 upfront and then monthly payments, but they all work by different systems.
Good Luck with everything
If you're thinking about getting braces I think the best first step is to go to your normal dentist for a check up and ask if they think braces might be an option for you. Most orthodontists in the UK work on a referral only basis so you will need your dentist to make that first step. But if you don't like the orthodontist s/he recommends do get another referral. Things in the UK work a little differently from the US and you probably will need to pay somewhere around £70 - £100 for your initial consultation. The cost of braces seems to vary a bit and it can depend on the length of treatment, how complex your case is and of course what kind of braces you want. I think on average they are between £2250 and £4000. My orthodontist asked for £1000 upfront and then monthly payments, but they all work by different systems.
Good Luck with everything
Hi Kezza
Ask your dentist for his/her opinion and a referral...then have a 'consultation' appt with an ortho to explore your options. You need time to reflect after this without having foregone treatment options forced upon you, so make sure your referal ortho knows his/her position. Its a big time and financial commitment and everyone is in a different position (and most ppl like us in the UK have to pay! so its a big financial commitment for most!).
Most of us in the UK on this forum have been given all the drawbacks but have still taken the plunge, so you will have support here. We're all ages and backgrounds and all have different diagnosis so use people here to find out what is what. Look at our pics and what we say, especially during the early stages. Never underestimate the value of straight teeth however. Not just from the cosmetic angle, straight teeth are much more likely in the long run to cost you less in terms of pain and cost. So, if you are young you will get economies of scale that I at 47 wont! - and I am still doing it!!!!!!!!
Take care and ASK! we are here to help you
Most of us in the UK on this forum have been given all the drawbacks but have still taken the plunge, so you will have support here. We're all ages and backgrounds and all have different diagnosis so use people here to find out what is what. Look at our pics and what we say, especially during the early stages. Never underestimate the value of straight teeth however. Not just from the cosmetic angle, straight teeth are much more likely in the long run to cost you less in terms of pain and cost. So, if you are young you will get economies of scale that I at 47 wont! - and I am still doing it!!!!!!!!
Take care and ASK! we are here to help you
Speak to your normal dentist and they will refer you to an othodontist, you will probably have to wait a good few months before you get an appointment - that's the NHS for you .
I'm actually getting my braces free because my teeth were wonky enough that I qualified for NHS treament so you might not have to pay for your braces. I'm afraid I don't know what the critiera is but have nothing to loose by asking.
Good luck
.I'm actually getting my braces free because my teeth were wonky enough that I qualified for NHS treament so you might not have to pay for your braces. I'm afraid I don't know what the critiera is but have nothing to loose by asking.
Good luck
Re: Please help me...in the UK.
Kezza wrote:Just found this forum yesterday..Im a 34 year old woman and basically my self confidence couldn't be much lower..i hate what i see when i look in the mirror...people have said i'm pretty & attractive..but i don't see it...one of the things i hate about myself is my teeth..and obviously alot of you here will relate to this...i never laugh without putting my hand over my mouth..never smile in photographs...people think i am aloof, unfriendly...but this couldn't be farther from the truth..i love to laugh and smile.. just hate for people to see my crooked teeth..i wish i wasn't so self conscious..how i feel about myself holds me back from what i want to do in life..i feel like life is passing me by and i'm not living it to the full.
I haven't made any steps towards getting braces yet..still haven't plucked up the courage to actually go and talk to someone..i have so many questions..would it be best to go and have a chat with a dentist first? I know they can be very expensive...would i be able to sort out some sort of payment plan?
Any helpful advice would be very greatly appreciated.
Kez.
I need to start making steps to changing my life for the better, and i have to start with the way i look to give me the confidence to go out there and start living life to the full.
Welcome!
I am in the UK too.
It was actually my dentist that really encouraged (read pushed) me into braces. He's very into cosmetic dentistry in general though doesn't do orthodontics himself. Very different to my previous dentists. I don't like him very much as he doesn't exactly fill me with confidence about my looks (he's now going on about how yellow my teeth are and how he's going to whiten them as soon as my braces are off) when I'm usually thought of good looking.
I haven't got a payment plan with the ortho as such, not written down anyway. I was given an overall figure and I usually pay £200 when I go every 6 weeks. But when my lowers were put on I had to pay £600 and same when my uppers were put on ( I had been warned about this).
I probably paid about £200 in consultation fees before I was given a proper treatment figure. My ortho also said that as part of being her patient I would have to commit to 3 monthly hygienist visits and 6 monthly dentist visits so I should budget separately for that. Though now I've been in braces 6-7 months, I've been told I'm doing a good job at dental hygiene so don't have to go as often. Don't think I will let off on the hygieniest visits though, I like getting my teeth really clean.
Just my personal experience, hope it helps in some way.
I am in the UK too.
It was actually my dentist that really encouraged (read pushed) me into braces. He's very into cosmetic dentistry in general though doesn't do orthodontics himself. Very different to my previous dentists. I don't like him very much as he doesn't exactly fill me with confidence about my looks (he's now going on about how yellow my teeth are and how he's going to whiten them as soon as my braces are off) when I'm usually thought of good looking.
I haven't got a payment plan with the ortho as such, not written down anyway. I was given an overall figure and I usually pay £200 when I go every 6 weeks. But when my lowers were put on I had to pay £600 and same when my uppers were put on ( I had been warned about this).
I probably paid about £200 in consultation fees before I was given a proper treatment figure. My ortho also said that as part of being her patient I would have to commit to 3 monthly hygienist visits and 6 monthly dentist visits so I should budget separately for that. Though now I've been in braces 6-7 months, I've been told I'm doing a good job at dental hygiene so don't have to go as often. Don't think I will let off on the hygieniest visits though, I like getting my teeth really clean.
Just my personal experience, hope it helps in some way.
Hello and congratulations on making the first step! It is not easy and it took me a while as well. I moved to UK a year ago and will probably stay a few more. I am 29 and I said now is the time. I researched all the orthodontists in my area and decided on one that was recommended by everyone. The are a private practice that specializes in adult orthodontic and the clinic is beautiful. I called them up and arranged the initial consulation which cost me £90. They spent an hour talking to me and explaining what and how it can be done and I arranged for my next meeting. All together it's costing me £2600. I had to pay £1000 upfront and after that £650 every 3 months.
I made the right decision and I am very happy about it. I've had braces for almost 3 months now and can already see massive changes!
It is not easy and it took me a while as well. I moved to UK a year ago and will probably stay a few more. I am 29 and I said now is the time. I researched all the orthodontists in my area and decided on one that was recommended by everyone. The are a private practice that specializes in adult orthodontic and the clinic is beautiful. I called them up and arranged the initial consulation which cost me £90. They spent an hour talking to me and explaining what and how it can be done and I arranged for my next meeting. All together it's costing me £2600. I had to pay £1000 upfront and after that £650 every 3 months.I made the right decision and I am very happy about it. I've had braces for almost 3 months now and can already see massive changes!
Well, you couldn't have said it better...I feel exactly the same way. I just turned thirty and I'm finally ready to get braced, I've needed them for 15 yrs! Please don't let another day go by w/o making an appt. with a general dentist or an orthodontist. It's been a month, but I hope you see this and take action. This is my first post, Hello all!
I too put my hand over my mouth when I laugh most of the time and feel like I could reach more potential with straight teeth. My friends say it has to come from the inside but I still feel the need to make this investment. So should you...don't worry about the money part, if you want it bad enough you'll make it happen, besides, with nice smiles come confidence and money!
Have faith that you can fi this problem, write down your Q's and make that appt.! Im still waiting to get mine on though, counting down the days!
I too put my hand over my mouth when I laugh most of the time and feel like I could reach more potential with straight teeth. My friends say it has to come from the inside but I still feel the need to make this investment. So should you...don't worry about the money part, if you want it bad enough you'll make it happen, besides, with nice smiles come confidence and money!
Have faith that you can fi this problem, write down your Q's and make that appt.! Im still waiting to get mine on though, counting down the days!