Are Invisible Braces Free on NHS?
Metal braces can feel a little obvious sometimes which is why a lot of people choose invisible brace options. Although no braces or aligners will ever be perfectly invisible there are a few options that come really close and are not going to be noticed unless you point them out.
At Didsbury Dental Practice we offer some of these choices for our patients, including:
- Invisalign aligners
- Alias Lingual braces
- Damon clear aligners
- Six Month Smiles short-term aligners
Issues such as tooth misalignments and bite problems can have a real negative effect on your life if you are not careful. Thet can cause other issues further down the line too. Making sure any of these issues are sorted before they cause anything else is vital and there are so many options out there to help you do it.
In this article, we will discuss braces on the NHS and some different types of braces and how they work. Hopefully, this will set you one step further on your journey to correcting your issues in a way that works well and is comfortable for you.
NHS braces
The NHS usually can only offer traditional metal braces.
Orthodontic treatments on the NHS are free for patients under the age of 18 who have a clear need for the treatment.
Unfortunately, because of very high demand, the waiting list sometimes be quite long for these treatments. The waiting list to get braces with the NHS changes depending on where in the UK you live. In some areas, it is as short as 6 months and no longer than 2 years. Unfortunately though, in others, it is as long as 5 years.
To find out how long you could be waiting you will need to look into your specific area or speak to an NHS dentist or orthodontist.
The NHS uses a rating system called the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) to assess eligibility for NHS treatment. This system uses numbered grades.
If you want to learn more about the different IOTN grades visit the British Orthodontic Society website.
Grade 4 and grade 5 cases are eligible for NHS treatment.
Grade 3 cases may be considered for NHS treatments and will be assessed on an individual basis.
Orthodontic treatment is not usually offered for adults on the NHS and as a result, most adults have private treatment.
Orthodontic Treatment Options at Didsbury Dental Practice
At Didsbury Dental Practice we can offer you a range of orthodontic treatments that can improve your overall oral health and get you the smile and confidence that you want.
Below are some of the orthodontic treatments that we can offer to you.
Damon Clear Braces
Another type of aligner that you can use instead of traditional metal braces are Damon clear braces. These aligners use a slide mechanism which takes away some of the pressure on the teeth making the process more comfortable. The design removes the need for any metal ‘ties’ or elastic, making your dental hygiene much simpler and easier to maintain.
The brackets are designed so that they do not stain because they do not attract or collect any plaque. Damon braces can be almost completely transparent and will actually adapt to the natural colour of your teeth for discretion.
This treatment does not take as many trips to the dentist and the whole process is much shorter than that of regular metal braces.
If you would rather that they did you can get metal Damon braces. Usually, the Damon clear braces are used for the upper teeth and metal Damon braces on the lower teeth. This, of course, will depend on your specific wants and needs. So, if you choose to get Damon braces make sure to thoroughly discuss the pros and cons of both with your dentist when making any decisions.
As a treatment for straightening your teeth, Damon braces are a great clinically proven treatment option that doesn’t usually require the extraction of any teeth.
Alias Lingual Braces
Alias lingual braces are different from traditional metal braces in that they sit behind your teeth rather than being placed on the front of them. This means that they are extremely discreet and will likely only be noticed by someone else if you point them out.
First, an impression will be made of your teeth and this is then sent off to a dental laboratory and is used to make your custom braces. The braces are made with non-allergenic gold and use modern computer technology for the best results and maximum comfort throughout the process.
Alias lingual braces treatments usually take 18 to 36 months which of course depends on the amount of work that the braces are doing. Similarly to traditional metal braces, lingual braces work by using continuous but gentle pressure to slowly relocate the teeth to the correct position.
Although this treatment takes longer than some others it is still a fantastic option as they are the ultimate secret braces and by hiding behind your teeth nobody will ever even know they are there unless you tell them.
Alias lingual braces are usually used for adults but can also be for children too.
Six-month smiles short-term aligners
Six Month Smiles is another system that gently moves your teeth into the correct position using a type of clear braces. And sometimes they work their magic in just 6 months.
The clear braces used by Six Month Smiles use clear brackets, practically invisible wires or sometimes clear plastic retainers. What exactly the Six Month Smiles treatment would entail for you would depend on your case so that the best and quickest method for you to get your desired smile can be found.
These braces are as stated in the name for the short term. Along with being almost invisible, this makes it perfect for people with slight overcrowding or people who have had braces before but whose teeth have begun to move back. Although not always the case, these treatments are usually completed in around 6 months which is around a third of the time you would have traditional braces.
Six Month Smiles short-term orthodontics at Didsbury Dental Practice, Manchester can cost you as little as £28 a month and could help you on your way to solving more minor bite problems quickly.
Invisalign aligners
The way Invisalign clear aligners work is that they are made of SmartTrack which is a flexible plastic that was created specifically for this treatment.
Your clear aligners will be custom-made by your orthodontist who will start this process by taking a 3D scan of your mouth. From here they can design a bespoke plan of where each tooth will be moving with your Invisalign.
Your Invisalign tray should be replaced by your orthodontist roughly every two weeks unless an alternate time frame is suggested. The time frame that your Invisalign will move your teeth in and how long you should wear them for will be discussed with you when the plan is being put together.
Invisalign has a 96% success rate and a huge majority of patients report that their results are fantastic after their treatment with Invisalign. Patients love the clear liners and their virtually invisible nature, it means you can feel fantastic both during and after your Invisalign journey.
At Didsbury Dental Practice we offer clear aligners/invisible braces from £3950. We can also offer them at a monthly fee.
Click here to view our full list of dental fees. We believe that exceptional dental care shouldn’t discriminate and that is why we offer a range of finance options and payment plans to make all our dental treatments affordable, which now includes orthodontic treatments.
Didsbury Dental Practice
To learn more about Didsbury Dental Practice, visit our website here.
Click here to learn about our Invisalign treatment for adults and teenagers.
We offer a wide range of dental services, including teeth whitening, Alias lingual braces, Six Month Smiles Braces and Damon Clear Braces.
To find out why you should choose Didsbury Dental Practice for your orthodontic dentistry click here.
If you need an emergency appointment, call our dental emergency helpline on 0161 413 2835, or walk into our practice and we will aim to see you as soon as possible.
Visit our blog to read more articles on dental health such as ‘The role of orthodontic dentistry in correcting bite problems’ and ‘Orthodontic dentistry and your self-confidence: how they are linked’.
