Teeth Straightening

Orthodontic treatment deals primarily with the diagnosis, prevention and correction of the appearance, position and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth. Orthodontic treatment straightens the teeth and repositions them into better alignment with the jaw. Stoke Orthodontics is a leader in dental work and orthodontics in the UK, with many years of experience in the industry.

What does orthodontic treatment involve?

In orthodontics, your course of treatment is dependent on the issues with your teeth and alignment to you jaw. In most cases, a primary brace is used to correct the teeth. In addition to the brace, some cases require headgear worn at night, and it may be necessary to have some teeth removed to allow for a successful treatment. The length of treatment will be subject to on the complexity of the issues, but it’s typically between 18 and 24 months.

Who needs orthodontic treatment?

Many people have crowded or crooked teeth or their teeth don’t meet correctly when they bite – think under and over bites. It’s these issues that can lead to damaged teeth or puts an unnecessary strain on jaw muscles. In some cases, abnormal development of the teeth and jaw can impact the shape of the face. These are not uncommon problems, more than 200,000 people in the UK (2015) received orthodontic treatment.

How can I access orthodontic treatment?

Although you may seek treatment directly, in most cases, you or your child will be referred orthodontic treatment by your dentist. If orthodontic treatment is recommended, you will need to decide either to have treatment privately or on the NHS. NHS orthodontic treatment is free for people under the age of 18 with a clear clinical need for treatment – not aesthetics. However, because of the high demand for treatment, there can be a long waiting list for NHS orthodontic treatment.

If you don’t qualify for free NHS treatment or want to avoid a delay in treatment, you may choose to have private treatment. Private treatment is widely available but can be expensive, with an average fee of between £2,000 and £6,000.