Can You Get Braces on The NHS Over 18?
Free braces vs paid options.
Adults are usually not eligible for brace treatments on the National Health Service (NHS).
This is because any type of brace treatment for adults is considered to be cosmetic in nature and the NHS does not cover the cost of cosmetic dentistry treatments like Invisalign.
Cosmetic dentistry is an optional elective treatment, which is undertaken to improve the look and feel of a patient’s smile.
It does not fall into the realm of necessary treatment on the NHS even though tooth misalignment can cause further oral health problems and complications.
If the NHS cannot help, these are your alternative options:
- Invisalign Go: Designed for minor, small alignment tweaks, this version of Invisalign is designed to correct gapped, overcrowded and crooked teeth. The treatment can be as short as just three months with costs beginning from £1,500.
- Invisalign Full: This type of Invisalign treatment is specifically used to treat class II malocclusions and more severe bite problems like crossbites, open bites, overbites and underbites. Prices begin from £4,500.
- Invisalign Teen: Costing from £3,500, Invisalign Teen offers our younger patients the chance to straighten their smiles discreetly.
- Invisalign First: Designed to align growing mouths, Invisalign First is specifically designed for children over the age of 10. This treatment is also one of the most affordable versions of Invisalign costing anywhere from £1,500.
- CFast: Cosmetic tooth alignment is faster with this treatment offering straight teen in around 3-6 months. Working similarly to clear aligners, CFast is considered to be more predictable and twice as fast. Costs begin from £3,000 and can be paid monthly costing a minimum of £47 per month.
- Six Month Smiles: Prices typically range from £2,250 to £3,300+
- Traditional Braces: The metal, conventional braces are free on the NHS, however, this is only the case for patients under the age of 18. However, due to high demand, these procedures often come with a long wait. The cost of traditional braces privately is similar to the cost of Invisalign.
NHS paid for treatments
The NHS has limited funding and budget, so it attempts to only supply those treatments that improve the health of the mouth.
The aim of treatments on the NHS is to establish healthy teeth based on a firm foundation so that you can eat and chew comfortably.
Treatments on the NHS are restricted to those that remove infection and rebuild teeth to restore the health of the mouth.
It cannot afford to also provide for cosmetic procedures, and so the NHS considers these unnecessary.
However, here at the Perfect Smile, we disagree with this – that’s why we provide effective and affordable treatment solutions for crooked, gapped, or bite problems.
NHS limitations for free braces
It will also choose those treatment options that are the most cost-effective and have a minimal cost of production.
However, there are multiple options for affordable dentistry now independent of the NHS that offer more discreet options for adults that are much faster than traditional fixed braces.
Going private – the benefits:
- Customised treatment options: There are now so many different types of treatments available on the market that we can choose a treatment that best suits you and your budget. This allows The Perfect Smile to formulate bespoke treatment plans unique to you.
- Use of innovative orthodontic treatments: Technologies have come forward leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. We can now be more selective in how we perform treatments. These options are not available on the NHS due to their limited budgets and are only exclusive to private clinics.
- The actual treatments themselves are cosmetic in nature: And hence are not as conspicuous as traditional orthodontic techniques like metal train tracks. We now use tooth-coloured components and transparent wires or use of clear invisible aligners.
- Treatments that produce stunning results: Due to the wide choice of products and materials, we can create beautiful well-aligned teeth that only take a few months to do. You can now have quick, comfortable, and long-lasting solutions.
- Various payment plans and financing options: We have many payment options available to help make treatments more affordable for our patients. This allows you to have the dentistry completed immediately but pay in cost-effective instalments. See 0% finance.
Call 020 7580 5370 to book an appointment.
Invisalign is the popular choice for adults
Innovative brace treatment; Invisalign is increasingly becoming the go-to choice for adults across the country.
We have provided hundreds of clear aligners for patients with malocclusions to improve their oral state and appearance.
Why is Invisalign so successful?
- Virtually invisible
- Difficult to spot
- Added comfort
- Improves oral health and cleanliness
- Works twice as fast as traditional braces
- Safe, trusted and removable
- Aligns teeth quickly
- Over six million smiles straightened
Although the NHS does not provide brace treatment to adults over the age of 18 years, there are now a large plethora of choices opened up that house a large assortment of solutions aimed specifically at adults. Read more about cosmetic brace options here.
Short term adult orthodontics is a field of dentistry aimed specifically at adults and includes brace treatment.
Discover more about Invisalign:
- Types of Invisalign
- Invisalign Costs
- Invisalign tips that will blow your mind
- Invisalign Reviews
- How Invisalign Works
- The Invisalign Process
- Why Invisalign could be better than a facelift
