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Why are braces not free for 18 year olds on the NHS?

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Reply 40

Charles III

Original post by Blackstarr

Stupid question i know, but i want to know why.

we don't pay to go doctors but i guess that is entirely different?

Hello!

Just moved this over to Health which is more appropriate for this question :h:

Cheers!
Ethan

Reply 41

Blackstarr

[QUOTE=TheonlyMrsHolmes;65581667]18-24 months is how long I'm going to have them on for.

Is that what you mean?

I mean my treatment started at 17, that is why I had my last tooth pulled out to prepare for braces.

All for free?

Wow, lucky you.

Reply 42

Wellzi

The same reason you can't get a boob job.

Reply 43

Athy_Obelia

Original post by Blackstarr

Stupid question i know, but i want to know why.

we don't pay to go doctors but i guess that is entirely different?

apparently when before u get braces, they check how good or bad ur teeth are and they rank you.
This means that if your orthodontist judges you that you're teeth aren't too bad, they make you pay.
If it's bad, they do it for free. This is what happened to my friend, her teeth are really neat but she has a gap on her front teeth. But the dentist said they aren't too bad so they said she needs to pay if she wants braces.

But this is when we were 15. Idk if they have the same kind of rules above 16... since you are considered an adult around 18

Reply 44

Athy_Obelia

Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes

18-24 months is how long I'm going to have them on for.

Is that what you mean?

I mean my treatment started at 17, that is why I had my last tooth pulled out to prepare for braces.

I started 16 but nothing happened...
I only need them for a year

Reply 45

Anonymous #1

The same reason it costs me some £40 a month and a further £30 every 3-6 months just to be able to see further than about 10cm in front of my face. If I don't have it, I won't be able to find my way to the other side of the room, and that's tough luck.

There's all the more reason to pay for braces, since they're optional. Plus, once you're a grown adult your teeth will take forever to straighten, so it would cost the a lot NHS more.

Reply 46

book-obsessed

Original post by Wellzi

The same reason you can't get a boob job.

Actually a friend of mine ( who turned 17 last month btw) is going to get a boob job this August, free on the NHS, because one of her boobs is two cups bigger than the other and she claimed that it affected her social life and mental health negatively.

So what do ya know :u:

Reply 47

NOT_AGUY

Original post by eternalhinch

They rejected me braces saying i have to pay for them myself

What if I'm refused NHS braces?If you think you or your child is being refused NHS treatment unfairly or the waiting list for treatment is unreasonably long, contact your local branch of NHS England, Health in Wales and NHS Health Scotland.

Reply 48

scrotgrot

Because it is a cosmetic procedure I expect. If your teeth are so crooked you are having some kind of medical problem then in principle the NHS should cover it.

Reply 49

cherryred90s

Original post by book-obsessed

That's not the same as simply wanting bigger boobs

Reply 50

book-obsessed

Original post by cherryred90s

That's not the same as simply wanting bigger boobs

Oh I know, it's just that the person in question seemed to be implying that breast augmentation is a purely cosmetic procedure, and I just wanted to point out that it is possible to get it free on the NHS. As long as you make it clear that it's for restorative purposes not simply because your friend said your boobs looked wonky, or ( in the case of braces) that your teeth stuck out a bit, for example.

Anyways my underlying point was that, in relation to the original question, you can get braces free on the NHS if you're over 18, but it has to be a quite severe case that was limiting your quality of life, i.e health problems etc