The Cost of Braces

The cost of orthodontic treatment is often misunderstood, especially when considering eligibility for NHS treatment vs private treatment and what is available. This guide to the prices of brace treatments aims to simplify these issues.

In the UK orthodontic treatment on the NHS is only available to individuals who meet certain criteria:

  1. Must be under the age of 18
  2. Must have a clear clinical need for treatment (assessed with a rating system, known as the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN).

Waiting times for NHS orthodontic treatment varies from clinic to clinic but is typically between 6 months to 2 years. Note NHS treatment is not available for those who require braces for cosmetic reasons. You can read more about NHS orthodontic treatment here.

For all other people that require orthodontic treatment or those that do not wish to wait, private treatment is widely available but the cost of private treatment does vary depending on several factors such as:

  • The severity of the individual case and tooth movement required
  • The estimated time scales for the treatment from start to finish
  • The type of braces or brace system used
  • The experience of the orthodontist or dentist carrying out the treatment.
  • The location of the orthodontic clinic where you have the treatment.

The cost of private orthodontic treatment depending on the above factors can be between £1000 to £14,000. In order to get an idea of what your likely costs are to be it is advisable to book a consultation with a local practitioner who will be able to discuss the various options and costs for your individual case and also give you an idea of approximate timescales.

Costs of specific brace systems

Invisalign - The costs of Invisalign will vary based on the points mentioned above but depending on the individual case, prices typically range from £2000 to £5000.

Inman Aligner - this is one of the cheapest form of orthodontic treatments on the market today but the appliance is limited by how much tooth movement can be generated and is not ideal for everyone. Prices typically range between £1300 - £2500.

Damon Braces - this brand of "low friction" braces boasts faster treatment times than standard braces and the costs are higher. Prices range from £3000 to £6000

6 month smiles / social 6 braces - these brace systems only focus on cosmetic teeth straightening of the front teeth and do not correct your bite. For this reason treatment times are reduced and so are costs in comparison to longer traditional brace treatments. Prices range from £1500 - £2500.

Lingual braces - these braces which are fitted to the inner surface (back) of your teeth are the gold standard in invisible orthodontics. Not all practitioners can fit lingual braces and this requires additional training to learn this more specialised technique. The cost of lingual braces can start from as little as £3000 right up to £14000 depending on the complexity of treatment and system used.

Payment plans for orthodontic treatment

Since the cost of private braces treatment can be a substantial some clinics offer monthly payment plans which help to spread the costs of your treatment over several months or a couple of years either on a interest free or low interest plan. Speak to your individual practitioner about what they offer.