helinuk

Can anyone tell me how long you wait to see an orthodentist in Oz? Are there long waiting lists or does the fact you pay shorten the time?
We have just waited 6 months for the orthodentist appointment - 11 am today -then sat for an hour waiting to see a very overworked dentist who didn't like me asking the receptionist how much longer it would be! He then looked at daughters teeth and instead of giving us an opinion as to whether she 'needed' a brace he said " if she wants one it can be done it will take 15-18 months to move teeth around its up to you and you can expect to wait like this for every appointment" She sat in the chair just 5 minutes! Needess to say she couldn't wait to leave and doesn't want to go ahead.
I am so fed up with NHS...that we are going private to give her physio for her back ...sorry thats another story. I know NHS is free but you could die waitiing for help!
Helinuk

sj oldfield

We had this with our eldest son. He attended the maxifacial unit from the age of 12, had terrible crooked teeth. worst I have ever seen. Anyway when he was 14 and1/2 the orthodentist said `He is now ready for the brace, he will go on the waiting list. he will get the brace when he is 17` My husband hit the roof, couldnt understand why they didnt put him on the list earlier. I rang my dentist and explained. within a week he had the tracks on. had them on for a year, came off last easter, now has perfect teeth. younger son had SLIGHTLY wonky teeth, same dentist gave him a small brace which son kept losing. In the end dentist chucked a track on him as well. no waiting list, just said he might as well give him permanet brace if he keeps losing other brace. his comes off in about 3 months..

The moral of my long story is go back to your own dentist see if they can help if not ring around
good luck

Aussiepeter

I had a great fear of dentists in the Uk.
Needle in start work no time next patient.
You have to pay here but the service is painless and they take
their time.
I lost a front tooth and had a plate made in December.
Lost on Monday,Dentist tuesday,plate the following monday.
I really dont think you would have to wait for any work very long.
The only pain is the bill.
A filling is about $90.

helinuk

So it cost a little more than a Nhs filling, do you claim that on your health insurance?
Does anyone have a story about braces being fitted in OZ? I want to know if I should just leave it if/when we move to OZ.
Helinuk

dotty

Walk into one this afternoon if you like. However a set of braces seem to average $8000 maybe more. One large filling last week cost me $295. However my $2000.00 a year health fund kindly paid 80% That does not quite work with orthodontists tho. Health funds have strict limits mine is $1500.00 towards dentistry a year, and thats after qualifying periods of 12-36 months.

For NHS type free dentistry, just laugh. There is a service a caravan held outside the major hospital for the impoverished. Waiting time 3 years if the papers are to be believed, although they may see an emergency at short notice. Pulling teeth and fillings is the scope of care.

School children however can get their fillings done for free at the school once a year up to age 16.

renth

Agreed, If you have the cash - "step this way sir into a very comfy chair with a TV directly above."

There is a free dentist surgery at my kids' school. My wife just ticked the box marked "do you want your son to see the school dentist?" thinking she would be informed and be able to be there with him - he's only 5 years old.

She was called to the school because he was in a terrible state, he had been taken out of the class to see the dentist who was poking around in his mouth with that hook thingy which has left him traumatised.

His last treatment had to be done under gereral anaesthetic, the cost - $3000

DianeOZ

A agree they do take their time here. In UK it was a case of in the chair have your injection wait in the waiting room whilst he did another pateient then back in to have the filling done all in all taking about 10-15 mins. Here I had 2 fillings and it took 45 mins and I was in the chair the whole time and he was chatting away about everything. My dentist in the Uk could only grunt.

I dont know about the higher cover medical insurance but ours costs towards orthodontal treatment is on a rising scale, the longer we have had it the more they will pay towards them to a max of about $2800 I think.

Di

podgypossum

I saw someone having a body makeover on one of those daft TV shows a few weeks back, and they were having their teeth whitened by some kind of laser type machine...does anyone know how much it costs to have that done?

dotty

My dentist chats away too. Her daughters private school, the ski-ing trip in Switzerland for 2 weeks (Like hey we fly to switzerland from OZ for 2 weeks) It cracks me up, people at the desk paying must really enjoy those little chats.

BJKLiffey

Hi ,

Dental treatment out here is pretty expensive, my hubby had to have 3 wisdom teeth extracted in hopsital just less than a week ago - he hates dentists and only went because he was in pain.

We had to pay for the hospital bed $690
Anethitist $400- $800 ( can claim part of this back via Medicare)
Dentist for the extraction $700

We have only been here since August ,and if we had have had private healthcare we wouldn't have been covered as there is a 12month waiting time before you can claim.

If you have children - it may be worth you looking into Private healthcare as medicare does not cover you.

Karen

S Oldfield

Both my boys have had their `Train Tracks` done here in pompey on the NHS, hasnt cost us a penny. They even have the `gum shields` that are worn at night, to ensure the teeth do not go astray............

helinuk

Lucky you:-))

Thank you everyone for your replies. Ok my first call today will be to our dentist to ask his advice re the orthodontist. Seems daft not getting it done in UK. Then I'll try asking if he will do it!
Helinuk.

S Oldfield

Dont know how much THAT one is, but I bought one from QVC (sad git I am)

Anyway has these gumshields that you had to fill with this gel stuff, then shove in your gob and leave for half an hour.
Tasted absolutely foul,(i know I wasnt sposed to eat it!!)

After half an hour rinse then brush teeth. Had to do every day for 12 days, cost £20 and a complete waste of money!!

NickyC

I am an expert in kid's orthodontic treatment. Both mine (now 15 & 17) have/had braces.

Your dentist refers you to an orthodontist, you ring them up, make an appointment (within a week - no obvious wait anyway) and you're on your way.

My kids treatment cost around $4000 each, all up. That includes everything, fitting, regular checking, adjusting, retainers etc - endless visits. We started it all about seven years ago with the eldest and we're still going back for checks with the youngest. I know the staff at the orthodontists almost as well as I know my own family!

Xrays cost extra but are covered by Medicare. The rest is all claimable on your health fund but you rarely get it all back as there's a limit to what you can claim per person per year. Most orthodontists don't bill you the whole lot in one go, but spread the payments over a couple of years so you can claim a greater total amount.

My orthodontist books the frequent, quick, adjustment-type appointments during after-school hours. It's a bit like a conveyer belt - heaps of schoolkids with mouths full of metal filing in and out. They're only in there for about 5 minutes each and only have to wait 5-10 minutes for their slot. The longer fitting-type appointments are always made during school-hours, when they have more time. Not a problem because you only have to have a couple of them during the whole treatment. Never have to wait more than 10 minutes to go in.

The whole deal at the orthodontist we go to is very well organised. They're very experienced and obviously have it all worked out so it runs with the minimum of waiting times and fuss. Have no complaints at all about our experience.