Four year wait for children needing orthodontic treatment

Children in some parts of Ireland will have to wait up to four years for orthodontic treatment, it has been claimed.

 

The Orthodontic Society of Ireland say there are not enough orthodontists to cope with demand and estimate that the average waiting list time for children is in the region of three years.

 

As part of specialist orthodontist awareness week, the OSI is highlighting the pitfalls of going down the private route.

 

The society has warned against a “quick fix solution” for teeth straightening offered by six-month smile clinics at home and abroad. They say comprehensive individual treatment required to fully correct crooked or crowded teeth should take much longer than this.