It is the first question most people ask, and the honest answer is that braces are free for a small number of children and nobody else. That is not the end of the story though, because there are several ways the cost of private treatment comes down, and most people do not know about all of them.
The HSE route
The HSE funds orthodontic treatment for children with the most severe problems, assessed against an internationally recognised grading system. Referral has to happen before the age of sixteen, and most children do not meet the threshold. Adults are not eligible at all, and a medical card does not cover orthodontics.
Where a child does qualify, the treatment is good and it is free. The difficulty is that waiting times vary by region and can be long, which for a child in a growth spurt is not a neutral delay. Some problems are much easier to correct while growth is available.
Tax relief, which almost everyone forgets
Revenue treats orthodontic treatment as non-routine dental care, so it qualifies for tax relief at the standard rate of 20% on what you have paid. We complete a MED 2 form certifying the treatment, you keep it, and you claim through your Revenue myAccount.
Two things people miss. Treatment spanning more than one year is claimed year by year on what you actually paid in each. And if you had qualifying treatment in the last four years and never claimed, you can still do it now.
Spreading the cost
Most of our patients pay monthly, interest free, across the course of treatment. There is no finance company and no interest added. The alternative is settling in full at the start, which attracts a 5% discount.
Whichever you choose, you get a written treatment plan with a firm figure before anything begins, and nothing is added to it later. The fee covers the appliance, all routine and emergency appointments, your first set of retainers and retainer checks for a year afterwards.
Private dental insurance
Some policies contribute to orthodontic treatment, though cover varies considerably and many exclude it entirely. It is worth checking your own policy directly rather than assuming either way.
So what does it actually come to?
That depends on your teeth, which is why we quote after examining you rather than before. What we can say is that between an interest-free monthly plan and 20% tax relief, the real cost is usually a good deal less alarming than the headline figure people arrive expecting.
Book a consultation at our Ballinteer Road clinic and you will leave knowing exactly what your treatment would cost and how it would be paid.
