Orthodontics

Orthodontic Nurses

What is orthodontics?

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry concerned with the alignment of the teeth and jaw. This aims to improve the appearance of the face, the teeth and the way they work.

We have a dynamic team within the department, and we also work in collaboration with other specialist services to enable us to provide appropriate care when treatment requires multi-disciplinary care.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals are teaching hospitals, and some consultations and treatments may be carried out by Orthodontic Registrars or trainee Orthodontic Therapists under close supervision.  Orthodontic Registrars are postgraduate trainees working in the department who are qualified dentists that are now undertaking the additional training required to become specialist orthodontists and Consultants. We also utilise Orthodontic Therapists in our team who are trained and qualified to carry out some of the practical aspects of Orthodontics under the prescription of an Orthodontist.

The orthodontic department is a specialist team that treats adults and children who need orthodontic treatment. We work at both Princess Royal Hospital Telford and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and treat patients referred to us from across Shropshire as well as from mid-Wales.

Key Info

Contact Us

Royal Shrewsbury
01743 261000 (switchboard)

Princess Royal
01952 641222 (switchboard)

Interested in working with us?

For more information about vacancies in the Trust please visit our Belong to Something website.

Associated Wards and Services

Head and Neck
Oral and Maxillofacial Service
Orthodontic and Maxillofacial Laboratory 

Our team provides orthodontic treatment to manage a range of conditions including;

  • To help with lack of space for your teeth (dental crowding) or closing spaces
  • Correcting the bite and improving the way your teeth work
  • Help with impacted, unerupted, or displaced teeth
  • Preparation for dental treatment such as crowns, bridges or dental implants
  • Orthodontics along with jaw surgery to improve facial appearance (aesthetics) and function

In order us to treat you, your dentist or specialist orthodontist has asked us to see you. NHS Dental services means that we only see the most complex patients for treatment. You can have treatment for less complex dental problems outside of the hospital.

The orthodontic team is integral to many multi-disciplinary clinics where we collaborate closely with other dental specialities.

We use the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), and the age of the patient to decide if you are entitled to free treatment.
The IOTN is a rating system. It has 5 grades, ranging from ‘no need for treatment’ to ‘severe need for treatment’. Patients must be under the age of 18 when we have been asked to see them. Patients over the age of 18 with severe need for treatment may be entitled to treatment. We will talk to you about this.

We will send you an appointment if the referral indicates you may be suitable for orthodontic treatment in our department.

Your first visit

  • Your first appointment will be to check your need for treatment.
  • We will talk to you about your health, check your teeth and may need to take some x-rays.
  • We will talk to you about your treatment options. Sometimes we may need to do further tests. We will make sure you understand what happens next.
  • We may decide that you can have your treatment with a specialist orthodontist. This will be at a dental practice. We will ask your dentist to arrange this.
  • If we feel your dental problem is mild and does not need hospital treatment, we tell your dentist you do not need orthodontic treatment.
  • We will only treat patients who have excellent oral hygiene and no active dental disease.

  • All referrals should be from a dentist only to avoid inappropriate referrals and avoid unnecessary delay for your patient.
  • We can only accept electronic referrals via REGO (England) or via the approved referral template (Wales) unless there are exceptional circumstances (such as the patient already being in treatment at another hospital and requiring a transfer of care. In this situation a letter as well as records of the patient such as radiographs and photographs would be required
  • Referrals will be accepted for advice, treatment planning and for those patients meeting our acceptance criteria, they will be accepted for comprehensive treatment.
  • Any radiographs previously taken of the patient must be included with the referral. If radiographs are taken and not included we will need to request these. This process significantly delays patients accessing treatment.
  • Patients who are not dentally fit will not be accepted and should not be referred in the first instance unless they are fit for treatment.
  • Patients should have a genuine interest in undertaking orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances
  • Those patients who are accepted for treatment will be expected to continue to be registered with a general dental practitioner and their oral and dental health monitored throughout treatment.
  • The following patients can be accepted for orthodontic assessment;
    • Patients under the age of 18 years with high treatment need requiring complex orthodontic or multidisciplinary treatment that cannot be managed in a primary care orthodontic setting
    • Referral of patients >18 years old will only be accepted for assessment if orthodontics is needed as part of a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment.
    • Patients with significant skeletal discrepancy eligible for combined orthodontic-surgical (orthognathic) care.
    • Patients with developmental absence of teeth (hypodontia) meeting specific acceptance criteria.
    • Patients with cleft lip and palate and craniofacial syndromes according to our eligibility criteria and usually only on direct referral from the Cleft Team or Craniofacial Team at Birmingham Childrens Hospital.

If you are thinking of having orthodontic treatment, you will need to know about what to expect from orthodontic treatment, the risks involved as well as how to look after your teeth and braces.

We suggest you read and watch the relevant British Orthodontic Society leaflets and resources.

If you need orthognathic treatment we would suggest you look at the following ‘Your Jaw surgery’ website

We have a video which explains more about the “expose and bond” procedure. You can watch it here

Your Surgery Explained – Expose and Bond of an Impacted Canine (youtube.com)