Braces in Longside at a Glance
| Nearest practice listing fixed braces | Bridge of Don Dental & Aesthetic Clinic, Bridge of Don — 24.3 miles |
|---|---|
| Nearest practice listing NHS | GC DENTAL MINTLAW, Mintlaw — 2.5 miles; 4 within 10 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Aberdeen Dental School, Aberdeen — about 26 miles |
| Area type (ONS) | Accessible Rural |
| Deprivation | Around the Scotland average |
| Access within Aberdeenshire | 139th closest to a practice of 487 places in the county; the county median is 4.3 miles |
Sources: Census 2021 (NOMIS), DfE Get Information About Schools, ONS geography, UK NHS dental charge schedules and our orthodontic practice register. Distances are straight-line.
Practices offering braces near Longside
On our practice register: 1 practice within 5 miles of Longside, 4 practices within 10 and 13 practices within 20. The closest is GC DENTAL MINTLAW, 2.5 miles west. Few practices near here mention fixed braces in their published information, so this lists the nearest of any kind.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Braces | Aligners | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC DENTAL MINTLAWMintlaw | 2.5 miles west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| QUEEN STREET DENTAL PRACTICEPeterhead | 5.8 miles east | ✓ | – | – | – |
| PETERHEAD DENTAL AND IMPLANT CENTREPeterhead | 6.0 miles east | ✓ | – | – | – |
| BUCHAN BRAES DENTAL CLINICBoddam | 6.7 miles south-east | ✓ | – | – | – |
| SCHOOLHILL DENTAL PRACTICEEllon | 11.7 miles south-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| FAITHLIE DENTAL PRACTICEFraserburgh | 11.9 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Longside with orthodontic practices
The closest town with orthodontic practices is Mintlaw, 2.5 miles west; the next are Peterhead (5.8 miles east) and Boddam (6.7 miles south-east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Mintlaw | 1 | 2.5 miles west |
| Peterhead | 2 | 5.8 miles east |
| Boddam | 1 | 6.7 miles south-east |
| Ellon | 2 | 11.7 miles south-west |
| Fraserburgh | 4 | 11.9 miles north |
| Oldmeldrum | 1 | 19.2 miles south-west |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Bracket-and-wire braces have quietly evolved into lighter, faster, more comfortable systems. Patients across Longside can access the full range, from traditional metal to discreet ceramic and hidden lingual systems. Because they act around the clock, they treat cases that removable appliances struggle with. Typical treatment spans roughly one to two years, depending on complexity.
Types of Braces Available in Longside
Metal braces are the benchmark treatment: small steel brackets, an archwire, and regular adjustments. They suit all case types and are the least expensive private option, as well as the NHS standard.
Ceramic braces are functionally the same as metal with clear or tooth-coloured brackets. Much less conspicuous in photos, slightly pricier, and a little more prone to staining from tea, coffee and coloured foods.
Lingual braces are placed behind the teeth and cannot be seen from outside. Fitting is specialist work, the cost is highest, and most patients adapt to the feel and speech changes within a few weeks.
Self-ligating braces replace the elastic ligature with a built-in clip, which lowers friction and can mean fewer appointments. Many practices in Longside offer them in both metal and ceramic finishes.
Local Context for Longside
Orthodontic practices in and around Longside vary in the treatments and appointment types they offer. ONS classifies Longside as accessible Rural. For NHS dental services, Longside falls under NHS Grampian. Longside sits close to the Scotland average for deprivation. For hospital-based orthodontic care, Longside is about 26 miles from Aberdeen Dental School in Aberdeen. No orthodontic practice is recorded in Longside. The nearest we do hold are GC DENTAL MINTLAW, about 2 miles away; QUEEN STREET DENTAL PRACTICE in Peterhead, about 6 miles away; and BUCHAN BRAES DENTAL CLINIC in Boddam, about 7 miles away. Mild-to-moderate crowding or spacing is often suitable for clear aligners, while more complex cases are more commonly recommended fixed braces.
NHS orthodontic waiting times in Aberdeenshire vary significantly by practice and by how the referral was made. Private treatment can usually begin within a few weeks of the initial consultation.
Private brace costs in Longside generally sit between £1,500 and £5,500. Many practices offer 0% or low-interest payment plans spread over 12 to 24 months.
Picking the Right Orthodontist in Longside
Before choosing a Longside practice, check the fee is genuinely all-inclusive — records, adjustments, retainers and emergency visits — and that you're given a written breakdown, not just a headline price.
Specialist orthodontists hold the MOrth qualification — three years of postgraduate training beyond dental school — and are worth it for complex cases; a trained general dentist can be a good fit for straightforward crowding.
Jaw Problems & Treatment in Longside
Not all orthodontic problems are purely about tooth position. Some patients in Longside have jaw discrepancies that can't be corrected by moving teeth alone. This guide explains TMJ, skeletal bites and when orthognathic surgery is involved.
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders
The TMJ joints connect the lower jaw to the skull on either side of the face. TMJ disorder (TMJD) symptoms include: jaw or facial pain particularly on waking; clicking or popping sounds when opening or closing the mouth; limited mouth opening; headaches at the temples; and earache without infection.
Braces for Teenagers in Longside
Getting the timing right in the teenage years pays off for years afterwards. It can have a lasting positive impact on confidence, dental health and facial development. A photo assessment is a low-pressure first step for a hesitant teenager.
Should Teenagers Choose Aligners or Fixed Braces?
This depends on both clinical suitability and the teenager's temperament. Fixed braces work around the clock with no patient compliance required — ideal for those who might forget or avoid wearing their aligners. Aligners are appealing for teenagers who are highly motivated, concerned about appearance, and reliable about their daily wearing hours.
Crowding, Bites & Spacing in Longside
Many people in Longside live with orthodontic problems without realising there are effective solutions. They affect chewing, speech and long-term dental health, not just appearance. A photo assessment can give you an early steer on what you're dealing with.
Orthodontic Problems in Longside — Local Context
Appointment availability and the range of treatments on offer both vary practice to practice around Longside. Longside — accessible Rural by ONS classification — is covered by NHS Grampian for NHS dentistry. Longside's deprivation ranking is neither notably high nor low compared with Scotland as a whole. Complex cases can be referred to a hospital orthodontic department; the nearest university dental hospital to Longside is Aberdeen Dental School in Aberdeen, about 26 miles away. Crowding is the most common presenting problem across the UK. Straightforward crowding or spacing cases often suit aligners; more involved bite corrections are more often treated with fixed braces.
Frequently Asked Questions — Braces in Longside
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Longside?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Longside is GC DENTAL MINTLAW, about 2.5 miles to the west. The next closest are QUEEN STREET DENTAL PRACTICE (5.8 miles) and PETERHEAD DENTAL AND IMPLANT CENTRE (6.0 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Longside?
Our register has 1 practice within 5 miles of Longside, 4 practices within 10 miles and 13 practices within 20 miles.
Where can I get braces near Longside?
The nearest practice to Longside that mentions fixed braces is Bridge of Don Dental & Aesthetic Clinic, about 24.3 miles to the south.
Who commissions NHS dentistry in Longside?
NHS dental commissioning in Longside falls under NHS Grampian.
Is Longside rural or urban?
ONS classifies Longside as accessible Rural.
How deprived is Longside compared with the rest of Scotland?
By the national deprivation index, Longside is close to the Scotland average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
Which towns are close to Longside?
Durie, Kinknockie, Rora are within easy reach of Longside.
Can I eat normally with braces?
Most foods are fine, but you should avoid hard, sticky, or chewy foods that can damage brackets or get trapped in the brace. Crunchy raw vegetables, hard sweets, chewing gum, and hard crusty bread should be cut up or avoided. Your orthodontist will give a full guidance list at fitting.
Last updated: October 2026, compiled by the Virtual Consultant Online editorial team from our practice register and public data. Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice; it is not reviewed by a clinician. Sources: NHS, General Dental Council. How we compile our information.
Braces Across Aberdeenshire
Explore braces information for other towns and cities in Aberdeenshire — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: