Costs in Saint Mary's at a Glance
| NHS orthodontic charges | Free under 26; then 80% of the fee, capped at £384 |
|---|---|
| Deprivation | Around the Scotland average |
| Nearest practice listing private treatment | None within 30 miles on our register |
| Nearest practice listing payment plans | None within 30 miles on our register |
| Practices on our register | 0 within 5 miles, 4 within 10, 5 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Remote Rural |
| Access within Orkney Islands | 35th closest to a practice of 149 places in the county; the county median is 8.4 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 near Saint Mary's that list payment plans
On our practice register: None within 5 miles of Saint Mary's; 4 practices within 10 and 5 practices within 20. The closest is THE BALFOUR in Kirkwall, 5.3 miles north.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Finance | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE BALFOURKirkwall | 5.3 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
| ORKNEY DENTALKirkwall | 5.7 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
| KIRKWALL DENTAL PRACTICEKirkwall | 5.8 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
| DAISYBANK CLINICKirkwall | 5.9 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
| ORKNEY DENTALStromness | 14.2 miles west | ✓ | – | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Saint Mary's with practices listing payment plans
The closest town with practices listing payment plans is Kirkwall, 5.3 miles north; the next are Stromness (14.2 miles west).
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
What a course costs from Saint Mary's, travel included
The fees are typical UK private prices. Travel is added for the journey to THE BALFOUR, the nearest practice on our register (5.3 miles away, about 6.9 miles by road), at the 45p a mile HMRC rate for every visit there and back.
| Treatment | Typical fee | Visits | Travel | Total from here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal braces | £1,500 to £3,500 | 10 to 20 | £60 to £125 | £1,560 to £3,625 |
| Ceramic braces | £2,000 to £4,500 | 10 to 20 | £60 to £125 | £2,060 to £4,625 |
| Lingual braces | £4,000 to £8,000 | 10 to 20 | £60 to £125 | £4,060 to £8,125 |
| Clear aligners | £1,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | £35 to £60 | £1,535 to £5,560 |
| Invisalign | £2,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | £35 to £60 | £2,535 to £5,560 |
Estimates. Fees vary by practice and case, so ask what each quote includes (retainers, refinements, emergency visits). NHS treatment for eligible under-18s is free.
What affects cost near Saint Mary's
| Cost factor | Look for | Nearest listing it | Next nearest | Within 20 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free first appointment | a free consultation | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| Monthly payments | payment plans | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| NHS treatment | NHS orthodontics | THE BALFOUR, Kirkwall (5.3 miles) | ORKNEY DENTAL (5.7 miles); KIRKWALL DENTAL PRACTICE (5.8 miles) | 5 |
| Private treatment | private fees | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| Aligner prices to compare | aligners | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| Brace prices to compare | fixed braces | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
Built from what each practice's own published information mentions, so a missing entry means not mentioned, which does not mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Price is often the deciding factor when choosing orthodontic treatment in Saint Mary's. Understanding what drives the price, and what should be included in the fee, helps you compare quotes accurately. A photo assessment helps you gauge likely complexity before comparing quotes.
Cost Context for Saint Mary's
Private full fixed brace treatment in Saint Mary's typically costs between £1,500 and £5,500, depending on case complexity. Straightforward crowding or spacing cases often suit aligners; more involved bite corrections are more often treated with fixed braces.
What's available in Saint Mary's depends on the practice, so it's worth checking directly what each one offers. Officially, Saint Mary's is categorised as remote Rural. Saint Mary's sits within NHS Orkney for NHS dental commissioning. No orthodontic practice on our register is within five miles of Saint Mary's; the nearest is about 5 miles away. Saint Mary's's deprivation ranking is neither notably high nor low compared with Scotland as a whole. See local practice availability in Saint Mary's → Costs can vary significantly between providers — getting two or three quotes and comparing what's included (retainers, refinements, both arches) before committing is strongly recommended.
Why Quotes Vary So Much
Treatment type is the biggest driver. Metal is cheapest, ceramic more, aligners and lingual more again — each appliance has different manufacture, fitting and adjustment costs.
Case complexity moves the price within any treatment type. A mild spacing case needs fewer appointments and less clinical time than a complex overbite correction with extractions.
Number of arches should be clarified in every quote, since one-arch and two-arch treatment are priced very differently.
Retainers are essential and sometimes billed separately (typically £80–£350 per arch, depending on type). Some practices include them; always confirm which.
Refinements can quietly inflate an aligner bill if capped, so pin down the refinement policy up front.
Practice location and overheads vary across Saint Mary's — higher-rent locations charge more, which is exactly why comparing a few local quotes pays off.
Typical Orthodontic Costs in Saint Mary's
Here's how private treatment costs typically stack up in Saint Mary's:
| Treatment type | Typical cost range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NHS metal braces | Free for eligible under-18s | Adults aged 26 and over who qualify pay 80% of the NHS fee, capped at £384 for a course of treatment. |
| Private metal braces | £1,500–£3,500 | No waiting list. Full arch treatment. Retainers included in good practices. |
| Ceramic braces | £2,000–£4,500 | Tooth-coloured brackets. More discreet than metal. Not NHS-available. |
| Clear aligners (non-Invisalign) | £1,500–£4,500 | Wide range by brand and complexity. Confirm refinements and retainers are included. |
| Invisalign Lite | £2,500–£3,500 | Mild cases only. Limited refinements. |
| Invisalign Comprehensive | £3,500–£5,500 | Moderate to complex. Unlimited refinements within treatment cycle. |
| Lingual braces | £4,000–£8,000 | Completely hidden. Highest cost. Fewest providers in Saint Mary's. |
These are typical private fee ranges for Saint Mary's — individual practices may charge more or less depending on their overheads, location, and clinician experience. Always request a written treatment plan with the full fee itemised before committing.
Finding value in clear aligner treatment in Saint Mary's
Lower-cost clear aligners in Saint Mary's are the right call for some cases and the wrong one for others. A lower fee can reflect a simpler case — or corners cut on refinements and supervision. A photo assessment first tells you whether a budget option even suits your case.
What to Watch For in Low-Cost Aligner Offers
Legitimate affordable aligner treatment in Saint Mary's is available — the markers of genuine value include: an in-person or photo-based clinical assessment before quoting, a clear treatment plan with defined tooth movements, a named GDC-registered clinician overseeing the case, refinement allowances in writing, and retainers included in the base fee.
How much do aligners cost in Saint Mary's?
Aligner pricing in Saint Mary's is driven by more than the headline figure. Case complexity, number of trays, refinements and aftercare all move the total. What's included matters more than the sticker price when you compare providers.
Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Quote in Saint Mary's
Before signing a treatment agreement with any provider in Saint Mary's, ask: Does the fee include unlimited refinements or is there a defined cap? Are retainers (both fixed bonded and removable) included? Are there charges for broken attachments or replacement aligners? What happens if the final result needs additional trays after the initial series?
Frequently Asked Questions — Costs in Saint Mary's
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Saint Mary's?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Saint Mary's is THE BALFOUR in Kirkwall, about 5.3 miles to the north. The next closest are ORKNEY DENTAL (5.7 miles) and KIRKWALL DENTAL PRACTICE (5.8 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Saint Mary's?
Our register has 0 practices within 5 miles of Saint Mary's, 4 practices within 10 miles and 5 practices within 20 miles. None is inside 5 miles; the closest is in Kirkwall, 5.3 miles away.
Which practices near Saint Mary's offer payment plans?
None of the practices within 30 miles mentions finance or monthly payments in its published information, though many offer them on request.
Which NHS body covers Saint Mary's for dental care?
Saint Mary's sits within NHS Orkney for NHS dental commissioning.
What kind of area is Saint Mary's?
By ONS classification, Saint Mary's falls under remote Rural.
How deprived is Saint Mary's compared with the rest of Scotland?
By the national deprivation index, Saint Mary's is close to the Scotland average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
What towns are near Saint Mary's?
Foubister, Northtown, Tankerness are within easy reach of Saint Mary's.
How does case complexity affect cost?
More complex cases need more clinical time, more visits, and sometimes extra procedures like extractions — a mild spacing case costs a lot less than a complex overbite correction. Confirm the quote actually covers your full case, not just a simple scenario.
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.
Costs Across Orkney Islands
Explore costs information for other towns and cities in Orkney Islands — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: