Costs in The Braids at a Glance
| NHS orthodontic charges | Free under 26; then 80% of the fee, capped at £384 |
|---|---|
| Deprivation | Less deprived than most of Scotland |
| Nearest practice listing private treatment | Southside Dental Care, Edinburgh — 1.1 miles; 5 within 10 miles |
| Nearest practice listing payment plans | Ardmillan Orthodontics Ltd, Edinburgh — 1.6 miles |
| Practices on our register | 123 within 5 miles, 146 within 10, 240 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Large Urban Areas |
| Access within City of Edinburgh | 70th closest to a practice of 118 places in the county; the county median is 0.4 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 The Braids that list payment plans
On our practice register: 123 practices within 5 miles of The Braids, 146 practices within 10 and 240 practices within 20. The closest is 31 MORNINGSIDE DRIVE in Edinburgh, 0.5 miles north-west. The nearest that mentions finance or monthly payments is Ardmillan Orthodontics Ltd, 1.6 miles north-west.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Finance | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 MORNINGSIDE DRIVEEdinburgh | 0.5 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| 27 COMISTON ROADEdinburgh | 0.5 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| EH10 DENTALEdinburgh | 0.6 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| MORNINGSIDE DENTAL CAREEdinburgh | 0.8 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| CHURCH HILL DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 0.9 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| LINKS DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.1 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to The Braids with practices listing payment plans
The closest town with practices listing payment plans is Edinburgh, 0.5 miles north-west; the next are Colinton (1.3 miles south) and Danderhall (1.3 miles east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | 26 | 0.5 miles north-west |
| Colinton | 3 | 1.3 miles south |
| Danderhall | 1 | 1.3 miles east |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of The Braids
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Edinburgh Dental (4.9 from 806 reviews), 1.3 miles north-east.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh DentalEdinburgh | 4.9 (806 reviews) | 1.3 miles north-east |
| Southside Dental CareEdinburgh | 4.8 (437 reviews) | 1.1 miles north-east |
| Edinburgh OrthodonticsEdinburgh | 4.8 (190 reviews) | 1.5 miles north |
| Ardmillan Orthodontics LtdEdinburgh | 4.5 (68 reviews) | 1.6 miles north-west |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
What a course costs from The Braids, travel included
The fees are typical UK private prices. Travel is added for the journey to 31 MORNINGSIDE DRIVE, the nearest practice on our register (under a mile away, about 0.7 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 | £5 to £10 | £1,505 to £3,510 |
| Ceramic braces | £2,000 to £4,500 | 10 to 20 | £5 to £10 | £2,005 to £4,510 |
| Lingual braces | £4,000 to £8,000 | 10 to 20 | £5 to £10 | £4,005 to £8,010 |
| Clear aligners | £1,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | under £10 | £1,500 to £5,500 |
| Invisalign | £2,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | under £10 | £2,500 to £5,500 |
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 The Braids
| 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 | Ardmillan Orthodontics Ltd, Edinburgh (1.6 miles) | none other | 1 |
| NHS treatment | NHS orthodontics | 31 MORNINGSIDE DRIVE, Edinburgh (under a mile) | 27 COMISTON ROAD (under a mile); EH10 DENTAL (under a mile) | 27 |
| Private treatment | private fees | Southside Dental Care, Edinburgh (1.1 miles) | Edinburgh Dental (1.3 miles); Edinburgh Orthodontics (1.5 miles) | 5 |
| Aligner prices to compare | aligners | Ardmillan Orthodontics Ltd, Edinburgh (1.6 miles) | Bite Dentistry (1.6 miles) | 2 |
| 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.
Orthodontic treatment costs in The Braids vary widely by treatment type, case complexity and practice. Case complexity, appliance type and inclusions all move the total up or down. A photo assessment helps you gauge likely complexity before comparing quotes.
Orthodontic Payment Plans in The Braids
Spreading the cost of orthodontic treatment over monthly payments makes even higher-cost options such as Invisalign or ceramic braces more manageable. Most practices in The Braids offer payment plans — ask whether they are 0% interest, what deposit is required, and whether payments continue if treatment takes longer than planned.
NHS treatment is 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.
Cost Context for The Braids
Private full fixed brace treatment in The Braids typically costs between £1,500 and £5,500, depending on case complexity. Whether aligners or fixed braces are recommended usually comes down to case complexity rather than personal preference alone.
Provision in The Braids varies by practice — it's worth comparing more than one before committing. By ONS classification, The Braids falls under large Urban Areas. For NHS dental services, The Braids falls under NHS Lothian. The Braids has 123 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 97% of towns in Scotland. The Braids's deprivation ranking places it in a less deprived band than most of Scotland. Complex cases can be referred to a hospital orthodontic department; the nearest university dental hospital to The Braids is Dundee Dental Hospital in Dundee, about 38 miles away. See local practice availability in The Braids → 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 matters most. The gap between metal and lingual braces reflects real differences in materials, lab work and chair time.
Case complexity is the second big lever: the harder the case, the longer the course and the higher the fee, whatever you're treated with.
Number of arches is an easy thing to miss: a single-arch quote will look cheaper than a dual-arch one, so check like for like.
Retainers close out treatment but aren't always in the headline fee — ask whether they're included or charged on top.
Refinements (for aligner treatment) are the extra trays that finish the result. They should be included — ask explicitly before signing.
Practice location and overheads vary across The Braids — higher-rent locations charge more, which is exactly why comparing a few local quotes pays off.
Affordable clear aligners in The Braids
Affordable clear aligner options in The Braids genuinely exist and can deliver good results. Understanding what a lower price actually buys is essential before committing. Knowing the warning signs helps you tell a good-value option from a false economy.
Affordable Aligner Options in The Braids — Local Context
Orthodontic practices in and around The Braids vary in the treatments and appointment types they offer. The Braids has 123 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 97% of towns in Scotland. By ONS classification, The Braids falls under large Urban Areas. The Braids falls in a less deprived area than most of Scotland. For NHS dental services, The Braids falls under NHS Lothian. For hospital-based orthodontic care, The Braids is about 38 miles from Dundee Dental Hospital in Dundee. Entry-level aligner systems typically start from around £1,500 for suitable mild cases. A clinician-reviewed photo assessment is the most practical way to confirm whether a lower-cost package is genuinely appropriate for your teeth before committing to treatment.
Clear aligner cost in The Braids
What you pay for clear aligners in The Braids reflects the case, not just the brand. Complexity, brand, refinement allowances and clinical input each pull the price up or down. Comparing quotes only makes sense once you know what each one covers.
Understanding What Your Quote Covers in The Braids
The most common source of cost disputes after aligner treatment in The Braids relates to refinements — the additional trays made after the original series to fine-tune the result. Some providers include unlimited refinements; others charge per additional set. Confirm this in writing before starting.
Frequently Asked Questions — Costs in The Braids
Where is the nearest orthodontist to The Braids?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to The Braids is 31 MORNINGSIDE DRIVE in Edinburgh, about 0.5 miles to the north-west. The next closest are 27 COMISTON ROAD (0.5 miles) and EH10 DENTAL (0.6 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near The Braids?
Our register has 123 practices within 5 miles of The Braids, 146 practices within 10 miles and 240 practices within 20 miles.
Which practices near The Braids offer payment plans?
The nearest practice to The Braids that mentions finance or monthly payment options is Ardmillan Orthodontics Ltd in Edinburgh, about 1.6 miles to the north-west.
What NHS area is The Braids in for dental services?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Lothian.
What kind of area is The Braids?
ONS classifies The Braids as large Urban Areas.
How deprived is The Braids compared with the rest of Scotland?
By the national deprivation index, The Braids is less deprived than most of Scotland. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
Which towns are close to The Braids?
Nearby towns include Sciennes, Oxgangs, Fountainbridge.
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 City of Edinburgh
Explore costs information for other towns and cities in City of Edinburgh — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: