Costs in The Inch 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 | Southside Dental Care, Edinburgh — 1 miles; 4 within 10 miles |
| Nearest practice listing payment plans | Holyrood Dental Care, Edinburgh — 2.4 miles |
| Practices on our register | 113 within 5 miles, 141 within 10, 239 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Large Urban Areas |
| Access within City of Edinburgh | 91st 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 Inch that list payment plans
On our practice register: 113 practices within 5 miles of The Inch, 141 practices within 10 and 239 practices within 20. The closest is 1 LIBERTON BRAE in Danderhall, 0.7 miles west. The nearest that mentions finance or monthly payments is Holyrood Dental Care, 2.4 miles north-west.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Finance | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 LIBERTON BRAEDanderhall | 0.7 miles west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTREDanderhall | 0.9 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
| BRITE DENTAL GILMERTONDanderhall | 1.0 miles south-east | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Southside Dental CareEdinburgh | 1.0 miles north-west | ✓ | ✓ | – | 4.8 (437 reviews) |
| BARBOUR DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.2 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
| PRESTONFIELD BUPA DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.2 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to The Inch with practices listing payment plans
The closest town with practices listing payment plans is Danderhall, 0.7 miles west; the next are Edinburgh (1.0 miles north-west) and Loanhead (1.2 miles south).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Danderhall | 7 | 0.7 miles west |
| Edinburgh | 20 | 1.0 miles north-west |
| Loanhead | 1 | 1.2 miles south |
| Musselburgh | 1 | 2.4 miles north-east |
| Colinton | 1 | 2.5 miles south-west |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of The Inch
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Edinburgh Dental (4.9 from 806 reviews), 1.4 miles north-west.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh DentalEdinburgh | 4.9 (806 reviews) | 1.4 miles north-west |
| Orthodontic Lounge EdinburghDanderhall | 4.9 (79 reviews) | 2.2 miles north-east |
| Southside Dental CareEdinburgh | 4.8 (437 reviews) | 1.0 miles north-west |
| Holyrood Dental CareEdinburgh | 4.6 (154 reviews) | 2.4 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 Inch, travel included
The fees are typical UK private prices. Travel is added for the journey to 1 LIBERTON BRAE, the nearest practice on our register (under a mile away, about 0.9 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 | £10 to £15 | £1,510 to £3,515 |
| Ceramic braces | £2,000 to £4,500 | 10 to 20 | £10 to £15 | £2,010 to £4,515 |
| Lingual braces | £4,000 to £8,000 | 10 to 20 | £10 to £15 | £4,010 to £8,015 |
| Clear aligners | £1,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | £5 to £10 | £1,505 to £5,510 |
| Invisalign | £2,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | £5 to £10 | £2,505 to £5,510 |
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 Inch
| 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 | Holyrood Dental Care, Edinburgh (2.4 miles) | none other | 1 |
| NHS treatment | NHS orthodontics | 1 LIBERTON BRAE, Danderhall (under a mile) | CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTRE (under a mile); BRITE DENTAL GILMERTON (1 miles) | 28 |
| Private treatment | private fees | Southside Dental Care, Edinburgh (1 miles) | Edinburgh Dental (1.4 miles); Orthodontic Lounge Edinburgh (2.2 miles) | 4 |
| Aligner prices to compare | aligners | Orthodontic Lounge Edinburgh, Danderhall (2.2 miles) | Holyrood Dental Care (2.4 miles) | 2 |
| Brace prices to compare | fixed braces | Orthodontic Lounge Edinburgh, Danderhall (2.2 miles) | none other | 1 |
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 Inch vary widely by treatment type, case complexity and practice. Case complexity, appliance type and inclusions all move the total up or down. This guide sets out typical fees, what affects them, and how payment plans spread the cost.
Why Quotes Vary So Much
Treatment type sets the baseline: the appliance you choose, from budget metal to premium lingual, largely decides the starting price before anything else.
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 should be clarified in every quote, since one-arch and two-arch treatment are priced very differently.
Retainers close out treatment but aren't always in the headline fee — ask whether they're included or charged on top.
Refinements are the additional aligners often needed after the first series; confirm they're covered rather than charged per set.
Practice location and overheads explain part of the spread: overheads differ practice to practice in The Inch, and shopping around is standard for private treatment.
Paying for Orthodontic Treatment in The Inch
Most private orthodontic practices in The Inch offer payment plans — typically 0% or low-interest monthly instalments spread over the course of treatment (usually 12–24 months). This makes private treatment much more financially accessible. A deposit of 10–25% of the total fee is usually required to start treatment, with the balance spread over equal monthly payments.
Always check whether the payment plan is in-house (directly with the practice) or through a finance provider such as Chrysalis Finance or Medenta. In-house plans typically have no credit check; third-party finance plans involve a formal credit application.
Cost Context for The Inch
As a guide, private full fixed brace treatment in The Inch usually ranges from £1,500 to £5,500. Straightforward crowding or spacing cases often suit aligners; more involved bite corrections are more often treated with fixed braces.
Orthodontic practices in and around The Inch vary in the treatments and appointment types they offer. The Inch is classified as large Urban Areas, and NHS dental commissioning here falls under NHS Lothian. With 113 orthodontic practices within five miles, The Inch is better served than 96% of towns in Scotland. The Inch'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 The Inch is Dundee Dental Hospital in Dundee, about 38 miles away. See local practice availability in The Inch → 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.
Clear aligner cost in The Inch
Aligner pricing in The Inch is driven by more than the headline figure. 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.
Indicative Clear Aligner Costs in The Inch
Indicative private aligner pricing in The Inch looks like this:
Affordable clear aligners in The Inch
'Affordable' and 'cheap' are meaningfully different when it comes to aligner treatment in The Inch. Understanding what a lower price actually buys is essential before committing. This guide explains where corners are sometimes cut and how to spot real value.
Risks of Very Low-Cost Aligner Treatment
The greatest risk in very low-cost aligner treatment is mismatched case selection — where a treatment system designed for mild cases is applied to a more complex one. Signs that an aligner package may be cutting corners: no clinical X-rays requested before treatment, no in-person assessment at any stage, no mention of refinements or a very low refinement cap, retainers not included, and no clear escalation path if treatment isn't progressing as planned.
Frequently Asked Questions — Costs in The Inch
Where is the nearest orthodontist to The Inch?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to The Inch is 1 LIBERTON BRAE in Danderhall, about 0.7 miles to the west. The next closest are CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTRE (0.9 miles) and BRITE DENTAL GILMERTON (1.0 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near The Inch?
Our register has 113 practices within 5 miles of The Inch, 141 practices within 10 miles and 239 practices within 20 miles.
Which practices near The Inch offer payment plans?
The nearest practice to The Inch that mentions finance or monthly payment options is Holyrood Dental Care in Edinburgh, about 2.4 miles to the north-west.
Who commissions NHS dentistry in The Inch?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Lothian.
What kind of area is The Inch?
By ONS classification, The Inch falls under large Urban Areas.
How deprived is The Inch compared with the rest of Scotland?
By the national deprivation index, The Inch 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 The Inch?
Nearby towns include Prestonfield, Southhouse, Liberton.
Are there hidden costs in orthodontic treatment?
Watch for retainers not included in the headline fee, aligner refinements, mid-treatment X-rays, emergency appointments for breakages, and charges for treatment running beyond the original plan — a full itemised quote up front avoids surprises.
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: