Braces in The Trench at a Glance
| Nearest practice listing fixed braces | Monkstown Dental, Jordanstown — 4.3 miles; 7 within 10 miles |
|---|---|
| Nearest practice listing NHS | Monkstown Dental, Jordanstown — 4.3 miles; 16 within 10 miles |
| Nearest university dental hospital | Royal Dental Hospital of Belfast, Belfast — about 6 miles |
| Deprivation | Less deprived than most of Northern Ireland |
| Access within Antrim and Newtownabbey | 7th closest to a practice of 26 places in the county; the county median is 5.8 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 The Trench
On our practice register: 4 practices within 5 miles of The Trench, 29 practices within 10 and 54 practices within 20. The closest is M A Irwin Dental in Carnmoney, 2.4 miles east. The nearest that mentions fixed braces is Monkstown Dental, 4.3 miles east.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Braces | Aligners | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monkstown DentalJordanstown | 4.3 miles east | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.6 (30 reviews) |
| Abbey Dental ClinicNewtownabbey | 5.2 miles east | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.4 (37 reviews) |
| Paste DentalBelfast | 6.4 miles south-east | – | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (284 reviews) |
| Kennedy Orthodontics -BelfastBelfast | 6.9 miles south-east | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.8 (19 reviews) |
| Malone DentalBelfast | 7.1 miles south-east | – | ✓ | ✓ | 4.7 (75 reviews) |
| Turk Dental CareBelfast | 7.4 miles south-east | – | ✓ | ✓ | 4.2 (20 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to The Trench with practices offering braces
The closest town with practices offering braces is Jordanstown, 4.3 miles east; the next are Newtownabbey (5.2 miles east) and Belfast (6.4 miles south-east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Jordanstown | 1 | 4.3 miles east |
| Newtownabbey | 1 | 5.2 miles east |
| Belfast | 5 | 6.4 miles south-east |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of The Trench
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Paste Dental in Belfast (4.9 from 284 reviews), 6.4 miles south-east.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Paste DentalBelfast | 4.9 (284 reviews) | 6.4 miles south-east |
| Kennedy Orthodontics -BelfastBelfast | 4.8 (19 reviews) | 6.9 miles south-east |
| Malone DentalBelfast | 4.7 (75 reviews) | 7.1 miles south-east |
| Monkstown DentalJordanstown | 4.6 (30 reviews) | 4.3 miles east |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
For teenagers in The Trench, orthodontics improves far more than just the smile. Each option carries different implications for compliance, aesthetics and cost. The key decisions are timing, NHS versus private, and treatment type in Antrim and Newtownabbey.
Timing — When Should Teenagers Start?
Eleven to fourteen is the sweet spot — enough adult teeth in place to plan properly, with jaw growth still available to do some of the corrective work for free.
A handful of problems — crossbites, big overjets, forming underbites — are worth assessing at 7–10, when early interceptive work can head off bigger issues. Ask a The Trench orthodontist if this applies.
Leave it until growth has finished and certain corrections become slower and more limited than they'd have been a few years earlier.
Teen Orthodontics in The Trench — Local Context
How long NHS treatment takes to start in Antrim and Newtownabbey depends heavily on the individual practice's current caseload. That's a significant period when timing matters.
Treatment range and appointment slots differ between the practices covering The Trench — comparing a couple is worthwhile. NHS dental commissioning in The Trench falls under Health and Social Care Northern Ireland. The Trench falls in a less deprived area than most of Northern Ireland. The Trench has 4 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 79% of towns in Northern Ireland. For hospital-based orthodontic care, The Trench is about 6 miles from Royal Dental Hospital of Belfast in Belfast. See local practice availability in The Trench → Private treatment starts within weeks of consultation. Expect private teenage treatment (fixed braces or aligners) costs in The Trench to fall roughly between £1,500 and £5,500. Mild-to-moderate crowding or spacing is often suitable for clear aligners, while more complex cases are more commonly recommended fixed braces.
NHS or Private for Your Teenager in The Trench?
The NHS route funds metal braces for IOTN-eligible teens in The Trench free of charge, but the Antrim and Newtownabbey waiting list — frequently 12–24 months — is the real trade-off, especially when timing matters.
Private treatment has no waiting list, opens up ceramic braces, aligners and Invisalign Teen, and tends to be a more personalised experience. Payment plans spread the cost across the treatment period, making it workable for many families.
Frequently Asked Questions — Teen Orthodontics in The Trench
Where is the nearest orthodontist to The Trench?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to The Trench is M A Irwin Dental in Carnmoney, about 2.4 miles to the east. The next closest are Whiteabbey Dental Practice (4.2 miles) and Monkstown Dental (4.3 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near The Trench?
Our register has 4 practices within 5 miles of The Trench, 29 practices within 10 miles and 54 practices within 20 miles.
Where can I get braces near The Trench?
The nearest practice to The Trench that mentions fixed braces is Monkstown Dental in Jordanstown, about 4.3 miles to the east. Others nearby include Abbey Dental Clinic (5.2 miles) and Paste Dental (6.4 miles).
Which NHS body covers The Trench for dental care?
NHS dental commissioning in The Trench falls under Health and Social Care Northern Ireland.
How deprived is The Trench compared with the rest of Northern Ireland?
By the national deprivation index, The Trench is less deprived than most of Northern Ireland. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
Which towns are close to The Trench?
Nearby towns include Ballyclare, Templepatrick, Legoniel.
What county is The Trench in?
The Trench is in Antrim and Newtownabbey.
Can my teenager get NHS braces in The Trench?
NHS braces are primarily for patients under 18 who meet the IOTN eligibility threshold. Waiting lists in Antrim and Newtownabbey can be 12–24 months or more. If timing is important — particularly approaching the end of the growth window — private treatment with no waiting list may be the better option.
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 Antrim and Newtownabbey
Explore braces information for other towns and cities in Antrim and Newtownabbey — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: