Do your kids have braces?

[Joy at Home]

Wow. I had not idea. $6500?:eek: Even with payment plans, this is goign to be tough!

[Chrystal]

Our oldest had to have it done in two stages. The first was $$4500 and the second was around $4000.

Our insurance covered $1000 of it for the first stage over 2 years and that was it.

She has had them around 7 years now and is finally looking forward to getting everything off in July. Woo-hoo.

I had no idea it would be this extensive or expensive either, but in the end it is worth it. Her smile is perfect and most importantly, her bite and teeth will remain healthy her whole life.

Our ortho had us pay $850 up front and then spread the rest over the estimated time of treatment. We paid them off a long time ago. It has just taken her a little longer to fine tune the last little bit.

[happygrrl]

Ds' braces weer around $6,000. We paid $1100 down (we had been saving for 11 months for that) and we now pay $170 a month with no interest. It is completely worth it, IMO. I was recently looking at old pictures, and DD was not smiling in any of them (hiding her teeth). We hadn't realized it affected her so much, as we were all used to it. Now, even with braces, I am greeted with a smile. Worth every penny!

 

I'll add that for all of our children dental intervention was not just cosmetic- we have some serious problems going on. I wore braces for 4 years as a child, so I must carry the blame for the genetic issues. If it were merely cosmetic I would have to think twice about the $$.

 

The financial people at the orthodontist were so helpful and accommodating; I suggest that you tell them honestly where you are financially and see what can be worked out.

Edited May 24, 2010 by happygrrl

[Brilliant]

Wow. I had not idea. $6500?:eek: Even with payment plans, this is goign to be tough!

 

Ours was about the same. Insurance paid $1500 and we were on the hook for the rest.

[hornblower]

I have two whom we might put braces on. :001_huh:

 

Wow is right. In my gloomiest moments, I think they're all guilty of price fixing b/e everywhere I went for quotes, we were getting the same price AND so is everyone else's kids! Everyone says 5-7K, regardless it seems of the type of work needed, with the 6500 quote being most popular in metro Vancouver.

 

If you have a university with a dental school, they often offer ortho programs at a discount for their students to work on. We didn't qualify for ours unfortunately.

[Karen in CO]

My dd9 is getting some early intervention braces to give her some more space for her teeth and correct an alignment problem she has already developed. These will probably be followed by more braces. The price for this is $3350 plus a $350 initiation. My insurance pays for half so that is good but has a lifetime max of $2000 per child so if what she needs after her other teeth come in is expensive, I'm never going to get a vacation.

 

I thought these were expensive, but wow - I guess I'm glad they aren't full braces.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Yup, just paid the initial $1,300 today. They ARE expensive, but for our dd it is not cosmetic. Her bite is off and she has a canine that is completely impacted. She has a LOT of crowding. I'm glad we are getting it taken care of. She has been asking for YEARS, "when can I get my braces on?" because she is so self-conscious about her teeth.

 

In a mere 27 months she will look like this: :D

[Orthodox6]

I don't remember what we paid up front for ds' braces, but it was over $1000 for sure. We then paid $165 a month for two years. He just changed over to a retainer last week, and the final payment has been made! :party:

 

The party symbolized above shall be of short duration, however. Little Sister needs to have an evaluation and probably shall go into braces very soon. :ack2:

[happygrrl]

My dd9 is getting some early intervention braces to give her some more space for her teeth and correct an alignment problem she has already developed. These will probably be followed by more braces. The price for this is $3350 plus a $350 initiation. My insurance pays for half so that is good but has a lifetime max of $2000 per child so if what she needs after her other teeth come in is expensive, I'm never going to get a vacation.

 

I thought these were expensive, but wow - I guess I'm glad they aren't full braces.

 

My ds (13) got an early intervention retainer device at 9. I was paling at the $900 price tag, but now his teeth are beautiful and he won't need braces. I am taking ds (9) in next month in the hopes we can do something similar and can avoid the $6K ordeal. I am telling all my friends that if they suspect a need for braces make that appointment sooner rather than later. Early intervention is the way to go!

[m0mmaBuck]

Our oldest supposedly refused braces when he was younger and his mother let him choose not to get them. He needs them badly. Some of his teeth are rotated 45 degrees. We had his wisdom teeth extracted (which should have also been done earlier so they wouldn't have had a chance to push his other teeth around) and had the initial visits done for his braces but now he is an adult and we cannot force him to get them. Grrrrr.... Bygones.

 

The dentist initially thought DS would need them but based on his jaw growth and shifting of his teeth as his adult teeth come in we may escape.

 

Then there's DD... The dentist talked about her needing them or needing to have teeth pulled because her jaw is small. Time will tell.

[melissel]

Not yet, but our youngest will most definitely need them (she sucks her thumb, and I can already see how it's affecting her palate). I listen to everyone's orthodontia stories so I can be prepared when the time comes! Yes, it's expensive. $6500 doesn't even sound as bad as some of the cumulative totals I've heard. Have you looked into a discount dental plan sort of thing? My BFF's daughter has had (and will have) lots of work done on her teeth, and they have a plan called DentalCall. It's something like $65 a year and you have to find a dentist who participates, but it puts a welcome dent in the overall costs. It's not insurance, but provides a discount as long as you're with a participating dentist.

[Susan in TN]

Our bill would be close - just under 6K. We decided not to go with braces, at least for now, because they would be purely for cosmetic reasons - slight overbite. She did spend a year with an "appliance" due to a cross bite, but that has been fixed and her teeth look great.

[BeckyFL]

We actually shopped a bit and got 3-4 prices. We found them to be a couple of thousand apart or more. We went with the lowest as she had a great reputation and we were very happy. It doesn't hurt to shop a bit.

[EarleneW]

Yes, we have 2 in braces now and 9 year old will need them again. It is not cheap- that's for sure!

[Willow]

No, cannot afford them.

[Susan in TN]

Then there's DD... The dentist talked about her needing them or needing to have teeth pulled because her jaw is small. Time will tell.

 

A dentist told us that our oldest needed to get teeth pulled because of a small jaw issue (he was 5yo then.) I asked my pediatrician about it and she said pediatric dentists tend to go one of two ways - lots of early intervention just in case, or "lets see how it all develops and take care of any problems when they arise." There's more money to be made in "early intervention teeth pulling" than in waiting to see how things develop.

 

We decided to wait and see, and ds has never had a crowding problem.

[KS_]

Wow. I had not idea. $6500?:eek: Even with payment plans, this is goign to be tough!

 

Yes, both are currently seeing the orthodontist. Dd will have to have 2 rounds (it was that or pull 4 permanent teeth because she didn't have enough room), and the first round is about $1800. Ds will be getting them next month and his are $5000. I think the second round of dd's will be less expensive than ds's (and there is a *slight* chance she won't need the second round, but no way to tell until all of her permanent teeth are in).

 

Our insurance doesn't pay anything, so we had been putting away extra money into our HSA for them.

[TammyinTN]

Yes our last one is in braces. We are stationed overseas and he gets free dental care/braces and its absolutely a blessing.

[LittleHouseHomeschool]

We were told that my two oldest children needed braces. But on second and third opinions, we were told that the word, "need," is used quite liberally in the U.S.A.

 

Our dentist said that more than 3/4 of all children who get braces don't actually "need," them...but rather, they make them look better.

 

Medical need for braces is based on disfigurement. But medical need and the need for a beautiful smile are two different things. :tongue_smilie:

[Jennifer in MI]

I have one in braces - his second set. First one was $800 to correct a crossbite when he was 7. Second set is $5000. Insurance covered $1000 of it. We pay $170/month right now.

 

Our second son will get them as soon as he finishes losing more baby teeth. I hope it takes a while!!! I don't want to be paying for two in braces at the same time!

 

Third d.s. needs a first set this summer for a crossbite. We hope that will be it for him. He has a big mouth! LOL Insurance should cover most of his.

[Tutor]

No, cannot afford them.

 

Ditto.

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest was lucky to have perfect teeth.

 

My middle has some crowding on the bottom, but the dentist assured me that her bite is perfect. She could go through braces (but absolutely doesn't want to), but they aren't in any way necessary for her. The dentist said that the amount of crowding she has on bottom is what people usually end up with several years after they get their braces off. She's my Aspie and has sensory issues. We're not doing braces. The crowding she has is minor and is only on the bottom.

 

My youngest has a lot of dental issues. The poor thing has already had 9 baby teeth removed. The ortho said that we may have to remove one more baby tooth and may also need to remove two adult teeth, but he's going to try to fit everything in. She will also end up with orthognathic surgery if her jaw tilts or recedes much further. Her braces are $5300 and insurance is only paying $1500 of it. We made a downpayment and are paying the rest over 18 months.

 

She has had braces on top since December. She'll get braces on the bottom next month. She had a cross-bite before getting the top braces. The top braces have corrected that, so now the ortho can start working on the bottom too.

[AngelaNYC]

My 13y/o dd is getting them this weekend. She's getting top and bottom braces that she'll need to wear for 2 years. She chose the clear ceramic ones instead of the full metal ones.

 

I was told the total was $5800. This includes everything from the initial visit, any x-rays, all throughout the 2 years, a retainer after the braces come off, and any 3rd year follow up visits. My insurance covers $1500. I'm to pay $400 the first month, $400 the second month, $500 the 3rd month, and then $150/month for the next 2 years.

 

Not so bad, imo.

[Mejane]

That seems high. My son's were $4000, and his teeth were a mess.

[xxxxxxxx]

My dd had braces...........$6000. Insurance paid for $1500. Her teeth are beautiful. Now, she needs to have her wisdom teeth pulled so that her teeth don't move when they come in. We were referred to an oral surgeon, which was fine. My dh had his pulled by a dentist and had a horrible experience. Well, total for wisdom teeth extraction is $2100! Insurance will help but we will still owe $800! Unbelievable!

[justamouse]

I have three that are going to be in braces at once, and the fourth trailing about a year behind.

[Karen in CO]

Our pediatrician and two different dentists had told us that my dd would need a palate expander and that the best time when when the canine teeth started to come in. So we finally went and since she has some other problems in addition to crowding, they are going to put bands and springs on her 6 year molars and push them further away from her other permanent teeth while straightening out the front teeth. I'm sure it would be a lot more expensive to fix once all of her teeth were in and overcrowded.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Karen in CO

[Pamela H in Texas]

My children's teeth are so minorly off (only someone knowledgeable could even tell with my dd), I didn't. If their teeth looked like MINE, I would have done it in a heartbeat even if it were $30K per kid!

[Laura Corin]

Calvin had protruding top front teeth: they naturally sat on his lower lip, rather than inside his mouth. He's had braces for around a year now. The cost was covered by our normal taxes to the National Health Service, as the braces were deemed to be a medical rather than a cosmetic requirement. The ortho is very pleased by his progress and expects him to be done with braces in the next six months.

 

Laura

[CalicoKat]

I hear your pain. DD 11 started wearing them in January. Like another poster has said "it is worth every penny."

 

DD's front teeth were protruding and getting worse--buck teeth. Our ortho said they were in the break zone. Meaning, the liklihood of her falling down and her teeth breaking was high.

 

If your kid follows all the the directions of the ortho they may be able to get them off sooner. DD's ahead of the the ortho's timeline now because she's keeping her teeth well brushed and wearing all her appliances correctly -- 4 sets of rubberbands, 1 palate expanding retainer, top braces, and bottom braces.

 

She just had her appointment today. Lots of pain this evening.

[Pretty in Pink]

I just got braces put on (myself) last week. It was 5600.00 but I got a few discounts (military discount plus discount for paying cash in full) so that brought it down to 4600.00. Yes, it's incredibly expensive!!!

[Wildiris]

We had done braces twice and the boys did not wear the retainers so I threw the money away. DD~12 had permanent teeth pulled because her jaw was too small, but she still needs braces for the small gap this created. We cannot afford braces at $5800. So DD is going to live with the gap until I win the lottery.

[Lolly]

Dd15a needed braces to be able to later down the road consider an implant for a missing tooth. Now, I am wishing I had done some thinking instead of just listening to the orthodontist and had the opposite (the lost) tooth pulled and let all of her teeth come forward. Wisdom teeth would have taken the place of the back teeth. Her tooth she lost was congenitally small anyway. But, at the time my brain was not quite functioning. I was in "let us fix her back to the perfect way she was" mode. Cost $5,500.

 

Dd15b had one tooth come in way up the gum line. It was pulled back in line with two brackets. Unfortunately, that caused one of her front teeth to really protrude. The ortho denied it was happening to the extent it was and said, "Eh, we'll fix that later if it bothers her.":glare: The bracket cost $500. The braces he wanted to use were going to be over $5,000. A couple of years later, her tooth was bothering dh. I took her to a different orthodontist. He is charging a little under $2000. It is cosmetic, but will really make a difference in her appearance. Right now, she has a bit of a chipmunky smile.

 

Ds was told he was going to need braces when he was about 10 or 11. Now, he is 13. His teeth have really straightened a lot. A whole lot.

 

Dd17 has almost perfect teeth. One tooth was turned the wrong direction. We were told it would be an easy and cheap fix. (Probably about $500.) Dd declined. The tooth turned on its own from the internal pressures of the mouth. Quite amazingly, she had the same issue as dd15b who had a tooth pulled into line from being too high in the gumline. It also came down on its own.

[MamaT]

We are on our fifth set with two more to go (one dd has to have them twice). It is SO expensive. Thank goodness they let you make payments. Our insurance does not cover braces.

 

I told our orthodontist that we should have a room in his office named for our family! :001_smile:

[DianeW88]

Two kids have had them done. Oldest is completely finished. DD has her retainer. And, my youngest will get his braces in about five years. Here in Utah, the going rate is about $4000 for the standard treatment. My insurance pays $1000. Yep, it's expensive, but so worth it!

 

Diane W.

married for 22 years

homeschooling 3 kiddos for 16 years

[Tressa]

I have had one in braces and it was $5500. That break zone that a previous poster mentioned is real. My son fell and broke his teeth. He is still going to need some work done after he is finished growing. It was expensive, but worth it. We had started saving when he was very young. All of my kids have a "dentist" savings account. My husband and I both have/had crooked teeth so we knew our kids would need braces. I hope my daughters are a little cheaper, but I doubt they will be. Then we have one more son after that. My kids have my new car in their mouth. :001_smile:

[HeidiKC]

I just got braces put on last week and my husband and I decided it is such a racket, and they must be making $500/hour or something!

 

So... that's why I'm going to be an orthodontist when I grow up!

[Corraleno]

DD7 has braces on her upper teeth because so many teeth have had to be pulled they need to keep the spaces open. I think the orphanage let the babies sleep with bottles of sugar water, so her baby teeth were really rottten. They've almost all been either crowned or pulled. It was $2400 all inclusive for the top braces for 2 years.

 

The ortho also recommended that DS12 get them for his minor overbite, but he really did NOT want braces, and it didn't seem like it would make much difference visually. His teeth are actually nice and straight — the top ones just come down over the bottom ones more than is deemed "perfect." Not noticeable enough to spend 5 grand on!

 

Jackie

[Closeacademy]

My oldest has been in braces for 1 month now. It was $5600 with insurance paying $1000. She has an overbite, canines coming in outside of the toothline, a small mouth and big teeth. She has had difficulty eating because of her overbite (she looks like a bunny). She loves her braces and has been taking good care of them.

 

Hopefully, our youngest won't need them.:001_smile: