Sparkle Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I got the news from the dentist that dd11 will most likely need braces. I got my 2 boys into adolescence without having to have braces (hallelujah!), and I was hoping the girls might be lucky too, but I guess not. DD has a "trapped" eyetooth in the upper jaw and the dentist doesn't think surgery is an option, so we have a consultation scheduled with the orthodontist for next Monday. Questions: if your child has/had braces, did you get more than one consultation? And what are the major differences between the types of braces? I looked at the ortho's website and I was totally confused. I'd like to have some idea before I go to the appointment. My vent: apparently our dental insurance coverage has changed over the years. I know they used to cover 50% of the cost of orthodontics, and now it's just $1000. I guess we'll be paying a big chunk out of pocket :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 We didn't shop around. Most orthos in any given area will charge pretty much the same thing. I don't know of any dental insurance that will pay more than $1,000 for braces....it's pretty standard. Two of my three have finished their braces and my youngest will be up for his in the next several years. Expect the total cost to be between $4,000-$6,000. Not fun, but I wanted my kiddos to have nice smiles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 We got a second opinion for ds's orthodontist. The first wanted to pull a large number of teeth and brace him for 3+ years which I was not in favor of. (This is a kid whose baby teeth were crooked and didn't fit in his small mouth.) The second fitted him with an appliance called a palate expander (or extender) which actually widened his mouth. He wore it for 18 months and now does not need teeth pulled. This ortho won't put on braces until most of his baby teeth are out and he'll need braces for about 12 months. Just a note...I had eyeteeth that never came out (3 of 4). I had braces at 32yo and they cut a window in my gums to pull those teeth down small chains attached to my braces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 We got a second opinion for ds's orthodontist. The first wanted to pull a large number of teeth and brace him for 3+ years which I was not in favor of. (This is a kid whose baby teeth were crooked and didn't fit in his small mouth.) The second fitted him with an appliance called a palate expander (or extender) which actually widened his mouth. He wore it for 18 months and now does not need teeth pulled. This ortho won't put on braces until most of his baby teeth are out and he'll need braces for about 12 months. Just a note...I had eyeteeth that never came out (3 of 4). I had braces at 32yo and they cut a window in my gums to pull those teeth down small chains attached to my braces. My niece had one that didn't come down. They waited until she as 16 to give it a chance to come in on its own but then ended up doing something similar to what you described. But they also had to cauterized her gum. I about drove off the road when she was telling me about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 We unintentionally got two opinions when we ended up switching orthos due to insurance issues. They both said the same thing, though. Our insurance paid about $1500 of the $5000 cost. We paid a chunk up front and pay $100/month. It's so worth it; ds's teeth look terrific and they were baaaad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 This is all good info. Thanks, ladies. I really thought this particular kid would be the last to need braces because she seems to have so much space between her teeth, and they are all nice and straight. But she had that one tooth that was taking forever to come in, and it just finally started to in the last couple of weeks. The dentist showed me the x-ray, and yes, it is wedged in between the two adjacent teeth. Anyway, I'm curious to know what the ortho says. Hopefully he doesn't recommend anything too drastic. I do want her to have a nice smile and pretty teeth, so the money is worth it. Teeth are such funny things. My ds15 had the most messed up adult teeth when they first started growing in, and I thought for sure he would need braces. But lo and behold, they miraculously straightened themselves out and grew in perfectly. I guess you never know :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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