Average cost of braces?

[m0mmaBuck]

I'm just curious as to the average cost for orthodontic work?

 

DS11 has an overjet and an overbite with some flaring of the front teeth and mild crowding. The overbite/overjet is so bad that his lower front teeth impact the palate, so it's not only cosmetic but a functional issue. The plan is for full braces with a Herpst (sp?) appliance for about 3 yrs followed by a retainer and follow-up visits. The total cost estimate is $5800.

 

DD7 has an overjet and needs to have her arch length expanded to make room for her teeth.... or we need to opt to pull several baby and adult teeth with the knowledge that it will result in a less full smile and a less desirable profile. The cost for phase 1 (upper expander with lower lip band thing----I forget the name) as well as some braces to help influence the positioning of the permanent teeth as they are coming in for about 18 mos and then retainersf is $2800.... And then she may still require Phase 2 braces in middle school for about 18 mos.

 

Does this sound average?

[redsquirrel]

you would be better off asking around where you live. I discovered that what we paid is almost exactly the same that others in our area paid. I have seen much move variation on this board.

 

You can always go to another orthodontist and ask for an estimate to see if the price is average.

[anotherbrother]

I think that we're located in the same state. We paid $3000 for stage one braces, and I would expect phase 2 to cost around $6000. Our ortho does offer a deal if you return to him for the second phase of treatment.

[starwarsmomma]

I recommend you get at LEAST 3 opinions.

 

No two treatment plans are the same. No two kids' teeth are going to be the same.

 

But I will tell you we had quotes for my kid that ranged from $4000-8000. In the end, we went with an ortho who had an excellent reputation (I did alot of research and asking around) that was middle on pricing. While we don't have alot of money, a GOOD doctor is worth something in this situation.

 

Youngest had quotes for $2000-4000, but his teeth aren't as bad as his brothers. We'll start his braces next year (waiting for the medical flex spending to kick in fo rnext year, LOL)

[sassenach]

If you aren't limited by insurance, I would also recommend getting more than 1 eval. That said, the price sounds pretty typical to me. We are limited to 1 office by our insurance. Thankfully, I really like the office. Our share of cost is $3500 for dd, who sounds similar to your 11yo. I think full price would have been around 7k (which is typical for our area). So much depends on local COL.

[m0mmaBuck]

The orthodontist we went to first was recommended both by DH and my dentist as well as by the kids' dentist. I plan to check into a few more around town before committing. Thanks!

[Alison in KY]

That sounds similiar to what we are paying. The 2 phase is more expensive, by around 800 dollars. My son's braces with the herpst was about 5000. We also get a $250 discount for each family member who has braces. So far, my husband and 2 kids have had braces, so that is 750 off of number 4's braces. Our ortho charges the same...or it's been the same charge for each of my kids, but I also think their mouth issues are the same.

[texasmama]

$5800 for older son, whose mouth is a hot mess. We are about a year into the process. Every time I see his x rays, I get depressed all over again. A hot mess, I tell you.

[Ali in OR]

The rates sound pretty reasonable to me. We have a relatively short phase 1 that was somewhere around $3k (a little more I think) for 12-15 months. Both that kid's phase 2 and other dd's single two year phase are somewhere between $5k and $6k.

[hsmamainva]

My 13yo is getting braces in 3 weeks.

 

$4900 is the price we received (we live in Virginia) ... and he'll wear them for about 2 years. We pay a $500 downpayment the day they put the braces on and $183 per month for the next 2 years (interest-free)

 

So see if there's some sort of payment plan offered by the orthodontist....and find out if there's anything additional that needs to be done (teeth that need to pulled, for instance, will increase the bill. My son didn't need any teeth pulled so we're just paying for the braces themselves).

 

He'll then wear a retainer for another 12-18 months after the braces come off.

[LucyStoner]

I wrote a check for $1200 IIRC the day they started my treatment and we are paying $155 a month interest free for 24 months. My braces will come off this summer. A touch less than $5000 I guess. I received many estimates and there was a variation in suggested treatment and in cost. One place quoted more like $7500. This includes the permanent retainer they will place on the back of my lower 4 teeth and the normal retainer they will want me to wear for quite a while. Perhaps permanently, though I may need to have it remade at some point. She also made me a sport mouth guard at no additional cost for roller derby practice.

 

ETA: Oh, I forget my insurance is paying $1500. So more like $6400 total. We make the payments from our flex spending account.

[Freckles]

My older daughter's cost about $2000, but hers were done outside of the USA for the most part. MY dd11 has her braces on right now. They were a little over 4200 for 2 years of adjustments. Insurance covered 2000, and our tax refund is paying off the rest this week. I'm so excited!

[Night Elf]

My ds16 will have his for (estimated) 2.5 years. The cost was about $5500 and our insurance paid a one-time fee of $1500. We put down a deposit and make monthly payments. Our additional expense was the oral surgery required to expose and bracket the two eye teeth impacted in the roof of his mouth, one of the major reasons he had to get braces. The other reason is that he had an underbite. That part is looking good already.

[G5052]

Yes, get more estimates if you can. In our area, the estimates are free or low cost ($30). This is a lot of money, and you'll be with them for years. If you can get some recommendations from people you know, that really is best. Ask things like this:

 

How responsive are they to phone calls?

If something breaks, how soon can they get you in?

How many days a week is the office staffed (important if they have more than one office)?

If there is more than one doctor, do you like all of them?

 

We looked at three, and the one we went with was actually not the cheapest and is the furthest away. However, I have half a dozen friends who go there and swear by them. They return calls pronto even on weekends, and get you in right away for repairs. The office we go to has a doctor there 3 days a week, and the office that would be 15 minutes further than that one is staffed 5 days a week. We like all of the doctors. And they are the only office in our area who does "one price" work. They set a price and then guarantee that everything will be covered, even if treatment takes longer or requires other approaches. Of course that price doesn't count if the kid doesn't brush or breaks things because they aren't following the food restrictions.

 

We're almost done with one, and the other has another 2 years or so.

[AngelaNYC]

Dd(16)'s braces were $5300. She got metal bottom braces and clear ceramic top braces (which added another $500, but looked so much nicer) In total it came to $5800. Our insurance covered $1500 which brought it down to $4300. After an initial $500 payment, we paid $150/month for about 2 years (which is when her braces came off). Her retainer and the 3rd year's follow up visits were at no additional charge.