How much did/do your kids' braces cost?

[PajamaMama]

(I'm cross posting from the preteen/teen forum because it feels like there are about 10 people who read and post there, )

We went to my daughter's orthodontic consultation today and I'm still reeling.

Her braces will cost us $5900. There's a down payment of $1000, a monthly fee of $150, and at the end a $400 retainer to purchase.

This man has been my dd's dentist since she first got teeth. She has had a few sort of complicated dental issues with excellent outcomes. She trusts him, and so do dh and I.

I can't help wondering if this is normal though. She does need a lot of work. He did a slide show of photos of her mouth and teeth and explained everything to us thoroughly, the risks of getting braces, etc. BUT he also explained the risks of NOT having them. She has such a serious overbite that she can't even get the bottom braces for a year, because she would just bite them off. There are other issues too...I know she needs braces. She has teeth that don't even make contact with the other teeth.

BUT...HOLY MOLY. SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!

So...how much did your kids' braces cost? How long were they/will they be in treatment for their orthodontic issues? Please share!

[CallMeMommy]

Mine were about $3000 ten years ago. Including spacers, thumb cage (I was a chronic thumb-sucker), headgear, the works. $6000 sounds about right nowadays. I better start saving now, just in case...

[aniT]

I have called around and had a couple consultations for my daughter. She really does need braces, but no I cannot afford the 1500 down payment and the $150 a month. And, that is IF we pass their credit check. : So unfortunately DD still does not have braces and I am not sure if she is going to be getting them in the near future.

Oh and my cousin put $800 down about three or four years ago so that sounds about right. I am in the Portland, OR area and she is a bit south of Sacramento, CA so its still about the same.

[OakBerry]

I paid about $4000 for mine in 1996. I did the down payment and $100 a month plan for 3 years.

[Sharlla]

That's not that bad, that's almost one tax return. At what age should they get start that? I definitely want to get them for the boys.

[Eman'smom]

You can do flex-spending/medical reimbursement (whatever it's called) to offset the cost. That would help quite a bit.

Ds is going to need braces do to a "supernumbery" tooth, I'm so not looking forward to it.

[philomom]

Just under 5K. The insurance paid the first 1500$.

[PajamaMama]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

That's not that bad, that's almost one tax return. At what age should they get start that? I definitely want to get them for the boys.

Wow, if you are getting that much in a tax return...you could change your withholding and get that money all year long...but back to the OT

My dd is 11 years old. Some of the work that has to be done will involve her 12 year molars, which have not finished erupting yet. The age to start depends on the problems of course, but generally not until the child has their adult teeth...and the 12 year molars come in around age 12.

You can get your dentist's/orthodontist's opinion before that time but that's all it will be...an opinion.

[PajamaMama]

Originally Posted by Eman'smom

You can do flex-spending/medical reimbursement (whatever it's called) to offset the cost. That would help quite a bit.

This is how we're planning on paying in part...but that money is still coming out of the same salary we get anyway, just in a different tax status...it doesn't make THAT big of a difference. We increased our allotment to that account for this year specifically to pay for the braces.

[PajamaMama]

Originally Posted by aniT

I have called around and had a couple consultations for my daughter. She really does need braces, but no I cannot afford the 1500 down payment and the $150 a month. And, that is IF we pass their credit check. : So unfortunately DD still does not have braces and I am not sure if she is going to be getting them in the near future.

I am sorry that you can't get the braces for your dd now. That must really sting. The good news is that if you can get it started before her bones stop growing it will still be better than waiting until she is an adult, and that means if you can just get started while she's still a teen. Lots can happen in a few years

[Sharlla]

Originally Posted by PajamaMama

Wow, if you are getting that much in a tax return...you could change your withholding and get that money all year long...but back to the OT

We get a little less than 5 G back. We don't want to change our withholding because DH likes getting a big return. Really if the IRS wasn't taking out their share we would only be getting an extra $80 a month.

[jellop]

I had braces as a teen (1994-1997), and my parents paid around $4500, so I don't think the price is out of range for nowadays. Of course, I do think they are way overcharging anyways, as do a lot of medical costs do. I just paid $5000 on Ds2 getting caps on two teeth (he's only 2.5yrold, so they had to do it in a hospital, put him under, the whole 9 yards - it was awful), and I was warned by his dentist that Ds2's teeth are horribly weak and brittle, along with the "worst overbite" he's ever seen in 15 years practice. (tell me about it - BF was TERRIBLE) Instead of a college fund, we're starting a "dental fund" for that kid!

Good luck with the braces challenge!

[LovinMyKids]

My son is getting braces next week. It is $5100.00. His case sounds identical to the OP's. They will be on the top for a year, then the bottom so he doesn't bite them off. Also, he has many teeth that don't align. We will pay 3800.00 out of pocket and the insurance will pay 1100.00. We get a 200.00 discount for paying in full.

[Dar]

I'm getting braces soon. I'm doing it through the dental school near us - the costs average 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of private care. The downside is that each appointment may take a very long time, and it's almost an hour drive for me... but it's still a good deal for me.

I had braces as a young teen and apparently they really messed stuff up. They pulled two perfectly good teeth and then I had one that never came in so they tried to hsvae down another to look like that one... and I guess it looked okay when I got them off but it was all off-center so the teeth all migrated out of position. So, now I need braces again, and implants. I suppose the moral of that story is to investigate your orthodontist carefully.

Anyway, look for a dental school.

dar

[hockeywife]

I was just going to say check a dental school. That does seem right though...It is expensive.

[nancy926]

Originally Posted by Sharlla

We get a little less than 5 G back. We don't want to change our withholding because DH likes getting a big return. Really if the IRS wasn't taking out their share we would only be getting an extra $80 a month.

I don't get the math...$80 a month X 12 months = $960. So how come you get almost $5,000 back? That's more like $400 a month.

You could change your withholding and put the extra in an interest-bearing savings acct. Better for YOU to earn the interest than let the gov't do it with your money!

[Shiloh]

ask around locally I live in major urban centre I paid 2500 for everything including retainers that was for 7 years of treatment as an adult, people I know have paid 10k for the same stuff in my city. My husband who has crooked teeth was quoted 1500 for six months in braces and a retainer.

But it depends on what is needed, if you need funky stuff headgear, palate expanders, tooth removals or major movement it can affect the cost greatly.
Ask around, I am not sure why my ortho doesn't charge as much as many of the orthos around here, he has low overhead (ugly office and his secretary is his bestfriend's wife. If you have a dental school close by they often provide treatment at a reduced cost but the appointments will be longer and the students will be observing or practicing....