cheapgenes
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Post by cheapgenes on Jan 15, 2011 20:57:08 GMT -5
My ds (12) needs braces. How much did your kids cost, and what state are you in? I could have them done in California or Utah, and I'm wondering which would be cheaper.
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upstatemom
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Post by upstatemom on Jan 15, 2011 21:03:56 GMT -5
4600 in NY The first quote was 5,300. The more expensive quote was from an ortho office who had weekly prizes and drawings for patients. I said, sorry I just need braces for my child, not expensive electronics for him to try to win.
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Post by kinetickid on Jan 15, 2011 23:01:29 GMT -5
My ds (12) needs braces. How much did your kids cost, and what state are you in? I could have them done in California or Utah, and I'm wondering which would be cheaper. I had braces in the early 1990s for 3.5 years. They cost around $4,000 then.
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greenstone
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Post by greenstone on Jan 15, 2011 23:20:10 GMT -5
I'm currently undergoing adult orthodontia, but I doubt the price is based on the age of the individual. I have chosen a more expensive option for $5.5k, so depending on the severity of the case, $2.5-4k is reasonable for traditional braces. Somewhat more if you're in a HCOLA.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jan 15, 2011 23:30:42 GMT -5
We are in Oregon and my DD had braces and it was about 4k and that did not include the 4 teeth she had pulled.
You say you have your choice of states. Will you be able to get your son back in easily for the regular checkups and what happens if he breaks a band. No matter how careful they are they will break a band. That is a fact of life.
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teppe2
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Post by teppe2 on Jan 16, 2011 8:07:17 GMT -5
My 12 year old (we are in CA) currently has expanders, those were $2500, dental insurance paid $1500 and I got a 10% discount for paying cash. Once he is done with those he will need braces and that estimate was about $3900.
That said he doesn't just have some crooked teeth, he has a lot of issues that impact his health, speech and the teeth themselves.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jan 16, 2011 9:23:17 GMT -5
I went the 2 phase route with both my kids and both times the first phase was TOTALLY unecessary. Don't go near the ortho and then find an older one who doesn't have loans and ex wives to pay off!!! Same with a dentist. NEVER see a young one.
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Malarky
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Truth and snark are equal opportunity here.
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Post by Malarky on Jan 16, 2011 9:56:58 GMT -5
$5,000 per child. DS was in braces for a little over two years, his teeth were offset like mine. I've managed to break 4 teeth because of it and have spent more than that on fixes for myself. Even though he lapsed on wearing his retainer and needed a special spring loaded one.(I think it cost about $250) I consider it money well spent, knowing he won't face the issues I did. DD was in braces for seven years. Not a typo. Her teeth were so messed up. She started in second grade and they used her baby teeth as anchors for adult teeth as they came in. They pulled baby teeth as necessary to make room for adult teeth. DH has the same teeth and although he had braces as a kid, the outcome wasn't so good. The orthodontist showed us a computer model of where the kids started, the stages they would go through and where they would end up. Both if we chose not to do braces vs. if we did. It was amazingly accurate. DD would have had to have 4 adult teeth removed if the process wasn't started so early. As it is, she's headed off to high school with a beautiful smile and a retainer and many of her friends are just starting the process. Our insurance changed during the process so we went from no coverage to them paying $1,000/child. It was a nice bonus.
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cheapgenes
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Post by cheapgenes on Jan 16, 2011 11:31:01 GMT -5
Thanks for responding. I think I can get him to Utah often enough. My insurance pays $1500 for CA, and 50% for Utah, so I think Utah is probably cheaper. He will spend the summer in Utah, and we go there several times per year. Good thought about older and younger doctors. Sometimes they are paying off schooling, ex's and new houses.
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Malarky
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Post by Malarky on Jan 16, 2011 14:08:00 GMT -5
My kids went to the orthodontist once a month, even if it was just for a quick check, so you might want to keep that in mind when you decide where to do it. The trip to the next town that seemed like no big deal in the beginning was a huge PIA by year seven.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jan 16, 2011 18:55:11 GMT -5
Unless you are going to Utah once a month or more often I would get the braces done in CA. If you don't get them adjusted on schedule it will take longer and cost more money. When DD got her braces they estimated the length of treatment and the cost was based on the length of treatment. Talk to other parents at the school and see who they like and don't like and why.
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Poppet
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Post by Poppet on Jan 16, 2011 18:57:52 GMT -5
Southern Calif.
First quote 7K. Guy gave me the creeps too. He is also now out of business.
Second quote 5K
Went with the second doc, she didn't want to yank teeth or bust jaws.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2011 19:11:18 GMT -5
We're in the Phase One. Expander finished, braces on till about Easter yet. It cost us around 3600 (reflects a 5% discount for paying cash up front). We started at 8. She would not have gotten all of her teeth in if we had not... her mouth was very small.
When the braces come off, they'll put a stay in retainer in untill all of her teeth come in, and then we'll see how much they project Phase Two will cost....
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Miss Tequila
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Post by Miss Tequila on Jan 16, 2011 19:24:36 GMT -5
NE PA...approximately $4k ($1k paid by insurance). My daughter also had an expander. We were told by several orthos that if we didn't treat early, there wouldn't be enough room for her eye teeth to come all the way down. She's had them on for about 2 years now and I have no idea how much longer we have. She was a thumb-sucker and she really f'd up her teeth
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jan 16, 2011 19:26:07 GMT -5
$5500 in Massachusetts with dental insurance kicking in $1000.
I urge you to have them done in California. You'll have monthly appointments for new elastics and wires. And, brackets and wires do frequently break even if the child is very careful. Then there is the issue of a new wire sticking into the child's cheek requiring a return visit within a day or two of your monthly appointment to have the wire trimmed...you will become close personal friends with the ortho and his/her staff, LOL.
We waited until age 11. We're almost 1 year in. DS had extra teeth that had to be pulled first. The ortho is now moving the correct teeth into place with the braces (amazing process!) and fixing overbite and spacing issues. It will take 2.5 years followed by a retainer.
Honestly, given how much DS's teeth and overall facial appearance have improved, it is some of the best money we ever spent! He now smiles with open lips!!!!!
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Frappuccino
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Post by Frappuccino on Jan 16, 2011 23:26:24 GMT -5
I spent $5,500 on my adult braces in California after insurance kicked in $1,000. Mine were a little more expensive because of the jaw surgery I had to have to correct an overbite. If only I had worn my headgear as a kid like my mother told me to do...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2011 7:42:42 GMT -5
I agree with those who say closest to home. It will not be a savings when you have to run extra trips to a far local. My kids actually go to the dentist an hour away... they love it there and its a good pediatric place... but its twice a year... When i decided on ortho, i decided to go closer to home, and am glad... in the last year, in addition to about 6-8 regularly scheduled ortho appointments, there have been 3 times we have to 'run in' because a wire got too short, or a bracket fell off... would not have been fun running the extra hour round trip for stuff like that...
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Post by aries7 on Jan 18, 2011 0:54:16 GMT -5
Both of my kids had braces. DD about 10 years ago and DS about 9 years ago. They cost $3900.00 each back then. This did not include the cost for DD to get 4 teeth pulled also. I agree with other posters - I would stick close to home. Not only because of the routine check ups, but brackets and wires do fall off, break etc.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jan 18, 2011 8:29:21 GMT -5
Oregon is known for being expensive on just about everything due to it's spendaholic behavior and that most people work for the "state" so have union bennies. Or they are on welfare leaving, of course, the worker bees to pay the bills for it all. Try a small town. Not sure where you live but there are small towns around Salem which is where my aunt USED to go to the dentist and now she sees one in Sublimity for a lot less.
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pepper112765
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Post by pepper112765 on Jan 18, 2011 14:11:04 GMT -5
Maryland here. My son's orthodontia treatment was $5500, insurance paid $2000. This included spacers, a habit appliance (to curb thumbsucking) initially, braces, all visits and retainer -- the retainers are cool ... not the wire thing that goes across the teeth. Puts you in the mind of Invisiligns and cost about $300.00.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2011 15:23:22 GMT -5
My story is not the norm. DS is 21 We took him to orthodontist at 10. We were informed of some genetic issues with his bite. Our Massachusetts orthodontist charged us $5000.00...Dental ins. paid $1000.00. Our son had years of palate expanders,retainers,x-rays,molds,spacers,braces on lower teeth,4 teeth pulled and enough tears to break our hearts. My son came to us and expressed a need to change orthodontist. It would be expensive to change, but Michael our son had lost faith in his orthodontist. We found a wonderful orthodontist in our area, who is well repected. We are now in phase two. Michael had jaw surgery last year and will have final one this summer He will also need a dental implant as well. Phase two is on us because we used dental ins. with previous orthodontist. I told Michael when this is all done, I will get his teeth whiten at the dentist as a gift. 11 years of treatment and co-pays for surgery will come close to $20000.00. On a happy note..our younger son has no genetic jaw problems and has perfect teeth. Our dentist told us he may not need braces.
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