How much do braces cost?

[tw1nsmom]

I've got two in braces right now. The total for both was $11000 and insurance paid $500 each. With the cash and sibling discounts, our total out-of-pocket is $9800.

That's pretty much what we'll be shelling out next month. Ah...the pleasure of twins. Double the fun and double the expenses happening at the same time. It took a few days for DH to get over the shock.

 

[Cat0727]

I know someone who went to a well-respected, very good orthodontist on 5th Avenue downtown and she paid $8700 for ceramic uppers and metal lowers.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

I currently have 3 in treatment:

DS13 - 15 months of braces, top and bottom, and retainer - 3000
DS11 - 2 years of braces, top and bottom, and retainer - 4400
DS8 - Phase 1 to include braces top and bottom for a year, plus palate expander - $2000

Our insurance covers half, or up to $1500 per child. So, my youngest still has $500 left on his benefit to use for the eventual Phase 2

 

[scrapquitler]

OK so $6300 is high, add on the $300 I just spent to have images taken and we are up at $6600. I thought it was a bit much

That is pretty much what we paid.

 

[cassandrap83]

All dental and orthodontic services are a racket.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We shopped around for ortho with my one DSD. Once we found a good one we stuck with him for my DD. Insurance covered $2000. I pay $100 a month for 18 months on top of that. And then I had to pay for the xrays and initial deposit which I want to say was around $850. So probably just under $5k. She's had them on for just about a year. She's very diligent with everything so they are moving along nicely. Thank heavens!!! Her older sister couldn't be bothered using the rubberbands like she was supposed to so she ended up with an extra 2 months.

This will cover her initial retainers as well when she gets them. The ortho has a reward system set up for the kids. They receive wooden nickels if 1) they are on time for the appt., 2) they didn't break anything and 3) if their teeth are clean. When the braces get removed they cash them in for gift cards.

 

[minkydog]

Both my older kids were in braces twice. I'd estimate that we have at least $15,000 into their mouths

 

[minkydog]

Oops double post

 

[jen1977]

We will be putting braces on our oldest in Jan/Feb. our initial quote was $5,400 including all retainers, tooth reshaping, and an expensive electric toothbrush made for braces. We were planning on getting a quote from a third dr, but my son was really comfortable with this ortho, not at all with the first we visited. We are hoping to get a discount for paying cash up front.

 

[pacrosby]

All dental and orthodontic services are a racket.

Absolutely. And they are becoming more and more of a cosmetic service. So many things that that suggested and people agree to pay for are not really necessary...unless you hope to be a Hollywood celebrity. Perfect teeth, perfect noses, perfect ****s, perfect everything. Ugh.

My kids will need some sort of orthodontia, no doubt, but I am not signing on to a full mouth of appliances for umpteen years to the tune of 5+ K (multiplied by 4 kids ). They will get what they 'need' not what the orthodontist 'can offer'. Most adults I know do not have perfect teeth...eventhough many of them did at one time (teeth can still move in adulthood even if braces have straightened them out in childhood) and you know what? They are fully functioning, attractive human beings.....overbites, crooked teeth and all. Go figure.

ETA: and before I get flamed, I am not talking about the extreme cases. Obviously there are some mouths that need extreme orthodonture but I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that the majority could probably do with considerably less than they pay for and be no worse off in long run. Including my 15 yo niece who has had some sort of applicance in her mouth since she was 7 yrs old!

 

[mjkacmom]

Absolutely. And they are becoming more and more of a cosmetic service. So many things that people agree to pay for are not really necessary...unless you hope to be a Hollywood celebrity. Perfect teeth, perfect noses, perfect ****s, perfect everything. Ugh.

My kids will need some sort of orthodonture, no doubt, but I am not signing on to a full mouth of appliances for umpteen years to the tune of 5+ K (multiplied by 4 kids ). They will get what they 'need' not what the orthodontist 'can offer'. Most adults I know do not have perfect teeth...eventhough many of them did at one time (teeth can still move in adulthood even if braces have straightened them out in childhood) and you know what? They are fully functioning, attractive human beings.....overbites, crooked teeth and all. Go figure.

Yes, adults have crooked teeth, but they won't when our kids are adults. I love watching 80's movies and shows - boy, even actors had some crooked teeth. I can't imagine you will find an orthodontist who will only do some work. Ds14's teeth LOOK straight, but after seeing xrays, he has some molars facing the wrong way in the back, and his bite is off.

DH had straight teeth when me met (age of 12). My kids are horrified at his bottom teeth now. I had braces, and my teeth are still perfect. Only one of my kids doesn't need them (the orthodontist took xrays, and says she is fine).

 

[pacrosby]

I had braces, and my teeth are still perfect.

That may be true for you but I know plenty of people whose experience has been different (including my own).

And while it is true that if orthodontists had their way there wouldn't be a mouth anywhere with a crooked tooth when our kids' grow up, that will never be reality. Many people can't afford them. And some who actually can aren't jumping on the band wagon. There will always be crooked teeth and overbites. Just like there will always be big noses, women with A cups and crows feet.

 

[Princess Dolly]

Absolutely. And they are becoming more and more of a cosmetic service. So many things that that suggested and people agree to pay for are not really necessary...unless you hope to be a Hollywood celebrity. Perfect teeth, perfect noses, perfect ****s, perfect everything. Ugh.

My kids will need some sort of orthodonture, no doubt, but I am not signing on to a full mouth of appliances for umpteen years to the tune of 5+ K (multiplied by 4 kids ). They will get what they 'need' not what the orthodontist 'can offer'. Most adults I know do not have perfect teeth...eventhough many of them did at one time (teeth can still move in adulthood even if braces have straightened them out in childhood) and you know what? They are fully functioning, attractive human beings.....overbites, crooked teeth and all. Go figure.
ETA: and before I get flamed, I am not talking about the extreme cases. Obviously there are some mouths that need extreme orthodonture but I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that the majority could probably do with considerably less than they pay for and be no worse off in long run. Including my 15 yo niece who has had some sort of applicance in her mouth since she was 7 yrs old!

My teeth moved, but part of that was because my mom didn't get me adequate follow up care after I had my braces removed. So as a present for myself I am getting braces once again. My extractions are scheduled for next week. Excited and scared. Part of the reason though is because the crowding of my bottom teeth are starting to cause me a periodontal issue. So this will solve that.

ETA: The cost (not includign the extractions) is $5,800 and I get $1,000 from my insurance. I will have the braces for about 24 months. The cost includes all retainers and follow up care for a year after removal.

 

[mjkacmom]

That may be true for you but I know plenty of people whose experience has been different (including my own).

And while it is true that if orthodontists had their way there wouldn't be a mouth anywhere with a crooked tooth when our kids' grow up, that will never be reality. Many people can't afford them. And some who actually can aren't jumping on the band wagon. There will always be crooked teeth and overbites. Just like there will always be big noses, women with A cups and crows feet.

There will be fewer each generation. My parents generation has a lot more crooked teeth than mine, and my kids generation has a lot less than mine. I honestly don't know a single kid with crooked teeth! I live in an area with a lot of big noses. Dd16's is questionable (but compared to her dad, it's microscopic ), and she always has the option to get it re-sized if she wants.

Most of the adults I know without straight teeth have all done the invisaline.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

My oldest dd has braces on now and they cost $5,400 with insurance paying $1,500. They have told us to expect her to have them on for two years. My youngest dd has a lot of issues with her bite and her teeth and she is going to get a palate expander/phase 1 braces in February that are estimated to cost $3,000. Ds is sandwiched in the middle and he should get his on about the time my oldest is getting hers off.

I tell my kids' they will each have an overseas vacation in their mouths by the time it is all said and done. They way I look at it, it is an investment in them and their future. One of the first thing most people notice is your smile/mouth and making a good impression is important. If we couldn't afford them, the kids probably wouldn't get orthodontics. However, we can make a few sacrifices (mainly less elaborate vacations) and still pay for the kids' braces so that's what we do.

 

[mnrose]

Twins (13) in braces. Cost me $6300 for number one, and $6100 for number two (discount...woohoo!). Fortunately, my insurance paid for 50%.

We got opinions from other orthos and they were all within $200 (+ or -) of the quote we got from the ortho we are using. We are in a suburb of Minneapolis.

ETA: We also got an additional discount for paying our portion in cash up front. The prices quoted above were for monthly payments.

 

[disney is my life]

OK so $6300 is high, add on the $300 I just spent to have images taken and we are up at $6600. I thought it was a bit much

I'm 15 and got mine in May and the pictures and x-rays i got were free. Im pretty sure mine were close to $6000 and my parents are paying a small bit every month. At my ortho its the same price no matter what kind you get so i got clear ones which i totally recommend because they dont usually show up in pictures.

 

[Pigeon]

I can't imagine you will find an orthodontist who will only do some work.

You might. I had one kid whose eye tooth was coming out at a 90 degree angle. The rest of her teeth were quite good, other than one being undersized, but braces won't fix that. We will get that attended to when her mouth is done growing completely.

He did the panoramic xray, which he superimposed on a set of "perfect" teeth, and other than the one tooth in question, he was struggling to find differences, although he talked about her "moderate overbite" a great deal.

The ortho wanted to expose the tooth and put her in a full set of braces for 2 years, minimum, with a chain on the wonky tooth to pull it into place, all for $8K.

Dh got the first quote from a different orth and this was the same basic plan at the same basic price. The difference is that when I took her to the second ortho, I prince-faced him after he gave me the 8K plan and asked what Plan B was.

Turns out, he could expose the tooth, and make a much more limited appliance that wrapped around an adjacent tooth and a tooth in the opposite side of her mouth. The chain could be attached to the much smaller appliance and the wonky tooth pulled into place. Although he predicted this would take 8 months, it took 4 months and cost about $1K.

His office manager turned out to be the sister of an old friend of mine, and she quietly told me that lots of people take a much more moderate approach, but the orthos seldom offer, you have to push a little.

Dd's teeth look beautiful. When we got the letter concluding our treatment, he stuck in a paragraph about how he would always be willing to slap her in a full set of braces so we could correct her imperceptible overbite. I'll bet he would.