Is it weird to shop around for an orthodontist? UPDATE

[ADisneyQueen]

DD13 needs braces. We went to the ortho the dentist recommended, he was OK, but told me initially they would be $4200 and then later the paperwork said $4600. Maybe he was just giving me a ballpark figure? Anyway, I've made another appt. with the other ortho in town that many people go to. Do you think there will be a price difference? I feel weird b/c on the patient forms it asked if she had had an ortho consultation before, so I had to say yes. I hope they don't bring it up, it's sorta weird. I feel like I am shopping around for car, but we don't have any orthodontic insurance.

UPDATE- Thanks for all the replies. I am so glad we decided to look at another ortho. We found a really nice doctor who spent a lot of time with us and had a better treatment plan and was more conservative ( agreed with us that she shouldn't have teeth out). I was upfront with the technician we met first and told her we were shopping around and heard that this was a good office. The price is more there, but she is getting damon braces and will wear them 6 mos. less, less appts. ( there are no rubber bands) and can get clear tops. It comes to $5100. The office staff was really good too.

One of the main reasons we are happy we looked around is at the first consult the tech went on and on telling us what was wrong w/dd mouth and teeth, complete with photos, dd felt really bad about it. Really, her teeth are not bad, many parents would probably not pay for braces. 2nd ortho told her she had beautiful healthy teeth and if she wanted them straighter, she could get braces.

 

[Steve's Girl]

Not weird at all! The success of ortho treatment is hugely dependent on the cooperation of the child. We "shopped" until we found an ortho that was a good personality fit for my son. It has been great. My son really likes his ortho and is willing to listen and follow instructions. My son is a bit stong-willed (understatement) and likes to "lawyer" everything. I was concerned that if it was not a good personality fit that my son may not have been as cooperative as he should to get the best results from the treatment.

 

[AJRitz]

I agree, definitely not weird. There are LOTS of issues to consider. Some are medical issues - not all orthodontists will recommend the same course of treatment (and there are a few unscrupulous ones, who will recommend the treatment with the highest profit margin, instead of the one that's most appropriate); some are administrative issues (how do they take payments, how do they structure payment plans, how do they cooperate with any applicable insurance); and some are personality ("bedside" manner, personality match with your child, communication style with you).

It's your kid's mouth and your money - treating them both wisely is being a good parent.

 

[ski070880]

Don't feel bad at all. When my kids needed braces, we got consults at 5 or 6 different ones. Some personalities we liked, some not so much. We did find that prices differed by as much as $1500 dollars. Some also worked with us for a payment plan. Hope this helps.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Along with all the other variables mentioned you also need to find out about appointment options, when my DD started 6 years ago the office had plenty of before and after school hours. Now that DS is moving out of braces and onto retainers I am glad to be done, the office hours have changes and are not as easy for us(only 1 day of early appointments and no after school hours, I think he is getting ready to retire though). You will be going to the office once a month for almost two years, make sure their hours work with yours.

 

[AmyBWV99]

Not weird at all, I totally did when I got my own braces on as an adult. I went to 3 that had good reputations and picked then one that had the best overall price (I had to get clear on top and silver on the bottom due to dental work and some wated to charge double for the clear, the one I used didn't matter what you picked the price was the same), bedside manner and happened to give me the quickest time line. One Ortho said it'd take almost 3 years and I ended up getting them off under 14 months.

 

[cogero]

We just started with the orthodontist. We were going to shop around but are happy with the quality of work at the dentistry practice we go to. So we wound up not shopping around especially after we were quoted a reasonible price for the retainer and he told us how long it would take and we are able to pay it off over the year she will have it.

Seriously it is a huge investment so there is no worry about shopping around.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am confused about something, though. Do you get a price quote w/o having all the xrays and photos taken? At our 1st ortho, they did them, never said we were being charged, and then 2 weeks later we had the appt. where they tell you the price and treatment. And that is where the price went up $400 from the first appt.

At this 2nd ortho, which we haven't gone to yet, it says the Dr. will give a complimentary exam to see if your child needs braces. Then the xrays will be $150 payable up front and includes the consultation for treatment. Is he going to give us a price w/o the xrays or maybe just an estimate?

 

[kristinw3girls]

Shop around for sure. There usually are charges for the consult and x-rays, however, there is no reason you can't take the x-rays with you to the 2nd opinion. They do NOT need to take new x-rays. People would be surprised how much price difference there is from one Dr to the next. The same goes for specialists! ( I work for one!) Usually it's the people that ASK that get the discounted rate, the rest pay full price.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

We only went to one ortho for my DS12 but that was because our dental i nsurance was limited in whom we could see. The closest, the one that we are going to is an hour drive. Anyway we had a free consult where the Dr told us what he saw the treatment plan to be we then got a paper in which the cost was out lined with payment options. The second appointment was for xrays in which I had to come with 400 or so in hand. At that point a payment plan was set up for like $100 a month (I forget the paymen as we paid it aoff already)

 

[shaylahc1]

Definitely shop around. I saw 2 different orthos for my DD, she has a complicated problem (jaw size mismatch) and I was curious as to how each ortho would handle it. Both orthos charged the same amount and wanted to pursue the same course of treatment. We ended up choosing the ortho whose personality we liked the best, and whose office was less busy (the one ortho typically has 2 hour wait times....the other guy gets people in and out in 10 minutes, literally!).

It's your money, definitely shop around!

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Definitely shop around. I saw 2 different orthos for my DD, she has a complicated problem (jaw size mismatch) and I was curious as to how each ortho would handle it. Both orthos charged the same amount and wanted to pursue the same course of treatment. We ended up choosing the ortho whose personality we liked the best, and whose office was less busy (the one ortho typically has 2 hour wait times....the other guy gets people in and out in 10 minutes, literally!).

It's your money, definitely shop around!

And the personality of the office is important too. Like i mentined due to insurance we had a choice of one Orthodontist. I like him alot I think he is great. His dental assistants are great too. However the office staff... they act like you are interfering with something very improtant they are doing. Their attitude stinks. Unfortunately they are the first people you meet when you come in and the last when you leave.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We, as well as most of our freinds, have shopped around. Money is important but not the most important part of the decission. As others have said, it is a huge commitment and you need a place that will work with and for you. We asked lots of parents that had used places and then checked out a few of them. We found a place we loved and was great for us!!!

 

[AJRitz]

Your child's x-rays belong to you, not to the doctor who took them (though they are allowed to charge you a reasonable fee for duplication, but that's usually cheaper than a new set of x-rays). If a second-opinion/consultation doc needs x-rays, you can let them view your set.

 

[wcjoey43]

in todays econonmy it s always good to shop around!

 

[Mickeyorbust]

Don't feel wierd about shopping around. We did with DD15. First ortho seemed like a used car salesman to me (No offense to used car salesmen. It's just not the qualities you want in an ortho). Oh sure the office was kid friendly, the newest gaming systems for the children in the waiting room. Flat panel's on the ceiling above the chairs, etc. He was $1,100 more than the ortho we ended up with.

Treatment varies based on the opinion of the individual orthodontist. We were very happy with who we chose. 1st one we went to wanted to start treatment at 11 with surgery and appliances spreading it out over 4 years. 2nd one we went to said no surgery and she'd be done in 2 years. Sure enough at 13 she was braces free with perfectly straight teeth.

 

[Mickeyorbust]

Don't feel wierd about shopping around. We did with DD15. First ortho seemed like a used car salesman to me (No offense to used car salesmen. It's just not the qualities you want in an ortho). Oh sure the office was kid friendly, the newest gaming systems for the children in the waiting room. Flat panel's on the ceiling above the chairs, etc. He was $1,100 more than the ortho we ended up with.

Treatment varies based on the opinion of the individual orthodontist. We were very happy with who we chose. 1st one we went to wanted to start treatment at 11 with surgery and appliances spreading it out over 4 years. 2nd one we went to said no surgery and she'd be done in 2 years. Sure enough at 13 she was braces free with perfectly straight teeth.

 

[ktlm]

It is never weird to shop around for a doctor. You want someone you can be completely comfortable with, or else you should move on down the road to someone else. Before DD was born, I think we interviewed 3 doctors before selecting her pediatrician. There was one that DH and I walked out of her office and looked at each other and both went "NO WAY!" Not only was her personality not meshing with ours, but she was in a practice with a few other family doctors and they all shared one big waiting room. I think every sick adult in town was there. I cringed watching people with babies around all the other sick people. I was so uncomfortable just sitting there myself that I immediately went home and took a shower!!! We love the pediatrician we selected! Just don't go on cost alone. You want someone good and that will get along well with your child.

 

[SGMCO]

We went to 2 consultations to see if DS needed braces for slight underbite--
it runs on both sides of our families.
Well the 1st fancy place I went to the DR. automaticly said yes (no x-rays) and that it will cost approx. $6,500.00 to expand the upper palet. Plus 3.5 years or more depending on how well it is moving.



Went to the 2nd Consult and he took a free x-ray and came back and told me
that my DS has perfectly straight teeth and that his lower jaw will continue
growing until he is an adult (so even if he did get braces and expand his palet, if his jaw grew any after taking them off, it could screw up all the work ). He told us that the best thing we should do is get an x-ray in a 1 year and get his Wisdom teeth removed so that they won't crowd out his other straight teeth. Saved us
$6,500 or more and 3 to 4 years of misery for DS.
We just got the x-ray done last week and as soon as I can get him scheduled with a oral surgine he will have all 4 wisdom teeth removed. Teeth still straight. Very honest Orthodontest and I will recommend him to anyone needing braces.

 

[PaulaSue]

Took my 3 to the dentist today. As expected he has concerns about my youngest teeth. I do to but him recommending her to go see a specialist this young worries me. she is ONLY 7.

Please tell me this is too early to worry about her teeth. (I know we will have to deal with it later but I was thinking 11-13 to start) Heck she just lost her first tooth last summer and only lost 3 so far.