Ugh,,,braces

[mom-from-missouri]

Daughter 5 is now in an appliance for TMD (similar to tmj). In 2 -4 weeks the dentist will also start putting on the brackets for braces, as she can speed up the time by wearing both at the same time.

Daughter 3 goes in next week to have her molds cast, then she will need to have a stubborn baby tooth pulled, then her braces will come.

Daughter 4 has not been evaluated with for ortho, but most likely will also need them as well.

$151.05 a month per child, which will come out of their social security checks.

Braces are $4800 each child, insurance pays $1000 per child per year towards them. So, we are timing this so that $1000 comes off by insurance this year, and another $1000 comes off next year as well. Hopefully we will be at the $2800 per child for the braces.

I knew this was coming for daughter 3 and 5, so had been setting some aside for this, but ouch. I am glad they get social security from their fathers passing away to cover this!

[LuckyRobin]

Ouch. I guess the moral of the story is that if you or your spouse had crooked teeth as kids, you need to start saving for orthodontia before you even have kids! I thought $2000 was bad six years ago.

[bjl584]

Luckily I never needed braces. There are people here at work that complain about the cost of them for their kids though.

[NetSkyBlue]

I just got mine off last October, wore them for 2.5 years as an adult. It was $5200, plus fees to an oral surgeon for extracting 4 impacted wisdom teeth and 1 bicuspid. At least my ortho had a 2 year payment plan. When I got a raise at work, I earmarked it for braces.

I live in a LCOL area, too, but I didn't "shop around." I asked my dentist for a recommendation and he referred me to the orthodontist who was doing his kids' braces.

My parents could never have afforded braces for us three kids, they always told us if we wanted them, we could buy them when we could afford it ourselves

However, I *know* I'm better than I would have been as a kid at using my retainer (which triggers a horrific gag reflex) just because *I* spend the money on it. I'm sure I would have ended up with crooked again teeth if my parents had paid for it and I hadn't forced myself to wear it, like I do now.

[kobe008]

I'm not looking forward to this either. My first kid is 6 and his first tooth he lost on the bottom of his mouth came in way further back than where it should of came in. I'm hoping all the rest come in straight so its not too much of a mess.

[papa_squat]

Make sure if they get the braces that they wear their retainers after and actually take care of their teeth if you want to get your money's worth. Both my husband and my sister got braces in high school, but didn't wear their retainers or take care of their teeth after, so both have been told by dentists that they need braces or other orthadontia again .

I got braces at the ripe age of 25 after I had saved up for almost two years for them. Mine cost $5400 if it makes you feel any better, but that also included two permanent retainers, two nighttime retainners and two years of free aftercare should anything shift out of place.

I was supposed to get them in middle school, but then my parents divorced and it was on the table of everything else financial that could be put off. Again my dentist said I needed to get them in high school, which resulted in a lot of back and forth between my parents' lawyers and no braces. I started having pain and problems chewing, so I made the appointment shortly after college and both my parents were shocked, saying "If I knew you wanted braces that badly, I'm sure (other parent) and I could have worked something out back then." Does anyone really "want" braces?

Neither of my parents are terribly responsible with their money though, so I learned at a young age to save for the things you need, because it's harder to rely on someone else to. I also understood the need to wear my retainers then because I knew what I sacrificed to get my teeth straight and I was obviously more mature in my decisions than an high schooler. In any case, it was the best investment I've ever made considering I was a few years away from facing extractions, root canals and gum immflammation problems that could cause long-term heart and health issues. The fact that I planned and executed the goal myself was especially rewarding. Although I'm sure my parents wanted to help, simply wanting something doesn't make it happen.

[cschin4]

I have been down the orthodontic road with my kids. My personal opinion: I will not take my other children anywhere NEAR an orthodontist until they are at least 12. I tried early orthodontics with my oldest son and it was a disaster. He was in no way ready, mature enough or willing to help in his own dental care. He didn't brush adequately, we had multiple problems and then he simply would not wear his retainers. In the end, i gave up (yeah, bad mommy) and his teeth have shifted so $3k of ortho down the drain. I just started my younger son in at age 14. And, the Orthodontist gave him a lengthy lecture, made him prep his teeth for a month in terms of flossing, brushing and so forth and checked him before considering putting on braces. My younger son has taken note and is properly caring for his teeth. My daughter, i will not start her until she is about 12 or so. There is no big hurry to do this at a young age. Teeth can moved at any time. And, i would have concerns about dental development and proper brushing with appliances and braces at a young age.

[mom-from-missouri]

I have been down the orthodontic road with my kids. My personal opinion: I will not take my other children anywhere NEAR an orthodontist until they are at least 12. I tried early orthodontics with my oldest son and it was a disaster. He was in no way ready, mature enough or willing to help in his own dental care. He didn't brush adequately, we had multiple problems and then he simply would not wear his retainers. In the end, i gave up (yeah, bad mommy) and his teeth have shifted so $3k of ortho down the drain. I just started my younger son in at age 14. And, the Orthodontist gave him a lengthy lecture, made him prep his teeth for a month in terms of flossing, brushing and so forth and checked him before considering putting on braces. My younger son has taken note and is properly caring for his teeth. My daughter, i will not start her until she is about 12 or so. There is no big hurry to do this at a young age. Teeth can moved at any time. And, i would have concerns about dental development and proper brushing with appliances and braces at a young age.

12 is fine but make sure you check your insurance age limits. A friend waited until her sons senior year of school when he was 18. Their insurance doesn't pay for ortho after their 19th birthday, so hers was pretty much all out of pocket.