To get braces or not to get braces...a $4500 question....?!
Question:
To get braces or not to get braces...a $4500 question....?
My 13 year old son was born with extra teeth up in his gums and a horrible scissor bite. When he was 6, his dentist and orthodontist worked wonders by removing the teeth and using a retainer. Today, we went in for the big "braces or no braces" visit. The ortho raved about my son's teeth were then pointed out a few issues and said he needed 12 months of braces with a built-in retainer, a follow-up retainer etc. The cost will be $4500, of which my insurance will cover $1250. We can afford it, but it will hurt.
My question is, his teeth look great, chew great, he has no pain or problems talking (or talking back!) I feel like we got the big bang out of the $300 retainer and now the ortho is doing some minor aesthetic touch-ups for $4500. How necessary are braces if the teeth are functional and attractive? I've never had them, so I really need some help!
Answers:
If you are not comfortable with what the orthodontist told you, get one or two additional opinions from other orthodontists. Don't feel weird about it, just go and do it for your own peace of mind. Braces indeed can be very expensive, not to mention that your son has to deal with them for a year or more. So if you're not sure, then get more information.
You may think that his bite is OK, but a professional may see it differently.
You could always wait until after his wisdom teeth erupt and re-visit the scenario, but your dental insurance may not cover him at that point in his life.