Braces

[daydream**believer]

My 12 year odl daughter needs braces.

What im wondering is, is it something i should "shop around" for. Do braces prices vary from dentist to denist?

And if i should shop around? How do i do that? Will they give prices over the phone or do i have to take daughter in to see every dentist to get a price?

[izabsmiling]

Perhaps you can ask the dentist who said that she needed braces to recommend an orthodontist.

From memory I think that my son had to have an initial visit at the orthodonists to see what was needed 

and they offered a payment plan which helped .It cost around $5500 I think about 12 years ago.All necessary follow up was covered in that.

[izabsmiling]

Amy, do you have private health insurance which covers orthodontics?

[daydream**believer]

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@izabsmiling wrote:

Amy, do you have private health insurance which covers orthodontics?

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nope

[i-need-a-martini]

It won't be the dentist that puts them in. He will refer you to the appropriate specialist depending on why she needs braces. All the dental specialists specialise in various areas. For example my sons jaw needs to be brought forward so we were referred to a particular specialist. But my daughter needs other types of work done so she sees another specialist.

Your family dentist should sort this out for you.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Definitely shop around with recommendations from friends. After my son had his plate put in (to push his teeth forward) we found the dentist's recommended orthodontist was also the significantly most expensive in town. I didn't know you didn't have to go to the recommended specialist.

[daydream**believer]

"Perhaps you can ask the dentist who said that she needed braces to recommend an orthodontist."

She gave me a list of about 20 of them.

I didnt want to have to make an appointment at all of them to find out the cost by each of them.

[punch*drunk]

Most orthodontists have a payment plan available. We paid $1000 up front and $270 per month for my sons braces. Cant remember what the final amount will be, somewhere around the $6000 I think. He's had them nearly 12 months so far.

My daughter will need a bit more work than him. 12 months of something that she wears at night before they'll put her braces on, so I expect hers will be more expensive. The repayments should be much the same though because they average them out over the time you have the braces for.

We didnt shop around, I was happy with the orthodontist as soon as I met him and I now know others that had him do their kids braces and they're all really happy.

Apart from the per month cost for braces and the one off $250 fee for moulds, we dont pay anything when we see him for regular check ups. Its all included in the braces cost. We go every 2 months for adjustments.

[punch*drunk]

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@daydream**believer wrote:

"Perhaps you can ask the dentist who said that she needed braces to recommend an orthodontist."

She gave me a list of about 20 of them.

I didnt want to have to make an appointment at all of them to find out the cost by each of them.

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Ring them, It might be hard for them to quote exactly without seeing the teeth in question because some need more work than others, but they may be able to give you an average or approx figure. You can also ask about payment plans.

[izabsmiling]

That is a similar cost to what I paid 12 years ago Punch.That's good to hear.I know that my DD will need them as well