normal price?

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#1 Post by **suetemi** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:39 pm

Hi, i'm kind of a long-time lurker. Today I started the bracing process...got metal spacers in and going back in a week for brackets. Anyway, I was wondering if the price I'm paying is comparable to what others are paying. 2 years treatment came out to be 6,500 dollars at my ortho. I live in Chicago. This seemed like a lot to me as people have told me they paid 5000. Maybe this is normal for a big city though...anyone from a big city pay this much? Thanks.

#2 Post by **HIMgurl** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:26 pm

Welcome to AW! And congrats on getting braces! There are a few threads flowing around here dealing with prices. Just do a quick search for them for more info on the subject.

My treatment is also two years and it will cost $5006 in metal braces. I wouldn't say I live in a big city. I think it just depends on where you live. Without knowing anything about your treatment yet, I think that's a pretty decent price for a big city.

What kind of braces are you gettting? Ceramics cost more than metal.

Did your ortho explain the cost of your treatment plan?

#3 Post by **suetemi** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:01 pm

Thanks! I did do a search for price but most of the posts I saw were of people who had their insurance co. foot a portion of the bill, or those who live in countries with good healthcare and paid little to nothing...so jealous!

I'm getting just plain metal...wanted Damon but ortho doesn't offer them. Oh well. No he didn't explain, apparently that's the standard price for 2-yr treatment.

#4 Post by **DireWire** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:31 pm

Hey,

to judge your price, you'd have to go to the fine print to understand the treatment plan and the extras that may or may not come on top.

Living in Boston, I pay $5,350 plus a fee for the full study records ($285) plus the initial consultation ($50). After the braces, there will be a fee for the retainer and retention/recall visits... so your 6 grand is more than my price for the orthodontic treatment iself but it might be cheaper than my full package. Overall, it seems to be in the same ballpark.

You may want to have a look at the monthly poll archive. I think there was a poll about the cost of the treatment. However, it is somewhat frustrating to see how much less some others pay

but I'm not sure they have a similar treatment. So unless you are willing to change the ortho or -heaven beware- cancel the treatment altogether for cost reason, I'm not sure whether this will be very relevant information.

DireWire

PS - I think I have ceramics... at least it is not metal but rather a somewhat yellowish white. Combined with a thin wire, it looks quite discrete.

#5 Post by **JML0090** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:44 pm

Im being treated for 2 yrs also and have ceramic tops ( ovation c's) and metal bottoms(ovation R's). These are self-ligating braces. I live in Kansas city which is a decent size city. Im paying 4,500. and, will get 2 sets of retainers with that price. Im going to a state of the art ortho which won sevral awards for their work. But, I just need braces and 6 spacers. My treatment will be simple. And, they have 3 offices in my area and are always busy so maybe with so many patients they can offer a good price. I think you should pay what ever is needed to see a good ortho in your area that you trust.

Good Luck

oh yeah, my price also includes any future visits to keep my smile ect. You might be getting a similar all-inclusive package.

#6 Post by **starryeyedfairy** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:17 pm

hey suetemi
funny enough i'm from toronto
sister city to chicago (for those of you that dont know)
and i've also paid 6,500 for my treatment of 2 years (nearing the end now, yay me)
alot of people have been telling me that i paid way too much money as well, and honestly i think i have too
but my treatment including an arch expander type dealie, reverse pull headgear and upper ceramics with lower metal
which is quite a bit of work
so on second thought maybe it was fair?
i dont know
i didnt go anywhere else to compare prices or treatment plans
WHICH IS A VERY VERY BAD THING TO DO
ALWAYS COMPARE!
so i guess i had it coming to me
(way to digress from the converation at hand, starry) lol

#7 Post by **jubba** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:13 pm

hey

i'm not too sure of the conversion but mine are costing a total of NZ$7540 including initial consultation
this is for ceramic uppers and metal lowers (only metal cos there is quite a bit of work and he said i needed something stronger haha)
my price also includes retainers etc afterwards and i will be getting a permanent retainer on the bottom

i got told the other day that my ortho was the best in town so i guess i might be paying more than if i went elsewhere

#8 Post by **Lola** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:45 am

Mine are 5700euro- just converted this online... 8798dollars! yikes!

#9 Post by **DireWire** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:54 pm

Not sure it makes a lot of sense to convert a Euro price into dollars. After all, you are probably paid in Euros, too!

The current conversion rate is not a proper reflection of the cost of living or the earnings power. It makes the American prices look cheap, but that's only because it makes the American salaries look low in comparison, too. Wait until the $ swings back to a fairer exchange rate, and you get a more realistic picture.

DireWire

#10 Post by **KianaFran** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 4:45 pm

I think it is reasonable. My treatment time is 16-18months and my cost is $6110 total. Also, I think it also depends on the type of brackets, what kind of retainer you will have when done and how much treatment after the braces are removed is covered. I know after the removal of my braces, I am covered for an additional 2yrs of "reasonable treatment" such as adjusting my retainer and such.

I live in Detroit and I go to one of the best ortho's in the state. But this is just my 2 cents!

#11 Post by **fluffybottom** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:02 pm

For 18-24 month treatment, this is what I have been quoted:

$5830 for Damon 3 braces
$600 for the retainer

for a total of:

$6430

I live in Los Angeles so I guess that counts as a big city!

#12 Post by **allisonh** » Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:18 pm

I was quoted 7500 in Santa Barbara, CA. Moved to Portland, OR and I paid 4500 for Damon 3 brackets, including surgery consultation and about 2-2.5 years of treatment.

#13 Post by **shayw** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:12 am

$6,500 here in Jackson, MS USA

#14 Post by **silly123** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 6:57 am

I went to two orthodontists about 5 miles apart. One quoted me between $6500 and $7500!!! NO WAY. The other one I am paying $3700 total (it was an extra $300 for ceramic uppers and lowers)

I don't know why it is so cheap, it is a busy office, and known to be resonable by alot of people in the area. I guess I got lucky...because I couldn't afford $6000 with all my student loans coming up!

#15 Post by **dugsmom** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:36 pm

Before I moved, I lived in a little itty bitty town in ND. I saw 2 orthos...one didn't give me a price but the other was charging 5,200 for metal braces (for 2 years). This price did not include the surgery, pulled teeth, retainers or expander. I also paid $160 for consult and records.
I moved to a semi large city and saw a couple more ortho's
Ortho #1
free consult (no xrays; he just looked at my teeth and jiggled my jaw around)
Records would be $280 (not included in braces fee). I didn't go to this one
Treatment would be for 2 years and I'd be paying 5,200. He didn't say if retainers were included or not
I'd also have to have two top teeth pulled (which I'd have to pay; not included in 5,200)

Ortho #2
Free consult which included photos of my teeth and Xrays
$160 records fee (more xrays, molds)
Another free consult (treatment plan)

The cost of active treatment (2 1/2 years in metal braces) and two years of retention will cost me $5400. After 2 years, I'd have to pay $45 retainer check up visit

I choose Ortho #2 because according to him I don't need jaw surgery or teeth pulled (I would've paid way more...he's saving 2 perfectly healthy teeth and I don't have to have surgery...YAY). braces alone will fix my problem.