Metal Mouth Message Board

Hey y'all. I am new to the forum and would like to say that I'm glad there is such a great resource out there for those who have braces or are intending to do so. I wish I would have known about this when I first got braces. I have a question regarding the removal of my braces, but I will first explain my situation...

My braces were put on January of 2004 and I received treatment for them up until August of 2004 when I got married and relocated. With getting married, I was having to switch insurance policies and it didn't exactly happen. My husband was not glad that he was going to have to pay for me to have braces and never got around to handling the switching of insurance policies. He is in the military so he had to handle it, and that's why I didn't of course. We're divorced now. To sum all that up, I have not received treatment for my braces since July of 2004. I haven't had any insurance for the past two years now and with being a college student, I haven't had the money to receive treatment. My braces have remained completely intact. My o-rings stained and within the start of this year, they fell off. I don't have any money to receive treatment and I won't have any insurance for another two and a half years. I simply want to get the braces completely removed. I am just wondering if anyone knows the approximate cost of removal without insurance coverage? Has anyone ever experienced anything like this or known anyone that has? I don't need to know the exact cost, just approximately. Are we talking a couple hundred or close to a thousand? Thanks for any help!

You may want to ask how much it will cost to finish up treatment too! You have gone this far - it can't be that much to finish up. Alot of the initial cost is up front with the evaluation, xrays and the installation of the brackets. Just ask the question - you never know.

My ortho offered to remove and replace my top fronts (for daughter's wedding) for $50. It probably wouldn't be that much to have them all removed.

What a shame to wear them all this time with no positive results. I hope your situation improves and better days are on the horizon for you.

I've read a couple of threads where people pay to have them removed for a wedding and the cost is usually around $300-$500

Yours might be cheaper since they are removing them permanently and not having to put braces again after a special event like a wedding.

I would call around a couple of orthos and tell them how long you've had them on and your situation ,that you can't pay for treatment and just need them removed. You might be surprised and find an ortho that will charge you cheap to finish your treatment ,if you don't need that much done.

Gennel

My story was kind of like yours minus a husband, divorce or relocation. Insurance, college and such and I just could not afford to continue. I went to a regular dentist and he removed them for $100. Now here I am AGAIN at 35 with a lot more money, insurance and a great smile already. Hang in there and good luck!

Thanks for all the replies y'all. I forgot to mention that I would be more than happy to get my braces off because within half a year of having them on, my teeth were completely straightened and I didn't really need the braces that badly anymore. Since then, a wisdom tooth has came in and it shifted my teeth slightly, but nothing that would bother me...My plan is to get my braces removed, get my wisdom teeth taken out, and then have braces put back on...and all this will happen in about two years when I graduate and get my job...and insurance! I am an elementary education major and I also don't want to have braces on when student teaching. My teeth are so straight compared to how they use to look and I don't really need further treatment especially with the potential of my wisdom teeth coming in...I might as well wait for that finishing touch of treatment until after I have those wisdom teeth removed. I am getting ready to move and I am definitely planning on calling around to dentists/orthodontists in my new area and seeing what my options are. Thank you!