Visited 5 orthodontists

[gerbilburp]

I should have stayed with my first orthodontist and just believe whatever they tell me and get them done and over with but since they decided to have extractions done with 3 perfectly good teeth got me wondering

all started because of this



Ortho #1: Wanted to remove top two 1st bicuspids and one 1st bicuspid on the bottom and since im missing a molar have a screw put in for a anchor for the braces and wanted $3,500

He wont be able to put brackets on my front teeth into about 7 months into treatment (also this is the only ortho with all x-rays) but is also a dental school

Ortho #2 Wanted 6 month speed treatment and only concern was to close gaps not align jaw or concerned with bite and wanted $3,700

Ortho #3 Similar to ortho #1 except instead of installing a screw will use 1 molar as a anchor for braces also recommended expander

Ortho #4 I thought was best one, looked at my teeth for the longest and wanted to keep all my teeth in and install braces and if it doesn't work out he can always take out the teeth later, wanted to keep all teeth in and have retainer in for 3 years so teeth wont go back to original position, but wanted 5,700

Ortho #5 Not sure on treatment but similar to ortho #4 and wanted to keep teeth in and remove then in future and wanted $4,500


uh btw ortho #4 said that installing a screw is typical for a dental school to do since there still practicing with different treatment but he will use 1st molar since hes not in school any more

Which you guys decide on?

[Lisa65]

Thinking out loud here......


For me it would depend on a number of factors.

Which ortho did you feel most comfortable with?
Will you be completely self-funded or will insurance cover some or all of your treatment?
If you have to pay yourself, how much are you able or prepared to pay out?
Are you just wanting to pretty up your front teeth and not worry about bite issues (bearing in mind that you might get problems later in life with your bite)
How do you feel about the possibility of having teeth extracted?


Once teeth have been removed they can't be put back and the fact that number 4 wants to treat you without extractions, plus he spent the most time examining you, would if I were in your position incline me to pick him. It's the most expensive probably because it sounds like the most involved, but you would get to keep your teeth.

You could always call some of these orthos back for more info if you want, or even get more consults to see if some kind of consensus starts to emerge.

Of course it has to be your decision. Let us know what you decide.

[gerbilburp]

yup #4 and #5 orthodontist mentioned that keeping all the teeth in may result after having the braces taken off that it may slowly move back into there original crooked form if i do not have extractions

with that ortho #4 suggested to have retainer in for 1 full year then 2nd year wear it every night then 3rd year wear it ever other night

[gerbilburp]

unfortunately my insurance wont pay a penny and I'm on a budget so seems like I'm gonna go with orthodontist #1 the dental school

[Pixel Witch]

unfortunately my insurance wont pay a penny and I'm on a budget so seems like I'm gonna go with orthodontist #1 the dental school

Please try looking into secondary insurance if possible.

I'm not sure where you live, but I am paying $90/yr for Delta via Costco the "coverage" is enough for me to be able to afford them for adult orthodontics. This is the first insurance I have had that covers adults at all!

The way they work is that their in-network orthos agree to a set payment amount for braces on adult patients. Mine is $3,820. (my grand total is $4820 because delta does not cover expanders and I am getting one).

If that $90/year can save a couple thousand on braces, I think its worth it.

Also consider that even without coverage, you might be able to afford the more expensive treatment on a payment plan!

[gerbilburp]

unfortunately orthodontist #1 doesn't except any kind of insurance and they want a fee of 3,200 dollars which I can pay off monthly for 100 dollars without interest plus 300 dollars for the screw

ive calculated in the past if i would get insurance and comes out to almost the same price as going with ortho #1

ortho #1 mentioned that he can keep the teeth in if i really wanted also i heard that the outcome of each ortho is probably going to be the same right?

[acehigh]

What do you mean by "installing a screw"? I've heard of screws being installed.......where is this screw attached? What purpose does it serve? Just curious.

[acehigh]

Now I get it, excellent example with the bungee cord by the way. The screw is attached to either the palate or the gums. I would imagine they freeze you for this. Almost sounds like a small surgical procedure.

[gerbilburp]

my orthodontist told me that its 5mm in length which is very tiny and that most people get it installed without even any anesthesia

[Lisa65]

I was frozen as you put it Ace, yes It is a minor surgical procedure really, but a lot less unpleasant than getting a tooth pulled.

I had some anaesthetic gel rubbed on my gum then a small injection of local anaesthetic. My ortho (having taken X rays to check exactly where the screw was going as it must not touch tooth roots) made a small slit in the gum with a blade and drilled a small pilot hole into the bone. Then the screw is put in with a fancy looking screw driver. the screw makes its own thread as it goes in. Then another X ray to check all is well, and it's done. Took about 10 minutes for each one. Once the shot wears off it's a bit uncomfortable but I was able to eat a Chinese takeaway that night, so it couldn't have been that bad. Some ibuprofen before bed that night helped and the next morning I felt fine.

Gerbil, the screws vary in size. Mine are I think 10mm long. It probably depends on how much force is going to be put on them. I must admit I wouldn't have been so keen to get it done without a shot. I don't know if it would have hurt but I preferred to feel NO pain, as I was pretty anxious beforehand (especially for the first one as I didn't know what to expect)

[gerbilburp]

unfortunately the dental school orthodontist wants to wait about 7 months before i have brackets on my front teeth

he would like to remove the upper two 1st bicuspids so theres room then bring the 2nd bicuspids into the 1st bicuspids place which takes about two months then move onto the next tooth and bring that one in so by the time he gets to the front teeth itl be 7 months

[ABraces2007]

Well, i wouldn`t relay too much on the first consult as a plan of treatment- many things can be changed later during the treatment and then you won`t have an option to change an ortho or change the treatment and it happened to many persons.
So, i would consider the best price/quality option and would recommend you to have somebody who can refer you to the ortho so that you know this ortho is good enough.
As for me, i`m into the same mini-screw deal. Well, first my ortho told me they wouldn`t place the screw as they could make it with tpa which i`ve been wearing for 3 months already, so, at my last appointment my ortho went back to the "screw" option as my front teeth all together were bringing forward my molar which she thought could have enough strength to hold them all together. I also had 1 extraction for my braces, but now ì heard my ortho talking to the assistent that they would probably need one more extraction if my teeth don`t fit in couple of months.
So, i`m just trying to tell you that your treatment plan is not always what you finally recieve. And i would count with the screw, they use it very often now- it shortenes treatment time and makes perfect job.

[Miss Smiley]

Gerbil - I would have gone to a Uni dental school but the price difference was not worth me having to drive out 25 miles for an appointment with traffic into downtown being about and hour each way. My Ortho is actually faculty at the Uni I was going to try and his private costs are only a few hundred more. I don't feel that my treatment would have really differed besides the fact that I can go in anytime for comfort appts since his private office is only a mile and a half away from home. After I figured in all of the time I would be spending on the road going to my appts, it just made more sense to pay the few hundred and stick with private since I would be paying out of pocket anyhow. I only had one consult but I already knew that my mouth was too small to hold all of my teeth. My head is smaller than normal, almost kid size. My 4 yr old niece and I can share hats, sometimes they're too small for her. Anyhow, I would just go with who you felt was being more honest with you and you had that chemistry with.