Orthodontic mini-screw- too expensive???

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#1 Post by **ABraces2007** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:22 am

Well, guys, as you know i was getting an orthodontic mini-screw to use it as an anchor to move my overjet i got through the alignment of my teeth.
Yesterday i went to my dentist with all the necessary x-rays etc. to see which screw is suitable for me and to get the price of course..
In other topic i`ll write you about my routine check and my dentist..
Well, now, when i left the room i went to get the estimate for the screw and guess what?? it is 300â‚¬ (which is about 400USD)!!!!
Anyone else got this orthodontic screw??? Do you think it is too expensive or what?
I`m not the one with financial problems, but i still am a little dependent on others when need a large ammount of money. I know i will finally get it, i`m sure... but still for a minute i was thinking.. what if i couldn`t afford this extra-expense on my orthodontic treatment? what would happen? would my ortho consider other treatment plan or my teeth just would stuck as they are now?
Has anyone else had similar feeling? Should i expect more over-costs from my ortho? cause this one wasn`t included in my treatment plan...

#2 Post by **rsprouse** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:53 am

There are always alternatives to treatment and no treatment is always an option. But some options are superior to others and can work better. Think of it like this, if you were a professional Formula 1 race car driver. You could compete with a Geo Metro. If you got lucky you may actually finish a race (no disrespect to all the Metro owners out there!). Or if you have your factory sponsored Spam you are likely going to be competitive and can finish the races and even get some victories in there. Team Metro is going to cost you a lot less and may or may not succeed. Team Spam is going to be a lot more expensive, but will be faster, more competitive, and likely give a better result.

Yes there are likely other alternatives to your treatment, but the use of mini screws or implants in orthodontics have opened up a lot of treatment options.

Best,
Rory

#3 Post by **Lisa65** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:20 am

I paid Â£500 for 2 screws when they were done by an oral surgeon.

One of them rejected, though I still have the other one, but my ortho had done the training course by this time and he put me two new ones in for free. I guess if he'd known beforehand that he was going to put screws in himself then he would have added it to my treatment cost, but I'd already paid and he has a policy of no hidden charges.

If you have it done, it might be worth asking if they will charge you for a replacement if the screw is rejected. Screw implants have a failure rate of about 20%.

#4 Post by **ABraces2007** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:45 am

Lisa,
my GD is my oral surgeon as well, but my ortho works in other office.
I definitely will ask about the rejection option. Well, according to your price 500pounds for 2 miniscrews sounds like one would cost 300â‚¬ or 250 pounds.
At least now i know it is not the exceptional price which this office in particular charge on me...
Looks like this month will be tough : 50â‚¬ x-rays+ 300â‚¬ miniscrew+100â‚¬ ortho quote.

#5 Post by **minlou01** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:32 am

My ortho said that if the appliances don't work then I may have to get two miniscrews. He said the price was $1000 USD for two. BUT, I live in Greenwich which has very, very, very inflated prices.

#6 Post by **ABraces2007** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:41 am

minlou,
did your ortho mension you what appliances it would be if you don`t put mini-screw?
just ask, cause my ortho didn`t give me any options, i guess it`s because she knows i`m from a rich family, but first i thought for a minute that what if i don`t get this screw? what are other options? long time treatment+ headgear? any other thoughts?
i ask because i feel she (my ortho) doesn`t count with me when does my treatment plan, she just every time comes up with new inventions... and i don`t like it at all, seems like i can`t control what`s going on in my mouth...

#7 Post by **ABraces2007** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 8:46 am

Well, i finally will get this mini-screw as my hubby gave me an ok.
Just it will be postponed for 1-2 months. So, now i have a complicated task to call to my ortho to tell her it will not be placed by the time she wanted (she wanted to have it working by 11th of july). I`m shaking about that, cause Ã¬`m not really comunicative with my ortho and don`t know her reaction. Will she probably be mad??
Will my wire still work or i`ll get stuck for a month or so without progress??

#8 Post by **macca** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:29 am

Hi ABraces,
I've got two mini-screws in at the moment which are being used to close an extraction gap, and they cost Â£150 each. It took hardly 5 minutes to put them in either !
I guess from the other posts you can see there is a big fluctuation in the price from area to area and in different countries.
I would definitely say go with it though, as they can make your treatment that much easier and achieve better results in a much quicker time. Even if you have to delay now while you have the payment ready, you'll probably make up the time once you've got them in.
Your orthodontist will understand the payment issue and won't give you any grief.

#9 Post by **ABraces2007** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:36 am

yes, macca,
i agree with you about their effectiveness as i could find many documentations about these screws. I would put it as soon as possible, cause it`s not about the procedure at all- i`m not scared of dentists, doctors, etc. moreover, i want to be a dentist.
The issue was just that this months i had too many payments to cover, and i actually was thinking the screw would cost me around 100-150â‚¬ which would be a normal price, but when they told me it was 300 more the x-rays which i already payed- it was too much for just the same month.
I hope my ortho will understand... just scared to talk to her, you know, she is a kind of person which you think is not very friendly as you see her.

#10 Post by **gerbilburp** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:21 pm

i have to pay 300 for mine in new york

#11 Post by **ABraces2007** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:00 am

That`s huge, gerb.
Our prices are just like in NY, they might gone crazy , cause i live in a small town in spanish "Costa Blanca". And to make you understand it better, i can tell you that an average salary here is about 800â‚¬/month (1000 USD). I`m lucky to live in a welthy family with "nothing to lack", but that`s why i wrote you guys in several posts that people barely get braces here. Who can pay those ammounts of money for dental care? Those are me, some other kids from rich families and some of those whos orthodontic problems don`t let them live normal life (such as jaw pain, etc) and in this case their parents (or they own) have to get bank loan they can barely pay and get braces...