New here - TMJD patients and cost

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#1 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:34 am

Anyone know what the AVERAGE cost of braces for an adult is today? We are talking not a super involved case - maybe a treatment period of 1.5-2 years. Not invisalign either - traditional braces.

After a year and a half of suffering with a tooth that is finally going to be extracted, and a very bad bite which was altered due to bad TMJD splints and spending thousands of dollars not covered on insurance with various TMJD specialists I finally found someone who will help me. - I will be consulting with an excellent orthodontist in my home state of NJ to discuss correcting my bad open bite (on one side) and my bad front bite, can't make top and bottom teeth meet. He is very well known for his expertise in people with TMJD - I do not have any joint damage thankfully, but I do have muscle issues/pain as a result of my poor bite.

The tooth (a lower molar) had a root canal done to it in March of 2006 after a small hairline fracture was causing me pain. Though the RC halted that pain, the sides of the tooth have continued to hurt when pushed on and the pain will radiate and affect the muscle in my jaw.

Just trying to get an idea what braces run these days - I would want metal or ceramic, not Invisalign.

Thks

#2 Post by **neas** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:51 am

sorry to sound ignorant but whats TMJD?

#3 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:06 am

TMJD is temporomandibular joint disorder.

TMJ" stands for TemporoMandibular Joint, or the jaw joint. You have two TMJs, one in front of each ear, connecting the lower jaw bone (the mandible) to the skull. The joints allow movement up and down, side to side, and forward and backâ€”all the mobility necessary for biting, chewing and swallowing food, for speaking and for making facial expressions.

TMJ Diseases/Disorders:
Temporomandibular joint diseases and disorders, commonly called TMJ, are a collection of poorly understood conditions characterized by pain in the jaw and surrounding tissues and limitations in jaw movements. Injury and conditions that routinely affect other joints in the body, such as Arthritis, also affect the temporomandibular joint.

#4 Post by **ctoler1920** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:10 am

In all my total cost is $4250. I got the traditional metal. The ceramic is going to cost more. Some adults choose those because you can barely see them but I think that they are $1000 more than metal. I also have an open bite and TMJ issues. I have been in my braces for about four months and I definitely see some movement! And the traditional metal is not as bad as I thought they would be.

#5 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:19 am

Thanks - luckily my insurance covers me as an adult for a max of $1800. So that will help a great deal - I definitely want either ceramic or lingual - I am super vain.

#6 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:26 am

I do have a feeling mine will charge more - I live in an area of NJ that most docs will charge extra for things of that nature. And the ortho I am seeing also has 3D xrays. He believes two dimensional xrays are no longer sufficient to provide an accurate diagnosis. He says traditional xrays carry a large degree of error due to magnification and distortion.

This new three D imaging is called a cone beam computerized tomography. It is able to provide the most accurate imaging of the chewing system. He also has 3D photo system to analyze a patient's face. He has a special software that brings the xrays and photos together which create a very precise treatment tool. He is one of the few orthos in the state of NJ that have this imaging capability. I don't blame him if he charges me more for it. LOL

He also has Selectibraces (lingual), and wilckodontics which are a speedier treatment. We shall see!

#7 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:37 am

Actually I have yet to meet with him - he will go over all that when I go on a consult. I just know all about it already.

#8 Post by **beth1966** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:38 am

Thanks very much!