Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi, I'm new here I just found this board yesterday. I wish I had found it a few months ago.

Anywho, I got my brackets on just over a month ago and I am scheduled to get 4 TAD's installed soon. Sorry I don't know exactly all the conditions my mouth has, although I do know it includes crowding, crossbite, and overjet/overbite. But I have to get the TAD's to bring my teeth back and I desperatly didn't want any teeth removed as I already had molars removed from the first time I had braces. The TAD's are going to add $2375 to my ortho bill of $6200.

My question is for those who have had to get TAD's and pay for them, how much did they cost you?

My ortho charges $250 per tad.

My Ortho isn't doing it, he sent me to an oral surgeon.

My orth is giving me directions to do it privately with a bit of bargaining for $2K HKD which is abt $260 in dollars per tooth/screw??

My treatment total included $500 for one TAD.

Well apparently thee are no other options for me. My ortho doesn't install them and I've called like 5 or 6 other oral surgeons and none of them do them. Seems like a racket to me. I found a site that has the wholesale cost of TAD's and the most they cost is like $35. I understand equipment and training etc increases the cost but $500 seems excessive.

My appointment will end up costing $2800 and last about an hour. Holy cow I should have gone into dentistry and oral surgery. How is a poorish person ever supposed to afford oral surgery? That's one reason I've had issues with my teeth, for many years I didn't have the means to go to the dentist regularly.

$500 is cheap in many areas.

It is a little more involved than just screwing it in.

I know it's more involved, cause well it requires specialized training and equipment I get that But at almost 3k an hour, it just made my eyes pop out of my head and feel a bit nauseous.

I am a professional groomer and I am more expensive than a lot of my competitors, but I do try to explain to clients what all I offer and what my training is that makes me worth the extra expense. I have to work about 2-3 weeks to make that kinda money, which is why I said I should have went to dental school

Keep in mind in order to place those in about an hour took anywhere from 8 to 12 years to learn and cost over a million dollars in tuition and lost wages while in school. Plus it is nice to know where To put it so the pt doesn't get permanent numbness or bleed out.

There is a lot of risk taken and pressure especially in the climate nowadays. Trust me there are plenty of days docs wish they wre groomers.

Also remember not all that goes into the Docs pocket. Typical overhead is 70% or higher.

drrick wrote:Keep in mind in order to place those in about an hour took anywhere from 8 to 12 years to learn and cost over a million dollars in tuition and lost wages while in school. Plus it is nice to know where To put it so the pt doesn't get permanent numbness or bleed out.

There is a lot of risk taken and pressure especially in the climate nowadays. Trust me there are plenty of days docs wish they wre groomers.

Also remember not all that goes into the Docs pocket. Typical overhead is 70% or higher.

Are you serious? Dentists' overhead is 70% plus? I have a friend whose husband is a doctor and their overhead (solo practice) is 50%.. I thought THAT was high!

50% is a pipe dream for most dentists.

That is alotta overhead. I can't imagine the pressure in dealing with people and their kids. I feel enough pressure just dealing with their pets.

Well I'm sure the great news for dentists is that they don't have all this managed care crap over their heads so they still make a BUTTLOAD of money!!! So, high overhead or not, I can honestly say I don't know a single unsuccessful dentist. They are all super rich.

VA5 wrote:Well I'm sure the great news for dentists is that they don't have all this managed care crap over their heads so they still make a BUTTLOAD of money!!! So, high overhead or not, I can honestly say I don't know a single unsuccessful dentist. They are all super rich.

I bet the two ortho's that frequent this board, offering advice and helping us out, are having a good laugh over your comment. While your comment was probably meant as a generalization, it is a bit disrespectful in my opinion.

NO worries. It just isnt a true statment.
Managed care is a big factor in dentistry. Most offices are involved with it in one form or another and those offices tht dont accept it are also effected by it since many pts will only go to dr's 'on their list' You have probably read that here many many times on these very boards how someone switched drs they have been happ with for years since their work changed is plans -- BTW you can still go to your existing dr in almost every case without paying much more at all.

Of course there are very successful docs out there but many also struggle. I happen to know about 1/2 dozen who had their practices go bankrupt in the last 2 or 3 years. Many more struggle to keep the doors open, meet staff payroll, etc.