moving with braces
Moderator: bbsadmin
-
twentysomething
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:23 pm
moving with braces
Anyone with experience of moving away before the end of treatment. I am nearing the end of treatment but due to job prospects, I will have to leave before the ortho can remove the braces. Cost of leaving towards my current dentist? And cost of transitioning to new ortbo? How easy was it for you to find someone with similar expertise?
Re: moving with braces
How far are you talking?
Would it be possible to commute for your last few appointments?
Failing that, have you asked your orthodontist? Maybe they can sort something out with you.
Would it be possible to commute for your last few appointments?
Failing that, have you asked your orthodontist? Maybe they can sort something out with you.
Re: moving with braces
Apparently, there is some sort of industry-standard for the refund for transferring treatment. My ortho's treatment contract didn't spell out what it was, but he did reference it.
You have a couple of choices here:
You can ask for a refund of unused funds from your current orthodontist and set up treatment with one at your new location. However, since you are nearing the end, the unused funds won't be much; the only expense your current ortho hasn't incurred is your retainers and a handful of chair visits. The new ortho will charge quite a bit more than you'll collect from the refund, as his/her office will need updated x-rays and models (if you haven't had any done recently), develop a treatment plan to finish the work, and of course make your retainers.
You can travel in for your remaining appointments and have your retainers fitted, and then have retainer adjustments handled at your new location. I don't know how much travel would be involved for you there or if the expense makes sense. A drive of even a couple hours each way would be worth it. If an ultra-low-cost airline like Spirit, Frontier (U.S.) or RyanAir or EasyJet (Europe) services both cities, I can see that working out okay, even with air travel.
Lastly, maybe you can finish treatment at your old ortho, and then have him coordinate with a local ortho for both retainer fitting and adjustments, if you can find a local ortho that will agree to do this without a full consult and records.
Really, you'll need to talk with both your current ortho and a local ortho and see what can be worked out. You certainly won't be the first patient that had to move before treatment was complete.
You have a couple of choices here:
You can ask for a refund of unused funds from your current orthodontist and set up treatment with one at your new location. However, since you are nearing the end, the unused funds won't be much; the only expense your current ortho hasn't incurred is your retainers and a handful of chair visits. The new ortho will charge quite a bit more than you'll collect from the refund, as his/her office will need updated x-rays and models (if you haven't had any done recently), develop a treatment plan to finish the work, and of course make your retainers.
You can travel in for your remaining appointments and have your retainers fitted, and then have retainer adjustments handled at your new location. I don't know how much travel would be involved for you there or if the expense makes sense. A drive of even a couple hours each way would be worth it. If an ultra-low-cost airline like Spirit, Frontier (U.S.) or RyanAir or EasyJet (Europe) services both cities, I can see that working out okay, even with air travel.
Lastly, maybe you can finish treatment at your old ortho, and then have him coordinate with a local ortho for both retainer fitting and adjustments, if you can find a local ortho that will agree to do this without a full consult and records.
Really, you'll need to talk with both your current ortho and a local ortho and see what can be worked out. You certainly won't be the first patient that had to move before treatment was complete.
-
twentysomething
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:23 pm
Re: moving with braces
Im due to get them off sometimes in the spring, but im moving out of state mid april, so I dont think he'll finish the treatment and give me my retainers by then. I guess I'll have to talk with him and coordinate something in yhe next couple weeks...I am hoping I dont have to face another enormous ortho bill...6500 once was enough! Thank you sirwired for the details!