Cost of surgery?

[*Wired*]

Just had my braces (top) put on yesterday but before we started treatment my ortho said I will need the surgery or herbst appliance. I was just curious on the cost of this surgery. I do not have dental insurance, do they even cover it, or only under certain circumstances? Also, if I were to get dental insurance, since I already have my braces will they consider the surgery a "pre-exisiting condition?" I do have medicaid (I am a full-time student, no income) and I think I remember seeing on here that Medicaid paid for someones surgery. Anyone know anything about that? I just want to be prepared because I have no clue as to even how much a surgery like this would cost (5,000, 10,000, 20,000???) because if it is too much looks like I will be stuck in a herbst appliance

[twinmom]

This type of surgery is medical, not dental so you'd have to check your medical coverage.

My total cost (double jaw surgery, in layman's terms), was about $35,000. My insurance paid most so that my out-of-pocket was about $4,000 because I hit my annual out-of-pocket maximum.

[*Wired*]

Thanks twinmom! 35,000? I don't have medical coverage either besides the Medicaid. I am going to school for nursing though and may be working and have medical coverage by then, but I still wonder if they would consider it pre-exisiting since I already have on braces. Looks like I might have to end up with the herbst...

[rtxtavi02]

My insurance handled it a bit differently. My dental covered the oral surgeon fees and cheek implants (roughly $11,000) and my medical covered the hospital stay (roughly $20,000). I am still getting all of the bills in the mail and what not, but the insurance specialist I met with a few times at the hospital said to expect about $2,000 out-of-pocket. That is less than what I paid for my braces, so I was pretty happy.