How are you paying for your braces?

Message

Tue May 20, 2008 6:48 pm

i dont have insurance
consultation with ortho - 30us
records appointment - 270us
downpayment - 1600us
monthly payment for 24mths 95us x 24 - 2280us
subtotal 4180us

dentist fees pre braces
extraction of 2 upper 1st premolars - 160us
filling, sealant and 4bitewings - 160us
cleaning - 70us
7 or 8 more sealants plus photos - 250us
subtotal 640us

grand total 4820us

plus every 3mths i have to have cleanings

#77 Post by **badbite** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:07 pm

Let me clarify. The medical insurance only covered my SARPE they paid about $17,000-$19,000 (or about that). I have no dental, so the rest is out of pocket.

#78 Post by **MsViola** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:07 pm

Wow!!!

We really want our teeth fixed!!!!

mwp21: Most insurance companies don't cover adults. My husband state job happened to offer it. I had already started the process when the company changed dental plans. I was very suprised they covered adults.

#79 Post by **catfish** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:22 pm

I had dental insurance through my husband's employer and through my own. His covered braces for adults, mine only for under 18 year-olds. So his paid $1500, the rest we pay monthly installments of $125. We use a flexible spending account for these payments, so at least we get a tax break.

TOTALLY worth it to save my teeth!

#80 Post by **LaLaDee** » Sun May 25, 2008 6:39 am

CASH! I have dental insurance, but it pays nothing for ortho if you are over the age of 19. My flex spending acct will end up saving me about $1600 in taxes over the course of treatment. I also have a very generous Grandma who gives big X-Mas gifts...so $2500 will come from her.

Total bill: $5720
Downpayment: $1430
19 months at $215
1 month at $205

#81 Post by **Raspberry** » Sun May 25, 2008 6:10 pm

My treatment originally cost me $5200... I had put $2500 down ( from my savings and some from vacation pay and tax refund). I was paying monthly payments over 2 years. I claimed the expense on my income taxes and got a pretty good refund the next year, so I used the refund to pay more onto the braces! I had just finished paying the entire amount when I moved here to go to school, and the orthodontist here charged me an extra $800, which i'm paying $100/month.

My BSSO jaw surgery was covered under Canadian Health Care.

#82 Post by **MsViola** » Sun May 25, 2008 6:32 pm

Rasberry: Were you charged the extra amount simply because you had a new Ortho continue your current treatment plan or did you require a new treatment plan?

#83 Post by **Raspberry** » Sun May 25, 2008 8:10 pm

I was charged for the length of time that I would receive treatment at the new orthodontist.

My old orthodontist gave me back the amount of money for the months of treatment that I did not complete with them. The difference ended up being around $800 more after I had negotiated it with them (they originally wanted about $1500 more).

My treatment is going to be about 8 months longer than it was supposed to be. The new orthodontist said that usually when you are quoted an amount, they say a certain length of time, and if it goes over that they will absorb the fees, but since I moved i had to pay this orthodontist for the amount of time that he would be treating me.

I am on the same treatment plan, although he did change my bottom brackets to a type that he liked better.

My new orthodontist and the old one were actually classmates in Dental school, so I felt a bit more comfortable going to this one, as i really trusted the old one.

Sun May 25, 2008 8:36 pm

for me, my dads health insurance is paying for half of my braces treatment. The insurance is also paying for my june wisdom teeth surgery and the anesthetic which is absolutely excellent cuz i was originally thinking that we would have to pay for part of my surgery. so it will all work out, plus were doing small monthly payments to my orhodontist over a period of a year and a half so it should all work out in the end!

#85 Post by **tammers1010** » Mon May 26, 2008 4:27 pm

Originally I was going to do an interest free payment plan with my ortho. This seemed very reasonable as they offered to not have me pay during the summer months, since I teach and have summers off. My parents gave me a better option,pay in full to get the 10% discount. To do this, mind you, I had to put about $1500 of my own money in and borrow $3000 from my parents. Now, I just have to pay them back--they offered to lend me the money since I should have had braces in middle school, or high school. For some reason they feel responsible for their 28 year old daughther's crooked teeth. They said they should have forced me when I was younger, but I was too stubborn to listen to anyone.

All I have to say is thanks mom and dad!!!! I can keep a bit of my savings!

#86 Post by **skyhawk** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:54 am

I borrowed against a whole life insurance policy for a down payment, and I'm paying for the rest out of my paychecks.

Insurance covers $0, skyhawk covers $5,300.

#87 Post by **HkyGrl s2k** » Tue May 27, 2008 11:35 am

My braces are going to cost $6500. The Ortho offered a 5% discount for my dental insurance not covering any ortho work is youre over 23. Im also putting down $2000, so that leaves me with $4175.

I will be paying around $180 over the next 24 months.

#88 Post by **shaolin** » Tue May 27, 2008 2:29 pm

Paying cash out of my own pocket. Less than 10 years ago I had a house re-possessed, this year I paid cash for the one I'm living in. Funny how life goes in ups and downs!

#89 Post by **Bracedin08** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:42 pm

Im paying out of pocket also. $5.400 over 2 year payments

But it will all be worth it in the end!

#90 Post by **landela** » Tue May 27, 2008 3:51 pm

My insurance pays all but $1500 of my bill.
So I am paying the $1500 over 8 months with no interest through my ortho.