Wanting/needing braces, but can't afford them, losing hope..

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#16 Post by **kirjax** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:12 pm

I too had a similar situation. My folks couldn't afford braces either. Well lets say my brother had them and I had an expander and although my mother never said, "you can't get them we can't afford them" I just knew it was something at the time I didn't want nor wanted them to pay for. I never really paid much attention to my smile until after highschool. I just hated getting photos back of me and having my smile look like I had a missing tooth (in my situation one of my top lateral teeth was pushed back so it looked like it wasn't even there). So I really wanted to get them but at this point it was going to be out of my pocket which at the time was just not affordable. So I saved over the years. I went for a consult in 2005 and was told that I'd need "extensive" work. 3-4 years in braces, 4 pulled teeth, headgear. At this point I was insuranceless so I knew the expense was going to be far more then I had thought. So I gave up. But a year later I still felt depressed and decided to see if I could get some kind of financing and see what another ortho may have sugggested for me. To my surprise the option from them was 2 years in braces (which turns out is going to be less) and no pulled teeth!!
I am so happy I didn't give up and I opted for another orthos opinion. I was able to put $1,000 down to get my payments to where I could comfortably afford them with NO interest.

Here is my suggestion:

Don't give up or get discouraged.

Go for 2,3 or even 4 consults. Some orthos may offer different results which in the end may decrease the cost.

Be happy! If braces is going to boost your confidence you CANNOT put a price on that. I no longer think about the expense. I think about the confidence that I have built over the last year (still in braces) and how much happier I will be with my appearance once they're off!

And lastly the truth is nobody really cares about your smile but you. Now don't get me wrong a smile is something that grabs people's attentions but most of the time people don't really pay too much attention to your actual placement of your teeth. After braces my friends and family all told me my teeth didn't look bad at all but they were all happy I was doing something for myself. And in braces I felt so self concious about it but they also reassured me that nobody really notices nor do they care. That made me feel good to know. And now I don't care what I look like in them.

I know your in a dilemma but I would say that all things are possible. Try your best to save, find some good financing, and not dwell on it too much. I don't make great money so I too never thought it was going to be something I'd ever afford but I make it work. If not you really have to find some happiness within yourself. Remember people don't love you for your teeth they love you for who you are as a person. IF nothing else hold onto that. Best of luck.

#17 Post by **allisun** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 11:14 pm

No one uses the internet for free unless they are stealing it. Like you Just be aware that all your internet traffic can be intercepted by your neighbour, including your "private" informations.

Actually, where I live, the downtown area has free wireless access provided by the city; and pretty much every coffee shop, pizza place, bar, etc. that's not downtown also offers it. As well as libraries, of course. Hooray for Austin!

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/help/mesh/

#18 Post by **Braceschris** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 12:58 pm

Also keep in mind that you can take it off on your taxes as well. You can do this under medical ded which is 7.5% agi. You need to get the medical pamphlet off the IRS website and read how to do it. SInce everyone is diffeant in what they could get back etc. Also what about a medical fles spending accout at work? Just some other ideas.

Chris

#19 Post by **EmbraceMe** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:47 pm

I agree with everybody here who said to never give up! And call/visit many orthodontists. You never know when you will get your wish.

My story:

Parent's couldn't afford braces; hated and hid my smile my whole life, serious overbite/overjet, very crooked teeth, back teeth never touched.....cried all the time about how it looked....many of us here share such similar stories....

Well, I went to my dentist for a tooth that was bothering me. I had seen this dentist only a couple of times. He is examining my teeth and comments about how he desperately wanted to fix them. This sent me to tears because it just confirmed how bad they were. he asked why I was crying and I said because I cannot afford braces, and never could. Well, he wanted to fix them for free!

He contacted another orthodontist who agreed to do the work pro bono, and the dentist is doing all the dental appointments pro bono as well. When I asked why he did this, he said it is his way of giving back. He tries to help out one patient this way each year who could never have been able to afford it.

This is something I only dreamed of. I never in a million years thought that a routine trip to the dentist would result in such a wonderful outcome! I am very grateful and feel so fortunate. My point is, never give up. I am almost 40 years old, so this was a lifelong dream.

I wish you much luck. If you want it badly enough, it will happen for you. Believe that.

#20 Post by **kirjax** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:34 pm

^ that rocks!!! Now someday you'll have to pay it forward too

#21 Post by **danish** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:53 pm

Hi magoogs,

I know where you are coming from. As long as I can remember I have had crooked teeth which became an obsession in my late teens to the point of never smiling and showing my teeth on pictures, being extremely self-conscious and having a generally low self esteem in dating situations due to my teeth, etc.
This went on for years as I was unable to afford any orthodontic treatment. As a coping strategy towards this frustration I tried to "forget" or rather deny the magnitude/importance of the problem. However, this strategy didn't work....
Quite by chance I learned that orthodontic treatment is offered at dental schools where dental graduates specialize in orthodontics. So I decided to check it out. I eventually started my orthodontic treatment there. Typically in a dental school one only pays for the materials used. In my case this saves me 2/3 of the treatment costs. I would claim that the standard of treatment is comparable to most private orthos.
So my advice to you would be: check out the dental schools!

Danish

#22 Post by **Navi** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:20 am

EmbraceMe: What an awesome story!!

I can sympathize with many people here. I've absolutely hated smiling for most of my life. I have a gap between almost every tooth on my top arch, and both of my top canines are tilted behind my bottom canines

And an extremely large gap on my bottom row too... explaining that in a moment.

My regular dental visits were inconsistent due to family money troubles. A few years ago I saved up and opted for a root canal on my First Molar instead of pulling it out as recommended by a dentist, because of a pretty big space right beside it (missing my Second Premolar). But some months after the root canal, the tooth ended up breaking apart right down to the roots. Because I couldn't afford a crown for it, and neither could my parents at the time

I didn't know about crowns until after everything was done. I was so upset with myself to waste near $900 for nothing.

danish: I read your comment yesterday and thank god I did! I forgot all about dental and orthodontics from schools. I think that might be my answer. There's a university in this city that many people go to for cleanings and other work on their teeth. I need quite a bit of work done before I can get myself in braces: a couple of fillings, a root canal again, and to remove the broken tooth with only the roots left. And a bridge for that side, I think. Years overdue for those things...

I'm going to find out more information from the university first thing Monday morning

I'm turning 22 next month and going to college in September. Hopefully I can save up more and get something sorted out by the time school starts!

Thank you, Metal Mouth boards!

#23 Post by **Braceschris** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:53 pm

Thats great to here that we do have carrying people in this world. Like you said you just have to ask, you never know what will come your way. I will say that it is a small world out there even though it does not look like it. Good luck with treatment and keep us up todate on how it is going.

Chris