<p>In case you’re wondering, I used Invisalign Express (6 months) + the vivera retainer option.</p>
<p>All of that was $2k for me.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, my DD’s invisalign treatment was covered under our ortho benefit - paid the same as braces, 50%. It was much faster and cheaper than DS’s braces treatment from the same Ortho…</p>
<p>I just finished paying off my braces and I’m getting them off in 2 weeks. My ortho allowed me to pay in payments, but my parents’ names were on the account not mine. The total cost was 5000. My parents paid about 700 dollars down, and then the monthly payments where about 125 to stay on the same schedule as my braces where on. I took over the payments on my 18th birthday. I got a job at a fast food restaurant, and worked about 15 hours a week to afford payments. I was better off working 20 - 30 hr a week though to pay, and have money left over to spend. I also had to learn to budget since I was making minimum wage when I started. I just wanted to let you know it can be done, but you have to budget very carefully. Also my dad was required to take over his payments when he turned 18, and he felt it was a good lesson. He wished he would’ve done the same for my sibling, but they didn’t need braces. I noticed at my last appointment on the computer they made notes if I wasn’t able to make a payment, or if it was the week I was paid. I tried to pay them when I was paid because it took them forever to clear a check so I ended up paying cash most of the time. They did make comments though when I fell behind a month (called in one weekend because I had a fever of 103 for two days and my doctor thought it was bronchitis and a sinus infection, and the following weekend I had requested off) They would just tell me that my balance needed to be paid off even though I made that month’s payment. Of course I had to chip away at it and work extra hours since it was the school year ( I only work weekends during the school year) </p>
<p>In regards to traditional braces, or invisalign (sorry if I spelled wrong) I asked my ortho if I was a candidate for invisalign, and he felt for me I was better off with traditional. I got braces for medical reasons. My teeth moved very quickly which he was surprised about. I was on track to get them off early, but a bracket fell off my tooth when he was on vacation so I lost time with my rubber bands which set me back. I hope that you are able to find a ortho or school of dentistry that will work with you. I forgot to mention my mom’s insurance paid 1500. 750 each year. I also will be getting a permanent retainer, and was told my dentist could take of it if needed. Good luck to you, and I hope you are able to get what you want.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help everyone! I am calling and asking prices tomorrow, should I get insurance before I buy braces? Is insurance expensive? Can I cancel once my braces are off? Also I work full time now so I can’t get a lot of days off- will they be able to do a consultation and give me braces the same day? Thanks! I will definitely ask what I am eligible for and are clear braces more expensive?</p>
<p>My son had his braces done at a dental school. Not all schools have an orthodontia specialty so you will need to check on that. Everything turned out great and it was half the cost of regularly priced braces. The only thing is that you will need to have them done where you will be living since you will need regular checkups/tightenings. At the school my son went to he had to apply and they said on their forms that they are looking for certain types of “cases” for the student doctors to work on so they didn’t take everyone. He was easily accepted though. We were put on an easy payment plan as well I plan to send my younger son there when he is ready. Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Oh - I am not sure if clear braces were more money. My son had the traditional braces, but they looked good on him and it was no problem at all that they weren’t clear. Though I am sure you can go over all the different options and have the orth advise you on the best treatment option and don’t worry if they are traditional and not clear. It will definitely be worth it when you are done. And also be sure to wear your retainer religiously after you get the braces off to keep your results. We have an extended family member who thought it was too much trouble to pop her retainer in at night while she was sleeping. Her teeth now have gone back to how they were and it looks like she never had braces…</p>
<p>Emory dental school unfortunately closed a long time ago 
</p>
<p>And most dental plans will probably have a 1 year wait period before covering expensive things like crowns or braces</p>
<p>I wet in for a consultation, they are 5500 and damon braces. I really like the place will pay 250 a month tho, will get them July 26 however they never mentioned about me needing my wisdom teeth pulled, will i need this? Should I ask when they put them on or wait until thy tell me i need them pulled? My dental insurance expires in setenber, will the orthodontist do it for free?</p>
<p>Why would you expect someone to work for free?</p>
<p>Sometimes they need to pull your wisdom teeth out in order to create space to move your teeth. They will determine that when they put the spacers in (Very painful process IMHO).</p>
<p>They said th next two year of services were included in that fee…</p>
<p>Usually that means services like realigning teeth/replacing/repairing braces, adjusting/replacing retainers, and other orthodontic procedures. It is not likely it refers to oral surgery and other ancillary dental services, i.e it wouldnt cover endodontic care, fillings, root canals, etc.</p>
<p>Haven’t read through the whole thread but if I were you I would avoid Damon braces like that plague. I had traditional braces first and then Damons and the Damons were awful. Because the brackets can slide along the wires, they wires pocked my gums horribly all the time. I constantly had kanker sores and had to use wax to cover the poking metal almost every day.</p>
<p>You need to get at least two estimates but I suggest 3. I have had two kids and a husband who have had braces and prices can vary a lot. A lower price does not necessarily mean a lower quality job, and a higher cost doesn’t mean better outcome.</p>
<p>I just finished wearing invisalign. My insurance picked it up. The total cost was only about 1/6 more than traditional braces. I had a tooth that was most definitely rotated more than 30 degrees, as well as an overbite but they can tell you if you are or are not a candidate for invisalign or other methods. With invisalign, I only went in for about 3 visits in 6 mos. whereas my kids with traditional braces went in every 4 weeks. I have nothing but fantastic things to say about it. For my teeth at least it was painless, fast, and perfect. </p>
<p>But I really wrote the above because I wanted to point out while this forum is GREAT for suggesting ideas, its not always great for ‘advice’ that comes from non-expert opinions (mine included!). A lot of us are going on hearsay or limited experience, or in the case of invisalign, what our traditional orthodontist told us (since they don’t do invisalign). </p>
<p>So see some experts. But I caution you to talk to not just one orthodontist but several, and ones that use different methods. Since all will be biased and in my experience, even ones that use the same method quote very different prices and treatment plans. </p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>get your wisdom teeth removed before braces!!! they will screw you up eventually and i know a bunch of people who had to get braces again because their wisdom teeth caused crowdings. dental insurance should cover most if not all of the cost.</p>
<p>Ok I will email them and let then know, will wisdom teeth removal affect my everyday life?</p>
<p>The need for teeth removal is dependent generally on the size of your mouth/jaw. I needed my lower wisdom teeth removed when I was 17 because they were impacted and there was no room for them. When I was 14, I had 2 upper molars removed for abysses. I have to tell new dental hygienists what teeth I am missing, as it is not apparent and as I already noted, my mouth was still crowded when I got my Invisaline in 2001.</p>
<p>it will only affect your life for a week but other than that not really</p>
<p>You might end up looking like a chipmunk for a few days, but that’s about it.</p>