How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Health Editor
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Is orthodonture in your child's future? You'd better brace yourself for the bill. While orthodontic work is a great investment in overall dental health, the final bill bites: A jaw-dropping $3,000 to $7,000.
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Comments
Anonymous said
on 9/4/2006 1. Age 7 is too early for braces. Orthodontists compete with Periodontists and some General Dentists for patients, so their professional association recommends an early age. Age 8.5-9 is a wiser age for examination - but not necessarily treatment.
2. General dentists do not receive much training in Orthodontics, so their referrals to an Orthodontist are usually based on the "good old boy" system of who they like or who they get gifts from.
3. Do not ask your child about what he or she wants. You are the parent and have the wisdom to make the best decision. Your child will learn from your behavior of being decisive.
4. Many orthodontists do not require any down payment. Paying an initial "down payment" dates back to when there were too few orthodontists to meet the demand. If you go to the orthodontist recommended by your dentist, you will likely pay an initial down payment as part of the system which allows the orthodontist to send "gifts" to the dentist.
5. Always get braces from an orthodontist. An orthodontist can treat for less and a dentist is not qualified to determine how difficult treatment will be. Seek an orthodontist with at least 15 years of experience.
6. Go to an orthodontist who 2 people have been to and have had good experiences.
7. Be sure to tell the orthodontist exactly what you like and do not like from the start and throughout treatment. He should work for your and not your dentist.
Anonymous said
on 3/23/2006 Dental abnormalities come in many degrees of severity, raging from a simple overlapped, spaced or twisted tooth to congenital jaw malformation. These days many general dentists have taken years of advanced training in orthodontics. While a specialist is necessary for the more serious situations, the mild to moderate cases can easily be handled by a general dentist with advanced training and at a significantly lower fee. Get your evaluation from a general dentist who does limited orthodontics. Don't worry, if the situation is too complicated for him to handle he won't want to get into it, he'll refer you to an orthodontist.
Anonymous said
on 3/13/2006 Before going to your initial consultation with a new Orthodontist, be sure to ask ahead of time if there is a consultation fee.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The cons of starting the brace treatment too early (by age 7) is that not all the permanent teeth are out and additional surgery may be needed to expedite the process.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The potential of tooth decay increases with braces. It is very easy for food to get trapped between braces and teeth. Ultrasound cleaning does a better job than tool scraping. It is a hassle, but flossing will prevent problems in the future. Some dentists (without charge) will remove the bands the day before to allow tool scraping. I had 4 cleanings per year and still had dental problems after the removal of my braces.