Kids and Braces

[Mrs. Meanie]

Anyone out there have any experience dealing with kids and braces? What should I look for in an orthodontist? Is there anything that can be done to improve their smile before they lose all their baby teeth?

I have seen one orthodontist already and am taking my kids to another this next week for a second opinion. Since we have five kids I am not looking forward to the financial hit this will take on our pocket book.

[YOhio]

Don't worry about their teeth. Just teach them to speak with a British accent.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Meanie

Anyone out there have any experience dealing with kids and braces? What should I look for in an orthodontist? Is there anything that can be done to improve their smile before they lose all their baby teeth?

I have seen one orthodontist already and am taking my kids to another this next week for a second opinion. Since we have five kids I am not looking forward to the financial hit this will take on our pocket book.

My two oldest each had braces for about 2 years and now both have had them recently removed. It was worth the cost, because they are happy with how their teeth look now, as are my wife and I.

We consulted about 3 or 4 orthodontists - maybe 5 - and went with the one who was most interested in asking our kids what they wanted from the braces. They were his patients, not me or my wife, and he treated them as such. The only real involvement that I had in it was when he told me just how he was going to accomplish what my kids wanted done and of course the cost.

Neither of the two who had braces had any baby teeth, so I don't know what could be done, if anything.

As for the cost, it can be expensive depending on your situation, but I would suggest that you don't put braces on the kids until they need them and if possible, pay for the entire thing up front. And like I said, if the kids are happy with how they look, then it is worth the cost.

[marsupial]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

suggest that you don't put braces on the kids until they need them and if possible, pay for the entire thing up front. And like I said, if the kids are happy with how they look, then it is worth the cost.

My parents paid for mine up front. Then my orthodontist broke his back and sold his practice to a new guy who wasn't making any money off of us and treated us like crap. Before deciding to pay up front I would consider just how much you'd really save. I did Invisalign recently (because I stopped wearing my retainer and my teeth went back) and made payments because the difference was pretty insignificant.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by marsupial

My parents paid for mine up front. Then my orthodontist broke his back and sold his practice to a new guy who wasn't making any money off of us and treated us like crap. Before deciding to pay up front I would consider just how much you'd really save. I did Invisalign recently (because I stopped wearing my retainer and my teeth went back) and made payments because the difference was pretty insignificant.

You make a good point - orthodontists and like professionals aren't likely to charge outrageous interest for their services when broken into installments.

I should have noted that I am a big believer of pay cash for it and buy it outright kind of guy.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

You make a good point - orthodontists and like professionals aren't likely to charge outrageous interest for their services when broken into installments.

I should have noted that I am a big believer of pay cash for it and buy it outright kind of guy.

I typically adhere to the IPU school of thought on paying for something; however, in this case I ran the numbers and we decided to pay it in installments. One factor that contributed to the decision is that if we do installments we can take it out of our Cafeteria Plan Medical FSA before taxes. Our Medical FSA doesn't have a high enough balance in it to do it all in one fell swoop.