The Cost of Braces – An Excellent Investment

Our orthodontic practice sometimes will get a call asking how much braces cost. That is like asking how much an airline ticket costs. It depends on where you are going.

Only until the orthodontist examines the patient can the cost be determined. We take into account what the patient would like to see fixed, the type of appliance (metal, ceramic, invisalign, removable), the severity of the problem, how long the treatment will take, the degree of cooperation we need to get, and determining if the problem is just dental or is it skeletal.

A Great Smile is Priceless!

So the short answer to the question of how much braces cost: it’s complex.

A patient may just see a crooked tooth but to the Orthodontist its like a jigsaw puzzle. How do you get all the pieces together?  That’s why orthodontists are trained for 10 years after high school. Teeth are like fingerprints — no two are the same.  A specific treatment is designed with feedback from the patient. The total cost is determined by diagnostic records (tooth models, photographs, a tooth x-ray, and a skull x-ray), construction of the braces, the number of appointments to straighten the teeth, removal of braces, fitting of retainers and retention observation. Orthodontists usually do not charge for help visits (pokey wires, loose braces etc).

Because orthodontic treatment can be pricey (starting at roughly $1000 with an average of $6000), payment plans are designed to make braces affordable. We have several plans.  You can get a discount with cash up front (no financing fees), in-house financing with a down payment and monthly payments over the treatment time with no financing fees, or outside financing with no down payment and payments over 5 years with financing fees.  Also, all orthodontic practices work with your insurance.

Overall, the cost of braces is minimal when you compare it to the return on investment. The new smile and the confidence it brings is worth its weight in gold!

Invisalign Teen – A Great New Product

I get a lot of questions about Invisalign Teen. Both Pam and I have been treated with Invisalign aligners. It was so easy and comfortable and totally invisible. I have been an Invisalign provider since it started and was asked to be an “alpha doctor” for the company to help develop the product. I have treated hundreds of patients with Invisalign and believe that Invisalign will be the main delivery system of the future.

Invisalign Teen is a new product for teenagers. Orthodontist were concerned that teenagers would not be compliant enough for the system to work. Invisalign has developed compliance indicators that change colors if the appliance is worn enough. Now parents can tell if they are getting their money’s worth. We can always switch to metal braces if Invisalign is not doing the job. Googling Invisalign will get a zillion hits . McCombs Orthodontics filmed a short piece for YouTube and can be seen here or on our web site. We are going through a time when cool color braces are still popular but as teenagers get older they want to look their very best and are turning to easy and more comfortable clear aligners.  So ask us about Invisalign Teen.