Most parents looking to get braces for their children want the average cost of braces. The reason why parents cannot find direct answers to orthodontic costs through online research is because costs depends on a variety of factors, including:
- consultations and evaluations that help determine appropriate treatment and options
- type of orthodontic treatment and appliance(s) that address your child's specific oral needs
- your dental insurance coverage
- the provider's level of training and experience (the provider in this case would be the orthodontist and his/her staff)
- overall length of treatment
Consultations and Evalutions
Most patients associate the first visit to the Orthodontist with immediately getting braces put on, receiving an incredibly expensive bill, and not being able to afford to pay your bill. The truth is, your child may not even need braces! Our simple solution to the frequently asked question, "How much do braces cost?" is to schedule an appointment with a local orthodontist.
The first consultation will allow your doctor to conduct a thorough history of dental experience, examine your soft and hard tissues in your mouth, make observations about the parents' teeth and jaws, and discuss braces and other treatment methods and appliances available to you.
Our philosophy at Dr. Salvatoriello's offices in New Hampshire is to avoid braces. If we can see your child between the ages of 7-10 years, we may be able to prevent tooth alignment or jaw imbalance problems in their future. Early intervention is the best way to reduce treatment costs.
Type of Orthodontic Treatment and Appliances
If your child is around the age of 7 years old, your Orthodontist should be able to determine what type of facial development he/she is going to experience. This means that there are advanced tools Orthodontist's use to help determine how big your child's permanent teeth will be and how much room they will need to fit in their mouth.
At that age, Pre-Eruptive Guidance (PEG), allows us to have the teeth straighten themselves to a greater degree. Another method uses space maintainers, which hold onto the existing room in the mouth while primary (baby) teeth are being lost. Both methods usually decrease the second phase of treatment, and in several cases it can eliminate future orthodontic treatment.
Our patients are predominantly 11-14 years old. Unfortunately, these patients do not get to opportunity to benefit from preventative treatment, but Orthodontists can address the alignment of their teeth and jaw with braces and/or retainers.
Dental Insurance Coverage
The provider of your dental insurance can tell you if your insurance plan covers braces or other orthodontic treatments. Click here to learn what to watch for and questions you should ask your provider.
There are many creative treatment options and financial arrangements if insurance does not cover your child's orthodontic treatments. Dr. Salvatoriello, DMD has said, "We believe that cost should not be the barrier when you seek the highest quality of professional orthodontic care. After all, the benefits of treatment will last a lifetime. One really cannot put a price on your future health, comfort, appearance, happiness and success. That's why we've worked hard to eliminate any potential barriers to treatment." Click here to learn more about good financial arrangements.
Provider's Level of Training and Experience
Here are a few tips you should know about this industry. In order to be called a "Specialist in Orthodontics" or an "Orthodontist", one must earn a degree in Dentistry and graduate from a 24-36 month program in orthodontics. In the state of New Hampshire, an Orthodontist must re-apply for a new license every 2 years, which includes at least 40 hours of clinical and academic continuing education. Make sure your future provider is qualified!
Also, the fields of dentistry and orthodontics are constantly evolving because technology keeps advancing. Check to see if your provider has published recent treatment philosophies on their website and/or in professional journals.
Ask questions about the type of materials and equipment they use to make treatment more efficient. Many advancements allow doctors to confidently provide more accurate diagnosis. Chances are, an Orthodontist with several decades of experience will have in-depth knowledge about the traditional treatment methods versus the latest technologies.
Length of Treatment
The overall length of treatment depends heavily on the child's personal motivation and the family/parent guardian support. Your doctor will provide you with all the essential instructions and tools to maintain good hygiene and take proper care of your appliances.
There are several cases in which our patients have extended the length of treatment. For example, if your child has braces and he/she does not avoid gummy, chewy, or hard foods, their brackets may get knocked off. Sometimes unanticipated repairs are a result of bad oral habits, like chewing on pencil erasers, pen caps or fingernails.
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Are you wanting to know how much Orthodontic treatment will cost you?
Dr. Salvatoriello and many other specialists in Orthodontics and Dento-Facial Orthopedics cannot directly answer the cost question until the first introduction is made. We have offices located in Hannover, New London, and Clarement, New Hampshire. If these locations work for you, request an appointment by clicking the button below.
