Many parents are concerned with the cost of orthodontic treatment. If braces are just made of brackets and wires, why is it so expensive?
Orthodontics is a specialized service that requires a team of educated and trained professionals. The service is provided by a business, so there are day-to-day costs involved to keep the practice running. The overall cost of braces will include, professional costs, materials and laboratory costs, and other operating expenses.
Additionally, The price will be influenced by the cost of living in your location. In New Hampshire, orthodontic expenses have risen less over the past twenty years compared to other indicators, like gas, food, or even general dentistry.
Professional Costs
Professional costs may be the most valuable to you because it includes the specialty care, technical skill, and accurate judgment of your doctor and his/her qualified staff.
A specialist in orthodontics is a college graduate, continues on to four or more years of dental school, and then two to three years of post-doctoral training. This equals twelve years of intensive training after high school.
Not only is the Orthodontist a trained professional, The New Hampshire Dental Practice Act demands that all Orthodontic Assistants are certified to perform basic supportive orthodontic procedures.
An Orthodontic Assistant qualified to perform skilled procedures is someone who has additional years of training and/or has at least 400 hours of clinical dental assisting experience. The education and training beyond college reflect a higher salary base. We factor this into our treatment costs.
Materials, Laboratory Costs, and Operating Expenses
Materials and laboratory costs include, sterilization, diagnostic casting, hypoallergenic removable appliances, retainers, brackets, wires, bands, and specialized equipment like x-rays and digital cameras.
Operating expenses like, facility rent, taxes, electricity, heat, and water, are necessary to keep offices open to the public.
The Process of Determining Your Child’s Treatment Costs
The initial comprehensive consultation, or appointment, with your Orthodontic Specialist will cost $79 at our office. Many doctors may classify this appointment as a “dental exam”, which is often covered by most dental insurances.
The Doctor will examine the hard and soft tissues in your child’s mouth then look at the needs of their teeth and jaws. An additional appointment may be necessary to determine the appropriate treatment method.
Then, the Doctor or Financial Manager of the office will discuss a total cost for the recommended treatment with the family. The total cost will rely heavily on your child's oral needs. Many offices will charge additional fees for repairs, or if the patient is not cooperative and the length of treatment needs to be extended, the fees get extended.
At our Hanover, New London, and Claremont offices, our treatment fee is fixed. We don’t charge for broken appointments or broken appliances. We take on the risk of not charging for repairs because we are excellent at being able to motivate patients.
If your Doctor has been working with children and parents over the past couple decades, he/she will have a keen sense of awareness for an individual’s level of motivation and commitment.
Download this FREE Resource published our office to learn more:
Get an Accurate Estimate by Scheduling a Consulation Today
The cost of treatment depends heavily on the complexity of your child's oral needs. After examining your child, we can provide a fixed cost for the recommended Orthodontic treatment.
