We had promised braces for Rylee's 16th birthday...and even did her first ortho consultation that very day.
But HOLY SMOKES was I unprepared for the cost!
To get the best deal and make the most informed decision, we decided to get several consultations (5 to be exact). I wanted to weigh the pros/cons, benefits and costs of each. I had saved up a good chunk of money for a down payment, but it didn't seem like enough, so we decided to wait for our tax return as well.
It was hard for Rylee to be patient. She was SO EXCITED to get them on!
The consultation process took weeks and a lot of getting out of school (poor kid), but it was good. By our 5th consult, we felt like experts..or that we could make a good decision about treatment at least. We narrowed it down to 2 doctors and had a final consult with each, about the nitty-gritty...money.
We had anticipated the cost of a cleaning, but had to pay for fillings and sealants too. Lucky us. (Another big bill I didn't think about when promising braces.)
After getting a recommendation from our dentist, we decided to go with Dr. Kelson. He was the one Rylee liked the very best and he was willing to work with us on cost. We paid in full, to avoid adding money to our already-tight monthly bottom-line. Whew!
It took 3+ months to get here... but here she is, all decked out in her new tin grin.
Here are "BEFORE" pictures...stay tuned for the "AFTER"(in approximately 20 months).
Moral of the story: Assume it's going to cost you more than you think, expect there will be unexpected costs and 5 consultations is A LOT..you could probably get away with 4 and be just fine. :)
2 comments:
Oh memories, painful memories! Is she still liking them? I love how thorough you are in your research. I've heard good things about Dr. Kelson - glad you found someone you all like!
That's a beautiful tin grin!
She was just positive that she would have no pain (such a confident, sure-of-herself girl)..but I asked her to take some ibuprofen, just in case. She rolled her eyes, but did. When the soreness hit, she was surprised. Lasted about 2-3 days after getting them on. She has wanted this so badly..it was small price to pay. Until the next adjustment. :)
She's excited that she can already see some difference..I can tell too.
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