How to Afford The Cost of Braces

In these tight economic times, many people are cutting back, and dental work is no exception. As more people lose jobs and medical/dental benefits, they will be seeking care less often. A "luxury" like orthodontic braces may seem like an extravagance to be put on the back burner. But depending on your location and your situation, you don't necessarily have to postpone or cancel getting the smile of your dreams (or necessary early phase orthodontic work for your children).

First of all, if you're not seeing the dentist as often as usual, be sure to pay extra attention to your oral hygiene. Brush several times per day with a good fluoride toothpaste, and floss at least once per day. Try not to eat sticky sweet candies, or drink too many sugary drinks which can cause cavities. If you need to cut back on dental treatment, try to at least get two professional cleanings per year. They are usually not very expensive if you opt to only have cleanings and postpone the x-rays for a later date.

Here are some tips to help you afford braces:

• Speak to your orthodontist to see if the payments for your treatment can be extended, so that you are paying less per month over a longer period of time.
  
  
• If you have not already started orthodontic treatment, look into a dental discount plan, such as DentalPlans.com. These types of plans are not insurance; they are discount plans that have participating groups of dentists that have agreed to offer treatment at a lesser price.
  
  
• Investigate a dental school in your area. Many dental schools also have orthodontic programs, and take patients from the community for various types of orthodontic and dental work. Your orthodontic treatment would be done by dentists who are getting orthodontic training, and would be overseen by professors who are themselves experienced orthodontists. The cost is usually much lower than that charged by a private orthodontist.
  
  
• Investigate whether your orthodontic treatment could be covered by a State, County, or Federal plan. In some countries such as Great Britain, a national health service offers orthodontic treatment for low cost (although there may be a waiting list).

If you already have braces and cannot afford to continue your treatment, speak to your orthodontist to work something out. Do not just keep the braces on your teeth and skip appointments, and certainly do not try to remove them yourself -- you could permanently damage your teeth! As a last resort, you could contact a local dental school and see if an orthodontist in training could finish your treatment for a lower cost. However, if you signed a payment contract with your previous orthodontist, you will still need to work out a financial arrangement for the treatment that has already taken place!

We also would not advise anyone to pay for the entire cost of their braces upfront at the beginning of treatment. Although the orthodontist may offer you a discount for doing so, it is not wise. Patients have gotten burned when an orthodontic office suddenly closes and they cannot get treatment or get their money back! If this happened to you, you would have to start over with a new orthodontist! Most orthodontists are reputable; but nevertheless, it is not wise to pay for the whole thing in advance no matter how attractive that option may be.