When your child needs to see the orthodontist
When your child has to go to the orthodontist
And then there it is. Your child needs braces! How does it all work and what should you consider in terms of money and time when your child has to go to the orthodontist??
Last but not least, take a good look at your insurance policy.
Rich experiences at the orthodontist
I went to the orthodontist early on, now I am talking about over forty years ago and braces were quite new then. I was about seven when I got braces and was really an exception at the time. When I was eleven I was almost done with my braces, but then I had a bike accident.
I fell my front teeth out of my mouth and started all over again with braces. I cost my parents quite a bit in braces, and dental costs.
The story repeats itself
With our oldest we visit the pediatric dentist every three months. We have been doing this since he was three years old. He has so-called cheese teeth and was also very quick to change them.
That he needs braces has been going on for years and since he was nine years old, we have been visiting the orthodontist. Because a number of molars have to be removed before he will start braces, the orthodontist wanted to wait a little longer on this, until he was older, which is now the case.
The treatment plan
After three years of visits, they are really starting now. The oldest first went for the photo’s and the ‘bite’ and was told the treatment plan a month later. That time when it was decided that the braces should be there, I was immediately given a cost sheet. Here’s the plan as it stands now, He has been getting block braces since the end of February and in about a year he will get fixed braces.
Over two to three years he’ll be busy. But this will have to wait and see. In any case, we do have to come back often and I am glad we chose an orthodontist in the neighborhood.
Difference in braces
Wearing and getting used to the braces went very quickly. The block brace pushes the lower jaw forward and you can see it on his head, his mouth is different than without braces. Still, getting used to them was quick.
He wore the braces after a day even ’s at night and although in the beginning he suffered from some extra mucus and talking was a little more difficult, this was quickly over. He doesn’t hate having them in either, so that’s positive. The only annoying thing was that he was the first in class, but that is sure to change soon.
New insurance
I got a price indication and took a good look at my insurance, here it turned out that I would spend more money on the additional insurance than I would get back from my insurance. Now I don’t find it strange at all, to help pay for braces, but here it would mean that I could better pay the bills out of my own pocket. I did start looking at other insurance policies and it was much more favorable for us to switch, to another insurance policy..
