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Why do braces cost so much? Is there any reason why these devices have to be so expensive? Many patients feel perplexed at the cost of orthodontry, but it really does add up, if you know what you are paying for. In this article, we wish to give a list of all the things that need to be paid for, as well as some extra or “hidden fees” that may be applicable, and perhaps some tips on how to get more bang for your buck.
Costs of orthodontic treatment: what you are paying for
When you see the final cost of orthodontic treatment, remember that you are paying for a complex set of implements, service and regular visits to the dentist. Here is roughly what you will be paying for:
Costs of orthodontic treatment 1.: The device itself
This includes the price for the brackets that will be adhered to your teeth, as well as the wires (several of them) that will be changed during your activation sessions. These are all surgical steel and titanium alloy, wound with nickel, silver and a whole host of other rare elements, so you are not paying for just a bunch of steel wires.
Costs of orthodontic treatment 2.: Activation sessions
You will be going back to the dentist every 2 weeks or so, and they will be spending between 15 minutes and 1 hour in your mouth every single time, adjusting the brackets, changing the wires, giving new ligatures, and making sure everything is alright.
Costs of orthodontic treatment 3.: Extra materials
The device is the main material expense of the treatment, but not the only thing at all. Ligatures, o-rings, the adhesive used to cement the brackets to the tooth surfaces, possibly power chains or other ligatures, and the retainer that you wear at the end of orthodontic treatment all cost money, and without them orthodontic treatment would be much longer, harder, and in some cases, downright impossible.
Costs of orthodontic treatment 4.: Initial session
The first session, when the orthodontist puts the device on the teeth is also a doozy. These sessions are long, require years of training, and require great expertise as well as a kind and gentle touch, and this does not come for free.
Costs of orthodontic treatment 5.: Study models
Before a final dental brace is made that corresponds to your teeth, the orthodontist needs to make several study models, and needs to model your teeth and make sure that the device will do what it is supposed to. This requires time, materials and expertise, all of which cost money.
Costs of orthodontic treatment 6.: Hidden fees?
This procedure is one that can have extra fees. Orthodontists do not like the term “hidden” because quite frankly, no one is hiding them. These fees are discussed at length on every orthodontic website on the internet, and many times orthodontists have printed disclaimers at their clinic that the patients can read.
Your teeth need to be in tip top condition before orthodontic treatment begins, or you will have a mouth full of cavities when the braces come off. This means that any treatment that you may need has to happen before orthodontic treatment; fillings, root canals, deep cleaning and scaling all may need to occur before treatment can begin. Extractions may be necessary in cases of extreme crowding, and these also bring their own fee with them. Wisdom teeth may need to be removed for orthodontic treatment to even make sense in certain cases, and this is particularly true of adult orthodontics. Aside from this, if the treatment lasts longer than expected, requires more sessions than expected, or the patient fails to show up to at activation sessions regularly, and the treatment drags on, then the extra time and energy spent on the treatment needs to be paid for by the patient.
Orthodontic treatment abroad
We can help you save expenses of your orthodontic treatment with our partner dentistry clinic operates in Budapest. The consultation session and study model will be done in Forest&Ray London clinic, and the same orthodontist will see you in the partner clinic in Budapest to put you the braces you need. Activation sessions will be in London, and the whole thing will cost you significantly less. Give us a call and see what we can do for you!
