I spent nearly five years wearing braces… twice.
They say it’s rare to get chicken pox twice. The same goes for wearing braces, but some how lightning struck me four times. I’ve had chicken pox twice and after wearing braces (and headgear) for two years, I got them off and was retainer free for nearly a year before I was forced to go through orthodontic hell for another two years.
Though, come to think of it, my physical pain was nothing compared to the financial suffering my parents endured paying for my repeated orthodontic work plus that of my two brothers.
These days wearing braces is not nearly as uncool as it was in my day, but the price is just as high. More, in fact, and with the economy in the dumpster, some parents are questioning whether they can afford to straighten their children’s teeth.
According to a recent New York Times report, depending on the severity of your child’s overbite, you’re looking at shelling out between $4,500-$7,000 for braces. That doesn’t include the thousands that some are forced to pay for preparatory and follow-up work to correct remaining alignment issues. The paper reports that most dental insurance plans cover roughly $750 to $2,000; but often the whole tab is paid out of pocket.
You would think that with our nation in financial disarray, job losses at a new high, and salary reductions the norm at companies from coast-to-coast, practical parents would be holding off on forking over big bucks to ensure their child has a straight smile.
Not so much.
According to the Times report, many middle-class parents would rather skip breakfast and eat mac and cheese for dinner three nights a week than force their children to walk around with crooked teeth.
Call it a vanity issue… it is.
Sad as it may be society places an extraordinary value on appearance, and an increasing number of parents say they will do whatever it takes to keep funds for tooth straightening in their budgets… even when their budgets are non-existent.
An Illinois orthodontist reveals that he has fielded more than a dozen calls from parents saying that they are filing for bankruptcy, but don’t plan to list the dental specialist as a creditor. No kidding. The cash-strapped parents told the doctor that they still intend to pay him to straighten their kids’ teeth… no matter what.
They better hope that their children’s straight teeth don’t shift like mine did after a year minus a mouth full of wires and brackets.
Do orthodontics remain a priority in your family despite the current economy?
Related Articles:
Are You Talking to Your Kids About the Financial Crisis?
Would You Send Your Son to a Spa?
Preparing a Child for the Dentist-Part One