Cost in NYC

[Jen08]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to the forum and have some questions about the average cost of treatment.

I am a 28 years old femal who has finally decided to straighten her teeth. I have crowding, an openbite and crossbite.

I consulted with an orthodonist in NYC, who prides himself in his 30+ years of experience. He seems very knowledgeable and a good choice, BUT today I got a call from him informing that my treatment will be $11,995! I could buy a car with that much money and have never heard of such a steep price. Unfortunately, my insurance will only pay $1800 and have have to pay the rest during the course of my 24 month treatment. I asked for ceramic self-ligating brakets on top and traditional on the bottom.

Can someone give me some insight on the cost of their treatment in NYC. It appears that I have consulted with the most expensive orthodonist in the city!

Please help and provide some recommendations, if possible.

[CountessDeSangre]

Good Lord that is a large amount of money!

My braces are costing me $5,500, plus retainer fees at the end. I have crowding and a bit of a crossbite. I have clear ceramic brackets on top and traditional metal brackets on the bottom.

Maybe you should just have a consultation with another orthodontist? Maybe ask them a potential price? Or ask your curent ortho why his price is so ..... pricey.

[kitsune]

That's nuts!!

My original estimate was close to 7k, but with insurance I am paying ~$3,700. I have ceramic uppers and metal lowers. I would definitely shop around a bit more if I received the estimate you did...

[margarets]

I would meet with a couple other orthos just to see if this cost is truly necessary. It does seem like a lot. I live in an expensive city too but even so, an average cost is more like $8000.

You could also ask this ortho for a breakdown of the costs, to see why it's so much.

[Jen08]

[quote="CountessDeSangre"]Good Lord that is a large amount of money!

My braces are costing me $5,500, plus retainer fees at the end. I have crowding and a bit of a crossbite. I have clear ceramic brackets on top and traditional metal brackets on the bottom.

Maybe you should just have a consultation with another orthodontist? Maybe ask them a potential price? Or ask your curent ortho why his price is so ..... pricey. :shock:[/quote]


Hey! Thanks for replying.

I will definetly consult with a few more orthodontists, because $11,995 is definetly too much and I can't afford it. The ortho and his financial coordinator did not give me any explanation for their prices. All they said was that I am a "complicated case," that he is experienced and that everyone else charges a lot more.

IWould any of you recommend me an orthodondist who is reasonably prices? Please share some info, I will greatly appreciate it.

[margarets]

For $12K, they can give you an explanation beyond "complicated case".

Here's what one (very experienced) ortho quoted me:

$450 for records
$1100 to put on the braces (top only, self-ligating, non-ceramic, good old metal ones)
$179 per appointment x 5 appointments = $895
(If I need six appts there's no extra charge, it's no biggie)
$550 (approx) for retainer stuff, depending on what I choose
Total: $2995

Now, my case is very simple and that's why it's costing so little, but this gives you an idea of the breakdown. E.g. say your case will need 20 appointments at $180 each, that's $3600. Your records shouldn't need to cost more than $500 or so, as they are pretty standard. Say $600 for your retainer. OK, we're up to $4700. So what is the other $7295 for? The actual braces just don't cost that much. Do you need headgear? Surgery? What?

Definitely get answers to these questions and if the ortho or his coordinator give you any attitude, walk away.

[ArchWired28]

Jen08

consult somebody else. 12K does seem steep to me. I am paying $5500 including retainers, and this is kind of at a pricier end for my area. Granted my ortho does have 30+ years of experience, but I don't see myself paying THAT much money.

[Jen08]

[quote="margarets"]For $12K, they can give you an explanation beyond "complicated case".

Here's what one (very experienced) ortho quoted me:

$450 for records
$1100 to put on the braces (top only, self-ligating, non-ceramic, good old metal ones)
$179 per appointment x 5 appointments = $895
(If I need six appts there's no extra charge, it's no biggie)
$550 (approx) for retainer stuff, depending on what I choose
Total: $2995

Now, my case is very simple and that's why it's costing so little, but this gives you an idea of the breakdown. E.g. say your case will need 20 appointments at $180 each, that's $3600. Your records shouldn't need to cost more than $500 or so, as they are pretty standard. Say $600 for your retainer. OK, we're up to $4700. So what is the other $7295 for? The actual braces just don't cost that much. Do you need headgear? Surgery? What?

Definitely get answers to these questions and if the ortho or his coordinator give you any attitude, walk away.[/quote]

Hey Marg,

I asked for a break down of his price just to see his explanation.

He referred me to an oral surgeon in order to consult whether or not I need surgery for my narrow top jaw. The oral surgeon told me that a skilled orthodontist could straighten my teeth and correct my open and over bite without surgery. I am not interested in any unneccesary surgery, as I have a heart condition and don't want to have any complication, I'm opting out surgery.

The ortho informed that If I would have decided to expand my top jaw, the braces treatment would have been a whopping $15,000 because "it complicates things." Again no explanation of what complicates things since he's not the oral surgeon and my health insurance would have covered the surgery.

I don't need hear gear and he mentioned nothing about a retainer. What he did include in the treatment plan was TADS Temporary Anchorage Device that would fill in a space of a molar I cracked several years ago. TADS are not really necessary since my crowded teeth could use the space.

Overall, there is no plausible explantion. One would think I had 2 mouths and 72 teeth!

Would you mind recommending your orthodontist? Maybe I can go for a consult.

I need all the help I can get!

[margarets]

I'm in Toronto, so my referrals won't be much use.

Definitely get second opinions from other orthos.

[CountessDeSangre]

New Yorker here! Ortho located in Bayside. Interested?

[Jen08]

Hey Countess!

Please share the info... I wanna to get the ball rolling!

[CountessDeSangre]

i'll message you

[margarets]

Jen, is there some reason why you can't just google "manhattan orthodontist" and find some that way? There must be hundreds to choose from. You'll have to have an initial consult before making a final decision anyway.

[Jen08]

Hey Marg,

That's what I've been doing... I have already contact a few that I have found and scheduled consultations.

I like to hear other people's experience with their ortho's since Google, yelp, citysearch reviews are not always honest and sometimes manipulated by the orthodonist him/herself.

If someone has had a great experience with their orthodontist its worth researching them and contacting them if interested.

[BracedInNOLA]

I got referral from my regular dentist. I called him after he mentioned the braces to me in a regular appointment, and so he pulled out my chart to see if I had anything 'special' that would alter who he recommended, based on his experiences with those orthos and what their experience was. The upside was that he recommended a dentist who sees a reasonable number of adults (you're not likely to get that from the 'general search engines') and adult mouths ARE different than mouths that are still growing.