Tara's story - updated 12/18/08

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my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

Tara's story - updated 12/18/08

#1 Post by my3sons »

Like there's any other type of newbie, right? My name is Tara, and I'm 30, going through this for the first time, but have needed braces for a long time. I have a "classic #2 malocclusion"...I was a serious thumb-sucker, and now have a major overbite. I also have some crowding which will require the removal of 4 teeth, then probably 1-1 1/2 years of braces. So far, I've only had my panoramic x-ray, so it's all speculation, but short of having cleaning issues (now have 5 cavities between all my molars!) :shock: , my teeth thankfully are not that bad.
Here's my major question - dh has dental insurance through work that covers 50% of orthodontics, but only for the kids up to age 19. Do all plans work that way, or are there some that will cover a percentage of adult orthodontics? I live in PA, if that helps. I did research at dentalplans.com, but it didn't qualify whether or not they would cover adults.
Also, Damon brackets, or traditional? So confusing...
Thanks in advance.
Tara
Last edited by my3sons on Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:43 am, edited 5 times in total.

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Arbywhopper
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#2 Post by Arbywhopper »

That is exaclty how my plan is. They won't cover any of it, for adults. I did do some research but it would be more expensive to pay for the extra insurence, rather than just paying for the braces through the orthodontist. thats what i found out. I hope everything goes well.
Spacers: October 2, 2008
Top Braces: October 7, 2008
Sentence: 36 Months
Click the "www" for my braces story!! Progress Pic's Posted!!!
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my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

#3 Post by my3sons »

Thanks for your reply. I am still in the planning stages, and have absolutely no clue how much all this will be. I think if it's $2500 or less (we live in a VERY rural area, so that should be reasonable), we should be fine with monthly installments, especially since our orthodontist does interest-free financing. But if it's more, I don't know what we'll do.

Toni
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Location: Oregon

#4 Post by Toni »

I live in Oregon and my dh's insurance covers 80% with a max lifetime benefit of $1500.00. So what that really means is that they paid for the first $1500.00 and I am financing the rest (without interest) through my Ortho. It's not a bad deal and I have also signed up for the medical saving account through work and now at least the payments I make will be taken out of my paycheck pre tax.
**Brace Day was September 22 - Ouch!**
**Member of the AW TADA club**

my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

#5 Post by my3sons »

Ours does 50%, yearly max of $1000/child. Not a bad deal, except I'm left out in the cold!!
Been doing some research...my orthodontist is unimpressed with anything but metal, because he feels that ceramic, etc, doesn't always bond as well, which would make more trips to rebond the brackets. However, Damon now has a 3MX, which is entirely metal...I'm hoping he's been researching, too! I really like the idea of shorter treatment time, more rounded brackets, and fewer adjustments. Anybody tried these yet?

Toni
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Location: Oregon

#6 Post by Toni »

I had consults with 3 different orthos before I decided on one. One of them deals exclusively in Damons and told me that I would only have to wear them for 18 months opposed to the 24 month sentance from the other orthos.
I was very keen on the idea of less time but they would have cost me 800 dollars more than the traditional metal. I also would have still had to get the TADS so it wasn't really worth it to me.

I hope you find a good option!
**Brace Day was September 22 - Ouch!**
**Member of the AW TADA club**

my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

#7 Post by my3sons »

well, I live in the boonies, so my options for orthos are limited...as it is, I'm traveling 1 hour each way to see this one! Still, I'm hoping to get a second opinion from an ortho about 45 mins in the other direction...I think I'll have my kids go to orthodontics school and settle here....they'll make a mint!
I'm just hoping that I'm not dealing with this too long. I hate waiting to find out what my treatment plan is...I don't even get my impressions until Nov. 4, and then my final consult on Nov. 11. I have list of questions for him that's a mile long!
Thanks for your input!

my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

One week til impressions

#8 Post by my3sons »

Well, it's one week from tomorrow that I'll get my impressions done, and I'm starting to get nervous! I'm really scared to get those four silly teeth pulled, even though I know it'll work out ok. Oh, and my roots look like carrots (tapered), so I know they'll just pop out. Still, once it's done, it's not like I can change my mind! I'm also really paranoid about dry sockets...ouch! And I'm worried about cost. I've started babysitting again, so we don't (hopefully) have to dip into our savings, and I'm tucking the money into our "Mom & Dad...Can we?" can. I'm also seriously thinking of getting a second opinion, which is more about cost than treatment plan, since every dentist I've ever been to has said the same thing. The last thing I'm concerned about is the fact that dh & I would really like to have one more baby, which most likely means I'd have to postpone treatment for a year or two...that would definitely give me time to save money! So much to think about!

my3sons
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

update

#9 Post by my3sons »

Well, I am down to a little less than 2 days before I have my impressions done, and I actually have butterflies! :roll: The whole thing is so silly, because I know other than that, a whopping 20 minutes, we're not going to discuss treatment or anything. I'm just so worried that I'm going to go through all this preliminary stuff and then have to table it because we can't afford it. :cry: I just want to get the whole ordeal over with, and move on! And I really want to know if we should go ahead and try for a 4th child, or wait until this is all over with. *sigh* I HATE WAITING!!!

my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

I need to get a grip!

#10 Post by my3sons »

So, it's only about an hour before I leave to have my impressions done, which is NOTHING compared to all the other stuff that will happen in the future, but I'm dreaming about my final consult already!! Last night, in my dream, dh, all 3 boys and I went to the ortho, to find out treatment plan and the bottom line. Basically, he said he does all metal Damon, OrthoCAD, and everything will be locked & loaded for $2500! LMAO! A dream for me, but probably a nightmare for him!!! :crazy:

******edit**********

My appointment went about how I expected, with a few other measurements that I didn't. Seriously...we've come so far in the field of dentistry, and some of these instruments used to measure facial structure and such look like they're right out of the middle ages!
Impressions were a piece of cake. Did wax bites, too, as well as a couple of side x-rays. Now I just wait a week to find out exactly what we're going to do, and how much it's going to cost. :!:

*******edit*******11/5/08
Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking...and I talked to my PCP today, who said she didn't think my ortho would pull the teeth if I was pregnant, because my chances of getting an infection would be higher...not sure why that is, unless she's talking about endocarditis, but my heart is just fine...I'm more worried about the increase in blood volume causing my mouth to bleed too much. I still have to go through my final consult with my ortho next week, but I've pretty much decided to wait on treatment until we have #4. Now my only concern is, will I have to go through all the preliminary stuff all over again? The nice thing is, at least I'll have another year, year and a half to save for this.

my3sons
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

#11 Post by my3sons »

Final consult is tomorrow...really getting nervous. Hoping that he says, "Get pregnant, we'll pull the teeth in the 2nd trimester, and you owe us $3000, or less." Either that, or we get a ton of money back on our taxes!

my3sons
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Location: Pennsylvania

Better than I thought, sort of.

#12 Post by my3sons »

So, had my final consult today. Ortho was really thorough as to my issues and what we're going to do to fix them. First off, we're only pulling 2 bicuspids, on the top. Yahoo! My bottom molars tip in toward my tongue a bit, though, and i have major wear on my bottom right molars, as those are the only ones that touch. Add an overbite, crowding, and some teeth that overlap a bit (in the front), and we're heading for treatment! He gave us the go-ahead to get pregnant, with the warning that morning sickness may make treatment go a bit longer b/c some people don't want to wear elastics. Fillings will be done on Dec. 23, extractions on Dec. 30, spacers Jan 5, braces Jan. 6!! I can't believe this is finally happening. Oh, and the final bill is less than I honestly expected, but my downpayment is more than I expected, but that brings my monthly bill down, and since I got a big bonus at work last week, we should be just fine. Now, if I can just contain myself until Jan. 6!!! :jump:

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deville
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#13 Post by deville »

Congratulations! I'm glad that you had good news after all :) You'll be surprised how quickly it goes too... I can't believe my spacers are only a week away, when last week I was wondering how I'd cope with the wait :P

my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

#14 Post by my3sons »

I know!! My impressions/consult seemed so far away when we talked about it last month, and now it's past. I'm glad I've got all the hub bub of the holidays to keep me distracted while I wait! Now...to secure childcare for the day of my fillings...*sigh* :roll:

my3sons
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:29 am
Location: Pennsylvania

#15 Post by my3sons »

I know, I'm so excited...one more thing to pass the time! :banana:

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