Dissapointment

[anedia]

Hi friends.

I was scheduled to get spacers on Monday and braces on Sept 3rd. However, yesterday I received a call from my ortho letting me know that I DON'T have any adult ortho coverage under my insurance. I was under the impression I did have adult coverage which was supposed to be $1,500 towards my treatment. I can't really afford it without that $1,500. I have cancelled my appointments for now.

I have scheduled another consult with a different ortho to compare prices. I only had the one original consult because I really liked the office and the staff. The price (6k) seemed a little high but with my insurance it was doable.

I see the other ortho on Weds and from there I have a big choice to make. I was almost in tears when I got the call yesterday, the extra money I will have to spend will be a big strain that I don't know if I can handle.

[Bikerchick85]

Hello! I'm sorry for your disappointment. Did you call your insurance company to verify this information was correct? I have no insurance and my ortho required a down payment based on credit rating, and then 24 monthly payments of $135 after that. Maybe that's something you could ask about? Good luck!

[djspeece]

I hope you can find a good ortho who has some creative approaches to financing. I think some are more amenable than others, but you would proably have to have a frank discussion. I know you are very disappointed, but the war isn't isn't lost yet! Hang in there. Soon I hope to read your posts about the joys of orthodonture!
Best of luck to you!

[anedia]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. The other ortho that I scheduled a consult with called my insurance right away and confirmed no adult insurance.

I'm still going ahead with my wisdom teeth and baby tooth extraction. I will have a pretty noticeable gap with the baby tooth gone. I hope this other ortho is a better fit.

Either way, I still want the braces but might have to wait until next year. I was just soooo close when I got this bad news

[Alee]

That just sucks! Id call every ortho as far as your willing to drive and see about payment plans. If there is a comfort dental in your area, they offer low monthly payments with no down payment, that's who I use.

[anedia]

Yeah I have a couple more options to look at in regards to ortho options in the area. I'm just going to try one at a time and hopefully find a good fit!!

I'm feeling better about the whole situation. Even if I end up paying more than I originally was quoted, I've worked a budget I think I can handle.

[realfroggie]

Anedia I feel your pain! I got part way into treatment, did have some insurance money which they collected all of, but hit a financial brick wall and had to stop my portion of the payments.

I have been stuck with molar bands and a few remaining brackets for a few years while I tried to get my life back on track. It sucks to be 40 and still trying to get the work done that many got done as children.

It really is very tough to decide which sacrifice is the best to make....
braces for me=self esteem, but family does with out,
OR
no braces for me=no feelings of guilt and selfishness, but I still feel bad about my teeth and it effects my self esteem

self esteem effects career, social acceptance, pride or embarrassment my children may feel about mama's appearance....etc.

Not an easy choice....keep pluggin away, do what you can live happily with.....

[anedia]

Thanks for sharing your story realfroggie. Most of my stress is coming from the financial aspect. I think the sacrifice is worth it but I feel guilty for asking my husband to make the cutbacks needed to make this happen.

[Alee]

I felt bad too as far as the money goes. I have a family of 6, and only my husband.works. but since I've had children all my time, effort and love goes to them, not to mention almost all my money. I decided, along with my hubby, its not so terrible to ask and receive one thing. I never complain, and always sacrifice for my family. I am studying to be a nurse, and I thought id like to look
Professional, and not be ashamed to smile. I know it seems a little selfish, but its not. Ppl who have straight teeth do not understand just how important it is.for.ppl like us to get our teeth fixed. I wish you all the best.

[Zaera]

Sorry to hear that, anedia. I had a similar experience when I went to get my braces. I was paying for a dental plan through work with orthodontic coverage up to $1200 only to discover it didn't cover anyone older than 19 when I went to get my estimate. I was furious that our insurance agent did not tell me this when I told her why I made that choice. I was stuck paying for a plan I couldn't use for a year.

I ended up shuffling a lot of my finances around to cover the gap. I made cuts to my budget, refinanced my car, changed car insurance, that sort of thing. I made it work. What really helped me was being able to pay for my braces using an HSA. Tax free! Though that doesn't help you if your insurance plan doesn't qualify.

My orthodontist utilizes CareCredit and I was approved for a credit line, but I didn't end up needing it. $6400 in 2 years was definitely hard to swallow.

[Marigold]

My insurance doesn't cover adults either so I feel your frustration. That is a sore spot with me. If an adult wants to get braces, obviously they need them. It's not like some frivolous cosmetic thing like getting lip filler or something. I had a bad bite that was wearing down several teeth and requiring constant dental work. My dentist urged me to get braces or I was looking at getting my teeth veneered or capped. My insurance company would've paid more for all this dental work than they would for the cost of braces! Makes no sense to me. This is my own insurance plan through my job that I work my hiney off for, plus I pay a portion out of every paycheck. Yet I can't get the benefit of orthodontia that others receive for their children. Aren't teeth important at every age? Okay, off my soapbox now. I just needed to get that out.

Anedia, I hope you can find a way to get your braces.

[isthistaken]

Can't agree more, Marigold, et al. Since ortho insurance often does not apply to adults, this contributes to the stigma of adults having braces, since it's obviously optional, discretionary, whatever. The health benefits of having braces do not stop when you are 18, or 48, or any age. What an irony that many plans cover Viagara, but not the only treatment that will give many people a healthy set of teeth. It's an injustice and a travesty.

[Alee]

At my ortho office, almost all the techs have braces, they get a huge discount, and their insurance covers adult treatment. Maybe a temporary career change? One of the techs I talk to every time I visit told me she only has to pay 29 dollars a month. The normal payment is 149 per month, and she said just by working there she gets half off, then insurances covers all but the 29 dollars.

[Matilda]

I'm sorry to read about your disappointment, anedia. Best of luck!

[anedia]

Ahhh!! I'm so excited!

I went to the other ortho consult today and I LOVED their office. It definitely had less frills but it totally fit me. And it was $600 to $1300 cheaper (depending on what kind I decide on).

My brace date is Sept 4th which is only a day later than the original plan.

Thanks for all the encouragement and nice words on here. It helped me a lot