Newbie from Vancouver, Canada

[EmbracingFreedom]

Hi everyone!

I am a 24-year old male who has finally saved up enough money to afford braces. My parents couldn't afford getting braces for me as a child, so I'm very happy that I'm finally able to get them!

I have booked consultations with 5 different orthodontists and 2 dentists in my area (Vancouver, Canada) to find out which option is best for me. I'm currently leaning towards upper ceramic braces as I do prefer having them less obvious and will be sure to take proper care of them to ensure they don't stain too heavily. I was thinking of having ceramic braces bottom as well. I've done some research and it seems like metal bottoms are better cause they don't chip and people notice them less anyways.

I have seen 2/5 of the orthodontists so far, and here are their general thoughts without taking x-rays:

First ortho:
$7,900 CAD for damon metal braces
$400 for x-ray/report
+$300 for ceramic braces
Does not recommend Invisalign as my upper right back teeth is slightly more complicated to shift with invisalign.

Second ortho
$7,300 for metal braces (free x-ray/report)
Needs to pull out (4) teeth!! $130 each. I asked if it is possible to do without extracting teeth, but he said no it is preferred. He is also a dentofacial orthopedic specialist.
+$300 for ceramic braces

I will be posting before pics of my teeth soon.

Looking forward to meeting some of you and sharing my journey with the community!

[jaime]

Hello fellow Canadian! Welcome!

Ouch, those prices are steep, though I'm wondering if it's because you're in an expensive part of Canada. I did 5 consultations and they all came in roughly around $6200. Most included records (x-rays, moulds), any and all appointments, and retainers.

Good for you for getting so many consultations. Depending how complicated your case is, it's generally better to go with an orthodontist instead of a dentist. Dentists who do braces don't have nearly the same level of training as an orthodontist.

I think you'd be happy with ceramic uppers and metal bottoms. That's what I have. The ceramics aren't super noticeable and don't stain as badly as people seem to claim. Ceramics are harder to remove afterwards so many orthodontists don't like to put them on all of your teeth. Some won't do them at all.

[ljms]

Wow! I know Vancouver is a more expensive city to live in than Winnipeg but Wow!

Your estimate for Damons is similar to my treatment and is over $2500 more than my ortho's quote. The difference is that my quote included TADs.

Short of moving to a more affordable city, if it's practical, look for ortho's in suburban area's. Cheaper rent may result in lower a quote.