Many people are asking in health forums, blogs and answer sites: Where can I get cheap braces? Understandably so. The price of dental braces has skyrocketed recently and the costs are anywhere between $3,000 to $6,000 and as much as $12,000 in extreme cases.
The factors that most affect your price are severity and complexity of the orthodontic problem, length of treatment, type of braces, use of additional appliances such as retainers, whether or not oral surgery is needed and expertise and location of the orthodontist.
To minimize the cost of your braces, the first thing to look for is the dental coverage that you currently have for orthodontics. Some insurances include orthodontics and some do not. If your insurance includes orthodontics, that alone can reduce the price of dental braces by $1,000 to $1,500, making your braces "cheaper" if not "cheap".
You may want to consider finding a reputable dental school near you. This option could serve you well if you live in a large metropolitan area. You will get a substantially lower price on your dental braces through a dental school. The downside is that you will possibly have a different student work on you each visit. They may not honor your insurance. Also, you may have to schedule your visits at times that agree with the school schedule, so the timing may not work for you. Be sure to address these issues with the staff at the dental school before you sign any contract and pay your down payment.
An easier and more flexible way to get additional savings on your dental braces is by signing up with a supplemental dental plan that includes orthodontics. As long as you visit a participating licensed dentists, you will get your braces at as much as additional 25% to 60% off. Even such additional savings may not make braces really "cheap" for you. If however, you are serious about getting braces, and you know the medical advantages of having straight, healthy teeth, you'll save up some cash and go for your dental braces.
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Supplemental dental plans that include orthodontics