I know some people consider braces to be a cosmetic procedure. Personally, I think braces are very important. I had numerous dental issues, which were not addressed when I was a kid. Growing up, I was always self conscious about my teeth – even more so as an adult. Finally, at age 28, I got braces. Honestly, I wish I had done it sooner. I have no regrets about spending that money. Because of my experiences, I want all of our children’s dental issues to be addressed before adulthood.
Our oldest daughter had a narrow bite (she was a chronic thumb sucker), which oddly enough was causing a crossbite. We knew her issues would need to be corrected with braces. When she finally lost all of her baby teeth, I took her in for a consultation with a local orthodontist. She needed an expander and braces, which totaled $5,000. Yikes! We put $1,400 down and took advantage of a payment plan for the remaining balance (I was pregnant at the time and didn’t want to completely deplete our HSA). Fortunately, the amount was divided up over a two year period (without interest), making it very affordable for our family.
Recently, I was listening to Debt Free Dana. She recommended using the payment plans that most orthodontist offices offer. Dana explained that you should think of the process as “renting” braces. It makes sense to spread the payments out as the work is being done. After all, anything could happen during the 2 year treatment plan – the office could go out of business, the orthodontist could die, etc.
Fortunately, we are nearing the end of our 2 year payment plan. Our oldest daughter’s braces will be paid in full in August. The timing couldn’t be better, because our oldest son will be ready for braces this fall. Once again, we are going to take advantage of the payment plan.
Since we have 5 children, this is an expense we will have for the foreseeable future. When it’s all said and done, we will spend at least $25,000 on orthodontics. But, in my humble opinion, it’s money well spent.