At some point in your life, you’ve probably considered braces for you or your child. Millions of people undergo orthodontic treatment. In fact, it’s estimated that over 4 million Americans wear braces!
But with the consideration of starting treatment comes the consideration of cost. Patients often wonder:
- What is the cost of braces?
- Is orthodontic treatment really necessary?
While many people believe orthodontic treatments serve a purely cosmetic purpose, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Braces are highly effective for treating undesirable cosmetic conditions, like crooked teeth, crowded teeth, and gapped teeth, but the benefits of braces extend far beyond the smile.
When problematic orthodontic conditions are left untreated, they can lead to:
- Sleep apnea
- Gum disease
- Poor self esteem
- Speech impediments
- Tooth decay and tooth loss
- Pain and soreness while eating
- Chewing and digestion difficulty
What Is The Best Age To Get Braces?
It’s a common misconception that braces are only for teens. While it’s true that teens make up a large portion of the patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, braces are for everyone at every age.
Although, it’s ideal to start orthodontic treatment in the early teen years. During these years, the permanent teeth are still stabilizing, which presents the perfect time for braces or Invisalign® Teen clear aligners to guide them into alignment.
Once all permanent teeth have erupted and stabilized in the adult years, patients may require a longer treatment period or additional orthodontic appliances to assure the most effective and efficient treatment plan possible.
The Cost of Not Getting Braces
Untreated orthodontic conditions can lead to serious complications. In many cases, these complications may require costly surgery or tooth extraction!
For example, maintaining oral health with a condition like crowded teeth requires some serious hygiene habits. When the teeth are crowded and overlapping each other, it’s difficult to clean between each tooth. Over time, bacteria can accumulate and lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss.
Untreated conditions that require tooth extraction can leave you paying around $250 per tooth! Root canal therapy to save a damaged tooth can cost anywhere from $200 to $500 with insurance, and up to $1,000 without insurance.
Adults who have neglected their orthodontic condition in the past may require corrective jaw surgery to realign the jaw. The cost of jaw surgery can easily range upwards of $20,000 to $40,000!
So, the decision is yours. If you neglect your condition, you may be facing a crippling cost later in life. We offer affordable braces because we want you to experience your best quality of life—and your orthodontic condition directly affects your quality of life.
The Average Cost of Braces
There’s no fixed number when it comes to the average cost of braces. The cost of braces depends on your personalized treatment plan, which is based on your specific condition, your goals with treatment, and your preferred payment plan.
We believe that everyone deserves a confident and healthy smile, no matter their financial situation. Our goal is to provide you with high-quality treatment and personalized care at an affordable price.
The Bottom Line
The cost of neglecting your orthodontic condition far outweighs the affordable cost of braces. Untreated conditions can lead to serious health complications down the line, and treatment can end up costing you double, triple, or quadruple what you would’ve paid if you started treatment earlier!
When you visit any of our office locations for your free consultation, we’ll thoroughly assess your condition and explain everything you need to know about the cost of braces, our available payment plans, and your estimated treatment period.
If you have other questions, please feel free to reach out to us at any time! If you’re ready to start your Invisalign® journey with Northwest Florida’s Invisalign experts, request your free exam today.
