When deciding to get your teeth straightened, there are many things to think about including which practice to go to, what treatment option to take and whether you can justify the cost. I think most people recognise the cost is not insignificant and figures of between £2500 and £8000 are frequently quoted on various practice websites but just what does the cost cover and is it worth it?
The actual braces themselves vary in cost depending on whether you choose regular metal brackets, clear brackets, self ligating brackets or custom made lingual (behind the teeth) brackets and together with the various wires, ties, elastics and other components represent a cost for your orthodontist. When you add to this all the other hidden expenses such as premises, cleaning, disposable materials, IT, staffing, utilities, insurance, marketing and all the other costs associated with running any business you can see how the costs now might start to add up.
When faced with an initial estimate for the cost of getting your teeth straightened it can be alarming to see such high figures and I’m sure this is a factor that may either delay people starting or put them off altogether. Many practices offer payment schemes where you either pay by instalments or take out a low cost loan to cover some of the treatment cost which enables many people to start sooner and it’s worth looking into the options if you want to get started but don’t have all the money up front.
When you consider the cost of getting braces you should also consider the long term benefit you will be getting not only aesthetically but functionally as well. Will straightening your teeth improve your long term oral health and save expensive restorations at a later date? Will straighter teeth improve your confidence and self esteem resulting in greater success in your life? These are questions that are difficult to answer but I would suspect the answer maybe yes to both for many people.
You should also consider the cost of your braces over the period of treatment. In my case, the monthly cost worked out to be less than £70 per month over the time I was in braces which I consider to be very good value. When you take into account the additional year my orthodontist is keeping an eye on me as I enter the important retention phase, this figure reduces even further. You could also divide the cost by the number of visits, the total time spent in the dental chair or the number of years I will be benefiting from straight and healthy teeth, either way, it still works out to be a worthwhile investment.
