Okay, so we're finally at the point where my oldest needs braces (yay us, lol). But seriously, I knew it wasn't gonna be cheap, but wow...the quotes we've gotten are kinda shocking. I'm curious how other parents handle this—do you guys usually go with payment plans offered by the orthodontist, look into dental insurance upgrades, or maybe even health savings accounts? Um, quick poll:
How do you typically handle paying for your kid's braces?
A) Orthodontist payment plan
B) Dental insurance coverage
C) Health savings account (HSA/FSA)
D) Just bite the bullet and pay upfront
Feel free to share any tips or tricks you've learned along the way.
Been there, done that, still recovering from sticker shock, lol. We ended up doing a combo of orthodontist payment plan and our HSA. Honestly, the payment plan made it feel less painful—like ripping off a band-aid slowly instead of all at once. Hang in there, it'll be worth it when you see that smile...and when they're old enough to thank you (hopefully).
Yeah, totally feel you on that sticker shock...still recovering here too. We went the payment plan route as well, felt less like a gut punch each month. Honestly though, seeing my kid smile without hiding their teeth—worth every penny (even if my wallet disagrees).
We felt that pinch too...ended up going with a dental school nearby. At first, I was pretty nervous about students working on my kid's teeth, but honestly, they were so careful and supervised every step of the way. Took a bit longer at appointments, but the savings were huge. And just like you said, seeing my daughter finally smile confidently in her school pictures made every extra minute in the waiting room worth it.
