Why Are Braces So Expensive?
Dental braces are some of the best advancements in dentistry in terms of how we move teeth. This has not only been around for a long time but braces have also cost quite a bit since the beginning.
We will break down why braces cost so much money and how it can be made more affordable.
Why are braces so expensive?
Dental braces have been expensive for a very long time. Almost every country in the world that you go to will cost quite a bit of money to do dental braces work, but there are good reasons for this. So why are braces so expensive? Well, the main reason is, knowledge, the cost of materials, and the scarcity of skills to do dental braces.
Knowledge: The majority of the time a lot of study (like a TON of studying) is needed to study orthodontics and dental braces. This takes hours, days, and years out of the dentist’s life devoted to becoming good at this skill, and in return dental braces will be quite expensive due to the dentist or orthodontist being able to charge a high amount of fees for his/her knowledge and services that is being rendered.
Even once the orthodontist or dentist has done their orthodontic training, it doesn’t mean they know everything. The majority of them still need to do extra courses to learn the latest techniques and to gain more skills to treat tricky situations.
The cost of materials: Materials all over the world, in general, are pretty pricey. Now imagine what it costs in dentistry and orthodontics! The price of materials that make up different parts of dental braces (click here if you want to read an article on the different parts of dental braces).
Some of the parts such as the brackets where the wire lies, can be extremely expensive to purchase due to companies coming out with new and improved products the entire time. Orthodontic companies also really inflate the prices in some circumstances of materials which makes orthodontic treatment more expensive and pricey.
Scarcity of skillset: Not everyone can do braces. In dental school, dentists are not taught (or are taught very little) about dental braces and orthodontics. This means that it is a very rare and tricky skill to master since undergraduate training does not teach this. The only way dentists and orthodontists can learn to do braces is if they undergo extra training and courses which costs a lot of money and time.
How can braces be made more affordable?
Dentists and orthodontists usually offer payment plans to pay dental braces off throughout orthodontic treatment. This makes the dental braces less expensive than normal as the total amount is broken up into smaller payments. These payments differ for each dentist and orthodontist widely.
Will dental braces become cheaper as time goes on?
It’s unlikely that braces will become cheaper as time goes on. This is because everything around us becomes more expensive as time goes on therefore costs of services such as dental braces are likely to also go up with time. This does however depend on what part of the world you live in, but in majority cases dental braces prices will keep going up.
Will I be charged if I lose a piece of my dental braces?
It’s not end of the world if one of your dental braces brackets or elastics come off. If this ever happens then rather keep it for your dentist or orthodontist to reattach because we will have to reorder or charge you to place a new one again.
Often enough the braces color elastics will not be charged if it is lost but it depends on your agreement with your dentist or orthodontist.
Loosing a dental bracket, molar band, a piece of wire or a removable orthodontic appliance will likely have to be paid for to replace it again.
Does the cost of dental braces differ between people?
The cost of dental braces varies vastly amongst different people. The only way you can find how much dental braces cost is to actually get a orthodontic examination done at your dentist or orthodontist’s office.
Your dentist or orthodontist will then create a plan for you and the cost of dental braces will be determined by how difficult your case is, how long your case will take and if any special procedures need to be done such as jaw expansion, surgery or removing teeth.
Looking for a dentist to do braces near you?
DrGrayDentistry is located in Durban South Africa! We offer a large variety of dental braces services in the Berea area near Durban North. Call us today for an appointment on 031-201-5134.