Fully guided Elk hunt or Braces?

[Addicting]

So I was searching guides for a wilderness horse back type elk hunt today. My wife was talking our daughter to the Orthodontist. Come to find out what they are about the same price even with good dental insurance.

Is the ability to eat corn on the cob thru a picket fence really that bad of a feature? Maybe I could just enroll her in a hockey program. @kansasdad do you have a pull two get one free kinda deal?

I swear this orthodontist is a sheep hunter buying commissioner tags one patient at a time.

 

[kansasdad]

@Addicting
I’m guessing that your question is more rhetorical than actual, but there are similarities regarding your two possible purchases. I encourage my patients to visit with more than one orthodontist office. Sometimes one office will be a much better fit for your kid/family. I imagine the same philosophy applies to elk guides.

And I would point out that usually you get what you pay for. A T-shirt from Dollar General won’t last five washings. It’s cheap and it shows it’s nature quickly. Getting a great elk guide or a great orthodontic office will be worth it in the end.

One little nugget of truth I leave with families contemplating orthodontics is this: when done well AND WELL MAINTAINED afterwards, this ends up being a lifetime investment. And I share with them that a fairly significant percentage of my orthodontic patients (active aligner technology similar to Invisalign) are former teenager orthodontic patients who didn’t do the retainers like instructed.

 

[Derek44]

I feel ya. Dad of three girls. All 5 years apart. At least we spaced them so we could save up in between to fix each grill. Dental insurance is a joke by the way. Haha

 

[Nick87]

orthodontic patients who didn’t do the retainers like instructed.

Guilty as all hell.

 

[Dougfirtree]

My oldest just got his off this month and my middle child is still in it. One more to go after that. I feel ya and yes, dental insurance is a joke. Actually, I'll just say that the whole health-related insurance system is a bad joke.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Also, I'm curious if your wife has any thoughts on the matter that might help clarify the difference between the two options..?

 

[Nick87]

Dental insurance is a joke by the way

Obviously every insurance is different, but we found this year that we are allowed $2500 annually in our "supplemental fund" you have to pay it in full and get reimbursed at the end of your insurance year. It can be applied for orthodontics. Might be worth looking into. One of those bits of info they don't exactly volunteer.

 

[OverlordBear]

I won’t pay for cosmetic stuff for my kids. Plus it might keep them from dating in high school which will save them even more time, money, and drama. I d go on the elk hunt. And then offer to pay for it after she turns 18.

 

[Trial153]

The best thing about our dental insurance was that it enforced a cap on the total cost by the provider agreeing to participate. I think the cap was 6700 total, the insurance picked up 3200 and we were on the hook for 3500 did that x2 for my son and daughter. It is what it is. The worst part for me all the trips to office every 6 weeks

 

[kansasdad]

Guilty as all hell.

I tell me kid patients (mine or orthodontists) that they need to wear their retainers nightly until they graduate from college. Bare minimum if you really want the results that the work achieved.

 

[buckbull]

We took both our kids to the SLU dental school in st. Louis. $1500 total for each kid. Might want to see where the closest school is located.

 

[Gravelyctry]

How old are your kids? Our insurance covered braces once per lifetime per person. Our kids were little when some ortho convinced my wife the kids needed braces. We argued, and of course she won.
They were too young, imo, and their teeth kept moving as they grew. I think they could have benefited more if we would have waited.

 

[WildWill]

Guilty as all hell.

Yea I had that fight for years. SOB had the last laugh when he installed a permanent one on the bottom.

 

[Nick87]

I tell me kid patients (mine or orthodontists) that they need to wear their retainers nightly until they graduate from college. Bare minimum if you really want the results that the work achieved.

I think I wore that thing for about a week. After three years in braces. Dumb.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I won’t pay for cosmetic stuff for my kids. Plus it might keep them from dating in high school which will save them even more time, money, and drama. I d go on the elk hunt. And then offer to pay for it after she turns 18.

How old are your kids?

 

[Nick87]

Yea I had that fight for years. SOB had the last laugh when he installed a permanent one on the bottom.

I had a temp for the top and permanent for the bottom good thing or I'd probably be back to Square one and my looks need all the help I can get

 

[WildWill]

I had a temp for the top and permanent for the bottom good thing or I'd probably be back to Square one and my looks need all the help I can get

My older brother and sister needed them badly. I had a simple not so big gap between my front teeth that I had no problems with at all. Ortho told my parents he could fix it and being the good parents they are wanted the best for me. Nobody asked me my opinion wasn't my parents style. Refused to wear the rubber bands then the retainer the gap came back and I'm still fine with it. Years later talking with them we all agreed it was a waste of time and money.

 

[ccc23454]

Daughters came off last week, and payments ended about month ago. We know the pain, but its sweet when it ends before app season!

 

[Nick87]

My older brother and sister needed them badly. I had a simple not so big gap between my front teeth that I had no problems with at all. Ortho told my parents he could fix it and being the good parents they are wanted the best for me. Nobody asked me my opinion wasn't my parents style. Refused to wear the rubber bands then the retainer the gap came back and I'm still fine with it. Years later talking with them we all agreed it was a waste of time and money.

Then rubber bands sucked. Pretty sure that orthodontist hated me, every time I came in and didn't do a thing he said.

 

[Marshian]

I won’t pay for cosmetic stuff for my kids. Plus it might keep them from dating in high school which will save them even more time, money, and drama. I d go on the elk hunt. And then offer to pay for it after she turns 18.

I don’t think braces qualify as cosmetic to be fair. And the unfortunate reality is that middle and high school kids can be incredibly cruel and cliquey to those who stick out. The stigmas and emotional changes that can happen during these times can affect a personality for years. Especially if that stigma can be readily reversed.