# Holy crap, orthodontics!



## mattthemuppet2 (Nov 12, 2014)

just got off the phone with the wife - she was telling me about my eldest's trip to the dentists this morning. We knew she'd need an expander and probably braces later, but it turns out to be pretty full on and seriously expensive. Just for the first phase (not the later braces) is $3000! Holy crap, that's a decent lathe and a lot of tooling! I didn't say that, obviously  But wow, that's a serious chunk of change. Now we have to figure out how to do that via a flexible spending account (pre-tax), if we can draw down one chunk and get the pay up front discount (8%, so a reasonable amount), or a deposit and monthly payments. I thought we were going to have a few bucks spare each month to put away with the new job, but that's gone out of the window 

Still, least she'll get good straight teeth and fewer problems down the road. I just hope no.2 doesn't need anything or it'll be teeth or college!


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## herbet999 (Nov 12, 2014)

You should be able to draw against your full year flexible account allotment at any time of the year.


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## nickmckinney (Nov 12, 2014)

I sell equipment to them, just the single stand up xray unit is running near 100K, a single patient light $2K to $4K. All that money isn't going into their pockets I learned...........


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## mattthemuppet2 (Nov 12, 2014)

herbet999 said:


> You should be able to draw against your full year flexible account allotment at any time of the year.



thanks, that's well worth knowing! I'm hoping to meet with the benefits person where I work tomorrow to figure out some details. I haven't been able to have an FSA until this job, so I don't have any experience of using one.



nickmckinney said:


> I sell equipment to them, just the single stand up xray unit is running near 100K, a single patient light $2K to $4K. All that money isn't going into their pockets I learned...........



oh without a doubt! The markup on medical vs. normal stuff is crazy too. Besides, whenever I get a jab of envy seeing the nice new car in the dentist's parking spot, I always reflect on the fact that I don't have to spend my day looking into other peoples' mouths


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## ScrapMetal (Nov 12, 2014)

I feel for you as I've gone through this will all three of my kids.  Oldest one is pretty much done, second one is in a retainer, and my youngest still has braces on.  When this all started I pointed out my welder and mill to my wife and told her I could do it cheaper.   The wife wouldn't hear of it for some reason. :biggrin:  Oh, and I'm self employed so it all comes out of my pocket.

Hope they appreciate it some day,

-Ron


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## Cheeseking (Nov 12, 2014)

Yup.  Feel your pain bro.
2 kids here both going thru the braces thing.  
Gotta do it.


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## george wilson (Nov 13, 2014)

I paid $3000.00 for just 1 tooth implant.


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## herbet999 (Nov 13, 2014)

Cheeseking said:


> Yup.  Feel your pain bro.
> 2 kids here both going thru the braces thing.
> Gotta do it.



Wait until college... braces is pocket change.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Nov 13, 2014)

thanks all. Yeah, it's not like we're going to avoid doing it, I'm just hoping that our other child doesn't need it as well (or that I get a better paid job by then!). At the end of the day, it's going to save a lot of problems further down the line so it'll be worth it hopefully.

As for college, that's why I'm a college professor, cheap tuition! At least, cheap tuition in a limited no. of places, I just hope they want to go to those places  A friend of mine in the department has a daughter who's applying for college now, just not to any of the places they get reduced tuition, which is a real bear.

I did point out to my wife that these orthodontics are going to cost more than we paid for our car, to which she replied that, given what our car looks like, she hopes Sophie's teeth will look better!


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## GA Gyro (Nov 13, 2014)

The part about the new Porsche at the Dentist office is what gets me... but we live in a free country... one 'can' shop these things.

I am sitting in my office at home... between Dental appts.  Had a root canal done this morning, will go back this afternoon for the prep work for the crown.  Cost... ya do not want to know... 
I did shop it, and saved around 25%... 
Pays to do so if one's schedule will allow it.


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## Falcon67 (Nov 13, 2014)

Your contribution to a flex spending account is limited to $2500/year.   And yes, you get that on Jan 1 if you set your cafeteria deductions up during your open enrollment period this year.  Remember that anything in flex has to be spent in that tax year - no carry over.  Not spent = lost.

We having to change insurance carriers at work this year - costs are way past "quite a shock".  There will be some things we'd like to do that may now never come to pass (like certain machinery).  Lots of $$$$ out of pocket coming Jan 1.


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## Cheeseking (Nov 13, 2014)

herbet999 said:


> Wait until college... braces is pocket change.



Oh you bet!  I wasn't planning to even go there and depress folks more!!
Started a 529 acct for each of my kids the day they were born and contribute a big chunk of every paycheck ever since.  Hope to have 2 yrs saved up front for each kid by the time they start.  My mortgage will then be done and then Ill divert that to the college thing.  Anything after that they will have to be on the hook for.
Too bad the reward for doing the responsible thing and saving up ahead of time, well suffice to say I, and likely many here are of a certain demographic can count on exactly jack-diddly as far as $$ assistance for kids education.   
Sorry to get into rant territory wont go further lest this get into forbidden "P" discussion. 
Bottom line kids are expensive but we love, sacrafice and do the best we can for them.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Nov 13, 2014)

I don't begrudge dentists or doctors their Porches - they worked their asses off for years, built up stupendous debts and now they're getting some benefit from that. Still wouldn't want to do their jobs. Besides, I bet their car bills are probably a greater % of their income than mine 

We got done over a couple of years after moving to the US with a change in my employers insurance plan, basically amounted to a 5% paycut, which pushed us pretty close to the limit, so I feel for you Falcon. It's just one of those things you learn to live with and it's not going to change any time soon anyway. Good incentive to stay healthy I guess.


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## Ianagos (Nov 14, 2014)

Be sure the braces are done by a good orthodontist. I started with overbite and now I still have overbite but my teeth are not strait and crowded along with several other complications.
Hey 3k is pretty cheap compared to what I paid to have my teeth ruined.


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