Dental braces are no different than getting our teeth cleaned or buying a new HDTV. It is a product or service that we can purchase that can be purchased at any number of places. What we will discuss is how to determine if you are overpaying for braces.
We will do this by looking at the regional average for braces in the United States. This way you can find which region you live in and compare the average to the price you have been quoted for your dental braces treatment. If the price is way off base then it may be time to get a second opinion from another dentist.
Prices on Braces by Region:
South (Texas to Florida areas): $7,000
Mid West (Michigan and Ohio areas): $7,500
West Coast (Washington and California areas): $9,000
North East (Maine and New York areas): $11,000
One factor that will influence the price of braces is whether or not you are getting a specific material like ceramic braces instead of the default metal ones. Age is another factor that influences the price of braces. Typically children’s braces are about $1,000 cheaper than adult braces with teens being somewhere in the middle.
Another factor is if the dentist you are going to is considered in-network with your insurance company. Many dentists will accept all kinds of insurances but that doesn’t mean they are in-network. An in-network dentist can save you hundreds of dollars so it pays to ask your dentist or your insurance company if they are considered in-network.