Financial considerations for your Family's Orthodontic Future.

Once children enter into the phase of losing baby teeth and developing their adult teeth a lot of little mouths can seem over- crowded. Teeth are popping up all over the place leading you to wonder where are these all going to fit, followed by “Oh dear how much is this going to cost me?” Around nine years of age is a perfect time to either have your dentist refer to us at Mount Lawley Orthodontics, or to attend without referral for your own peace of mind. Our orthodontists will complete a full assessment which can be covered almost wholly by your health fund including an x-ray and photographs so you can sit down with the orthodontist and get the full picture and discuss the plan.

If we feel at this age no immediate treatment would be of benefit, we place the children on a review (watch and wait) schedule. The Orthodontist will indicate future requirements so if comprehensive treatment may be indicated later, this is the perfect time to have the conversation about health fund cover and start to plan ahead giving you time before the adult teeth are in place. If a plate or other early intervention appliance is needed the costs vary between $1000 to $2500, which can be spread over monthly payments. If you claim this against your health fund a small rebate is usually issued leaving the remainder in the kitty for future braces or Invisalign claims. If you aren’t linked with a health fund some families decided to begin a saving plan fund so that come the right time a healthy little pot is waiting to put towards the braces or Invisalign treatments.

Once all the adult teeth are ready (usually age 12 onwards), we will discuss the timing for Braces or Aligner treatment. The average price for full Braces or Aligners is $7000- $8000. This covers everything from placement and removal of the appliance, all the adjustment appointments, the retainers following and all supervision in retainers is covered by this fee. The front office team will work closely with you to ensure you have all the information you require when presenting to your health fund if applicable for rebate quotes.

Some like to pay upfront in full, and we honour this with a small discount offer to say thank you. We understand that breaking down the costs of Orthodontic treatment into a manageable family budget is important so we offer an interest-free payment plan via Direct Debit.  An upfront deposit will be payable to Mount Lawley Orthodontics. The amounts are set at a minimum, however can be tailored to suit your family budget, averaging $62.00 per week. Sometimes families wish to pay more for their initial deposit and have more flexibility with their monthly instalments. If you wish to make any additional lump sum payments such as if you receive a tax refund, this can be done directly to Mount Lawley Orthodontics and we will facilitate.

If you have any concerns or just simply want to have a chat about your family's treatment and the financial alternatives, please call Mount Lawley orthodontics so we can guide you with fitting orthodontics into your budget.