Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
Feb 6th 2013, 9:09 am
#16
Born to be wild....
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Northants to Brisbane.
Posts: 5,450
Feb 7th 2013, 12:18 am
#18
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
I mean in the plan, that their growth should have been accounted for in the first place... that they weren't is a gross omission.
Feb 7th 2013, 12:37 am
#19
Sunny Sydney
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 6,241
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
Currently in the throes of two kids having major orthodontic work and holy cow is it pricey. Initial treatment for eldest is just under $3000 with only $600 coming back via our health care fund. Still to find out costs for child number two 
Feb 7th 2013, 1:00 am
#20
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Secret Harbour, WA
Posts: 1,496
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
I feel your pain - three kids with dogdy teeth.
Eldest needed a Herbst (ridiculous - kept falling out and 'locking open' and had to be removed) and then fixed braces.
Middle child needed an extraction under GA, then an expander for her top jaw that we had to maniulate every day for a month with a little spanner (that was fun!) and youngest son has just had the same expander treatment - only having it removed last month and a plate in place now to retain the good work.
Wave goodbye to the best part of $10k
On the plus side.........
Oh wait - there isn't one
Jules x
Eldest needed a Herbst (ridiculous - kept falling out and 'locking open' and had to be removed) and then fixed braces.
Middle child needed an extraction under GA, then an expander for her top jaw that we had to maniulate every day for a month with a little spanner (that was fun!) and youngest son has just had the same expander treatment - only having it removed last month and a plate in place now to retain the good work.
Wave goodbye to the best part of $10k
On the plus side.........
Oh wait - there isn't one
Jules x
Feb 7th 2013, 10:26 am
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Limerick-Shropshire- Perth.
Posts: 3,215
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
I feel your pain - three kids with dogdy teeth.
Eldest needed a Herbst (ridiculous - kept falling out and 'locking open' and had to be removed) and then fixed braces.
Middle child needed an extraction under GA, then an expander for her top jaw that we had to maniulate every day for a month with a little spanner (that was fun!) and youngest son has just had the same expander treatment - only having it removed last month and a plate in place now to retain the good work.
Wave goodbye to the best part of $10k
On the plus side.........
Oh wait - there isn't one
Jules x
Eldest needed a Herbst (ridiculous - kept falling out and 'locking open' and had to be removed) and then fixed braces.
Middle child needed an extraction under GA, then an expander for her top jaw that we had to maniulate every day for a month with a little spanner (that was fun!) and youngest son has just had the same expander treatment - only having it removed last month and a plate in place now to retain the good work.
Wave goodbye to the best part of $10k
On the plus side.........
Oh wait - there isn't one
Jules x
Feb 7th 2013, 11:31 pm
#22
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
Anyway both girls had to have major jaw surgery and the Orthodontist and Surgeon determined both were required not just cosmetic. First Born had upper jaw moved forward and Tiddler had upper moved forward and lower moved back. Because it was deemed required they got it all under Medicare. Both had to have their wisdoms out to make room for the surgeon to saw through the jaws so he managed to get that covered as part of the required surgery. We should have paid for the wisdom surgery but he wrangled it, don't know how.
Had we had to pay they wouldn't have had it done as for both of them it would have added to about 50 grand all up.
Feb 8th 2013, 10:06 pm
#23
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,838
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
Sorry it's been a while but I've only just got my hands on my laptop after lending it to my youngest
Anyway both girls had to have major jaw surgery and the Orthodontist and Surgeon determined both were required not just cosmetic. First Born had upper jaw moved forward and Tiddler had upper moved forward and lower moved back. Because it was deemed required they got it all under Medicare. Both had to have their wisdoms out to make room for the surgeon to saw through the jaws so he managed to get that covered as part of the required surgery. We should have paid for the wisdom surgery but he wrangled it, don't know how.
Had we had to pay they wouldn't have had it done as for both of them it would have added to about 50 grand all up.
Anyway both girls had to have major jaw surgery and the Orthodontist and Surgeon determined both were required not just cosmetic. First Born had upper jaw moved forward and Tiddler had upper moved forward and lower moved back. Because it was deemed required they got it all under Medicare. Both had to have their wisdoms out to make room for the surgeon to saw through the jaws so he managed to get that covered as part of the required surgery. We should have paid for the wisdom surgery but he wrangled it, don't know how.
Had we had to pay they wouldn't have had it done as for both of them it would have added to about 50 grand all up.
Feb 9th 2013, 1:44 am
#24
Banned
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 246
Re: Options re dental/orthodontic insurance?
My friend (An Australian Citizen) went to Indonesia last year and had his 4 front top teeth removed and had a false set made there, cost him 4 grand instead of the 20k+ he was quoted here.
The false plate never fitted properly and caused him immense discomfort and pain, now the teeth either side of the 4 he had removed have flared up with infections and complications and he has to have them removed and a new plate made so he is off back to Jakarta to have all that work done, another 3 or 4 grand + flights and accommodation and time off work.
No guarantee that it will be anymore successful than the last time but he is still insisting on going there to have it done rather than pay Australian dental fees.
Hard to see the sense in doing it the way he is but when I mention the risks he just grumbles and changes the subject.
The false plate never fitted properly and caused him immense discomfort and pain, now the teeth either side of the 4 he had removed have flared up with infections and complications and he has to have them removed and a new plate made so he is off back to Jakarta to have all that work done, another 3 or 4 grand + flights and accommodation and time off work.
No guarantee that it will be anymore successful than the last time but he is still insisting on going there to have it done rather than pay Australian dental fees.
Hard to see the sense in doing it the way he is but when I mention the risks he just grumbles and changes the subject.
