Do you see braces as an investment in your kid's future?

[dinahrp]

      As an adult I always wished my parents had the money to put me in braces when I was little.   So after I graduated college and started working I put myself in braces.  It is so much more expensive as an adult because no insurance will cover it.  I paid 6,000 for braces alone, then I had to have all 4 wisdom teeth removed another 1,600 ( which my insurance did pay for part of that).  Results, I feel so much more confident having nice teeth, and I know as vain as it sounds it has helped me in the work force as well. 

  I have 4 kids and I took the 2 oldest for an ortho consult.  My husband (Mexican born in Mexico who came to the states in his 20's) says he doesn't understand that.  He never went to the dentist until he was an adult ( I'm amazed his teeth look as good as they do).  He said " que pinche ortho, para que, con que los lleves al dentista de vez en cuando que mas quieres!"  I explained to him that I want my kids to have all the opportunities, even beautiful straight teeth.  I told him what good is it to have 2 beautiful girls if their teeth are going to be ugly.  I told him that as sad as it is the fact is that when they apply for a job or have any type of interview, physical appearance matters a lot.  Unfortunately we can only make a first impression once.  Yes skills also count but you know what I mean.  He said that's how gavachos think.  I told him and those gavachos are the ones that gave me my opportunities and will do the same for our kids.  So anyway, I wasn't debating with him, I was merely informing him that this year our 2 girls will be getting braces.  He looks up at me and says, "tenemos 4 hijos".  I said we sure do.  So ponte a trabajar porque en unos anos tambien los boys van a tener braces.  Did he not think about this when he was all hot and heavy saying "hay mami quiere tener muchos hijos con tigo."  Ok fool, now its time to pay for those babies!  I just think it's funny at what my idea of the kids needs are and his idea of the kids needs.  Bottom line I think braces are important and see it as an investment.

 

 

[krise]

 I don't think of it as an investment, but if my kids need them heck yeah they will get them. :)

[twobells]

My three older kids had braces. It is a big expense so I only had one child at a time. My boys did not keep up with putting their retainer on and their teeth got a little crooked again. They all had bad teeth so there was nothing to discuss.

[Cafe MichelleP]

I absolutely think of it as an investment in their future. Not only on a physical aspect but on a health one as well. Having bad teeth the older you get can lead to all types of peri and orthodontal issues.
My two older boys have beautifully perfect straight teeth and did not need braces. My youngest son may require braces in the future based on how his permanent teeth are coming in. If an ortho determines he needs them, we will but them on immediately.

[henzel3]

My son is gonna need them so yeah I am gonna have to get them for him.
Shannon

[jenny76]

My 2 girls will both need them and will get them! I think it's so worth it in the long run. My husband and myself have had to have all kinds of work done that could have been done when we were younger.

[momma_814]

My DD will get braces. Her teeth aren't bad they just have a little crookedness to them. My son has good teeth and my youngest 2 are too young to know if they will need them. My parents are Mexican and they also think of dentists as a non necessity. They never took me to the Dentists. I think I went twice. I need braces though. I hate my teeth. I wish my patents had fixed them. Now I have 4 kids of my own and there is no money to even think about getting my teeth fixed. I have even looked into going to Mexico to get dental work done but I'm scared because of all the violence there. Dh says your teeth aren't bad. Yeah right he just says that cuz he's got perfect teeth. He says that's what makes you, you. I just say whatever you don't understand. I think of it as a necessity not as an investment.

[angie582]

I think it is an investment in their future .... I know I wish my parents would have been able to.get me braces so I didn't need them a an adult :/