Hearing that your child is going to need braces can be devastating to some parents. After all, the cost of braces are high, however, it's worth it in the long run. Plus, there are many payment options that can assist parents in the process of paying for the treatment. Here's where you should start:

Insurance:

The first place to start would be with your child's dental insurance since most children under the age of 18 will be eligible to receive at least some coverage for the cost of braces if not full coverage. Of course, this means that you should begin the process of braces for your child way before they hit the age of 18, otherwise, once they do hit that age, you might be responsible for some of the further costs of the treatment. Be sure that you talk with your insurance before moving forward with the treatment to ensure that the coverage will be effective. You don't want to start the process only to discover that the coverage doesn't start until a certain date or something like this. The best thing is to follow through with the dental insurance's exact treatment plan.

Tax Deductions:

Many people aren't aware of this, but braces, especially for children are generally seen as a medical need rather than a cosmetic one, which means that they are tax deductible. For this reason, be sure that you account for all payments towards the braces and save for when the time comes to file your taxes. You can also use a Health Savings Account to pay for the braces with a certain amount of pre-tax dollars. This is a program that you will need to talk with a professional about to ensure that you are eligible for it. This is helpful if you are in need of the financial help right now rather than having to wait until tax time. 

Financing: 

Finally, there is the option to finance the braces. There are many companies that provide this type of financing and there may even be a specific one that your child's orthodontist uses in their office you can apply for right there, so be sure that you talk to them about this. This makes it a bit easier to take on the high cost of braces because you can pay for it overtime rather than all at once. 

These are the best ways to get started on figuring out how to pay for the cost of your child's braces. In the end, it's all worth it and your child will have a lifetime of better dental health that leads to confidence and even better job opportunities since a smile is one of the first things noticed by others. Check it out for more information.