Website Review: BracesInfo.com

Please note: this is a sponsored review.

I have another new site sponsor, www.bracesinfo.com, (the link is in my sidebar as well); here is a review of the website and how it can be helpful to those of us going through braces and jaw surgery.

Heads up: this site has a fair amount of ads, so you'll have to take some time to orient yourself and differentiate between ads and content. Though, I never thought I'd say this, the ads on the site are actually useful. They are targeted to the content on the site and your geographic area, so when I was searching the site, I saw dental ads specific to Canada and even Western Canada. I'll give you some important links in this review to help you navigate the site, too.

Dental Cost Calculator

The dental cost calculator on the site allows you to choose the city in the United States where you live (or the closest one to you) and the dental service you need; plug this information into the fields and the calculator will tell you the average cost of that service in that city, as well as the highest cost that you will find for that service.

For instance, in Fargo, North Dakota, the average cost for adult orthodontics is $6,762.91 and the highest cost is $8,144.12. This information would be helpful if you wanted to see if the estimate you got from an orthodontist or dentist falls into the average cost, or if it's much higher and you should get an estimate from someone else. It would also be helpful if you lived near several cities to determine which city has the lowest average price for the service you need. On a related topic, the site also has a very useful patient guide with tips on avoiding unqualified or inferior orthodontists. You never want to sacrifice quality for cost, of course.

Dental Insurance

The site has some good information on dental insurance. A feature I think is cool is a section where you can input your zip code and search for online dental insurance. I typed in the only US zip code I know (90210, natch), and was given a list of 21 insurance providers and descriptions of what they offered so you can compare and make an educated decision that fits your needs. There is also a page with a comparison of discount dental plans available to the general public.

Useful Articles

In addition to the guide on avoiding unqualified orthodontists I mentioned above, there are a variety of useful articles about orthodontics on the site. Article topics include: the link between dental disease and cardiovascular disease and the theory that orthodontics may prevent future heart problems (cool!); FAQs for adult orthodontic patients, teens with braces, and parents of kids with braces; and a great dictionary of dental terms that would be helpful when you're listening to all those dentists, orthodontists, and surgeons talk when they have their hands in your mouth. There are also some fun articles, such as one with a list of celebrities who have had braces.

This site is currently being revamped, and I'm going to be doing some writing there as well, so there will be many articles added in the near future, particularly on orthodontic and jaw surgery topics, so be sure to check back!