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I went to 5 different orthodontists in Toronto, Canada in the space of 2.5 months at the beginning of 2006. I was only interested in getting ceramic braces, but I was quoted metal as well and below is an outline of the quotes I received. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Dr. #1 (the one I ultimately chose):
Metal: $4,800
Ceramic braces: $500 extra per arch, so I paid $5,800 (still paying)
Payment plan: If metal, $600 down, then 28 monthly payments of $150.
If ceramic, $1,600 down and then the same 28 monthly $150 payments. The price difference for the ceramic braces had to be paid upfront, basically.

Dr. #2:
Metal: $4,500
Ceramic (both arches): $5,000
Very nice doctor, but I didn’t like the suggested treatment plan.

Dr. #3:
Here I didn’t get a formal quote but a verbal estimate, VERY approximate - something along the lines of “It’ll cost you about $5,000-6,000, plus surgeon’s fees to install the implants, not sure exactly how much.” I’d love to see a person who doesn’t care about that extra thousand dollars. Of course there are people like that, but not an average person anyway. You’d think a doctor expecting his clients to not care about $1,000 would have a nice office, but his was a dump!! I wasn’t impressed at all.

Dr. #4:
Metal/Ceramic: $7,500 - same price for either choice.
This doctor suggested the same treatment plan as Dr. #1, however he doesn’t fit the implants himself, so I’d have to go see the surgeon.

Treatment would not only be less coordinated (I’m probably wrong in thinking this, but I’m more comfortable with my ortho doing the entire treatment himself), but it would also be quite a bit more expensive. The surgeon this ortho works with charges $250-$350 per implant, plus X-ray fees. And considering how much trouble I’m having with my implants, all that going back and forth would’ve cost me a lot more than the quoted total estimate of approximately $9,400-11,000. In hindsight, I’m very happy I didn’t choose this doctor, since I had so much trouble with microimplants and every time would have to go to an outside surgeon. The fees would just pile up!

Payment plan: There was a choice of doing it ANY which way I liked, with any size down payment, even $0, then the rest of the amount broken into I think 28 or 32 months.

Dr. #5:
Metal: $5,500
Ceramic: $6,000
Payment plan: flexible, similar to #1 and #4.
Here again, I’d have the same treatment plan but would have to go to an outside surgeon. But my biggest problem was a very condescending attitude of the doctor. He talked to me like I was 12 and he’s the school principal or something. Jerk.

Most orthos offer 5% courtesy discount if the balance is paid in full UPFRONT. That just wasn’t enough of an insentive for me. All offered no-interest financing.