the 6000 dollar question

I took the boy today to the orthodontist and it appears he's finally ready to start the process of getting braces. The Orthodontist was extremely nice when he said it will probably cost all together $6000 dollars. I gulped and almost fainted. I was thinking 3 grand, but not 6. The next visit is only going to cost a measly $250, for castings and such. Then they will decide how they will have to proceed. He said nothing has to be decided today or in the next year for that matter, it is up to us if we even want to do anything. I was starting to think they boy's teeth really aren't that bad. I mulled this over on the ride home. I dropped him off at his mother's and then called him back to the car to ask him a question. At this point, I not only notice how crooked the bottom teeth are, I also notice how nasty they are. They were literally caked with god knows what making them appear like someone slapped mortar on them. I said I want you to go in that house into the bathroom and pull your bottom lip down and take a good look at your teeth. He gives me the "I wonder how bad it is look", gulps and says ok. I cannot believe how hard it is to get that boy to brush his teeth. Then I'm thinking if he doesn't care enough to brush them, why are we straightening them to have them fall out. Oy! I can just about imagine what the orthodontist thought.