Everything on this site in one place: the published cost data, the appliance comparison, the free tools and quizzes, the retainers and smile problems pages, and the longer articles. No account, no fee, nothing to sign up for.
Start with the cost guide
Know what treatment should cost before anyone quotes it. The orthodontics cost guide sets out the published ranges for all four appliances. Metal braces are $3,000 to $7,500, ceramic braces $2,000 to $8,500, clear aligners $3,000 to $7,000 and lingual braces $5,000 to $13,000. It also carries the insurance share bands and the Invisalign published case example at a $7,000 fee with $5,600 covered and a $1,400 balance. Work through the question list at the end before signing any fee agreement.
Compare the four appliances
The appliance comparison puts metal braces, ceramic braces, clear aligners and lingual braces side by side on published cost band, visibility, visit pattern and the cases each one usually suits. Read it before a consultation and you will know which questions to ask, though only an orthodontist can say which appliance suits a particular bite.
Check your own case with the free tools and quizzes
The free tools and calculators hub holds the cost calculators, the appliance comparison quizzes and the checklists for preparing a consultation. Nothing there needs an account and nothing is charged. The quizzes are a way to find out what you do not yet know about braces, aligners, retention and payment before you sit in a chair.
Plan for the retainer stage
Treatment does not end when the appliance comes off, and the retainers page explains why. Retention is usually permanent, whether that is a fixed wire behind the teeth, a removable retainer or both. No retainer price is published anywhere, so ask the practice what its retention policy covers and what a replacement costs before you start.
Work through the smile problems pages
The smile problems pages cover the alignment and bite issues families ask about most, in plain language. Each page explains what the issue means, why it is worth an evaluation, and which questions to bring to a consultation. Nothing on those pages is a diagnosis, and no page there is a substitute for an examination by a licensed orthodontist.
Longer reading, and the video slot
Background articles live in the blog, and the video page is the reserved slot for a filmed walkthrough of a first orthodontic evaluation. No clip is published there yet, and nothing is claimed until one is filmed locally. Until then, the written guides cover the same ground.
Trying to decide whether to book anything at all? Read how the free matching works first, then send a request if it suits you.
Related: orthodontics cost guide · FAQ · braces vs clear aligners · how the free matching works · request quotes.
Frequently asked questions
Are the guides, tools and quizzes free?
Yes. Every guide, comparison, calculator, quiz and checklist on this site is free and needs no account. The only form on the site is the optional quote request, and there is no charge for the introduction to a practice.
Where do the numbers come from?
The cost bands and insurance shares are published figures from named sources, quoted as published rather than rounded. The local facts, such as the school enrolment and population figures and the Virginia school-entry requirement, are cited on the page that uses them. The sources are the Census Bureau, Arlington Public Schools and the Code of Virginia.
Related
Sources
Tools & calculators
All 20 free Orthodontics tools
Cost calculators, comparisons and checklists. No sign-up.
Cost calculator
Estimate the range for a case in about a minute.
Cost guide
Every published appliance range, in one page.
Consultation checklist
What to bring and what to ask before you commit.
Knowledge quiz
Ten questions on costs, timing and coverage.
Appliance fit quiz
Eight questions that point to an appliance path.
Cost & Payment tools
Estimator, coverage checker, financing, payment plans, retainer cost, value over time
Compare & Plan tools
Appliance selector, braces vs aligners, timeline, treatment and school-calendar planners
Checklists & Answers tools
Practice questions, records and X-ray checklist, second opinion, smile check
Resources
Blogs
Cost, timing and buying guides for Arlington families.
Problems
The bite and smile issues families ask about most.
Watch
Video walkthroughs and what to expect.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most.
How it works
The request, the match, the quotes.
About
Who this free matching service is for in Arlington.
Lingual Braces in Annandale and Arlington, VA
Annandale sits just inside the Beltway from Arlington, and the two areas share the same pool of local orthodontic providers. This hub collects the guides that help you compare options, including the four-appliance comparison and the cost guide. Send one free request and we match you with up to three vetted local providers who work in the area.
Adult Orthodontics in Arlington, VA: Where to Start
Adults comparing orthodontics usually start with the same two questions: which appliance suits the case, and what the fee includes. The cost guide on this hub walks through the line items, and the appliance comparison sets out the trade-offs. A matched local provider answers the rest in a consultation; we are a free matching service and do not give clinical advice.
Lingual Braces and Invisalign: Comparing the Options
Lingual braces and clear aligners are two of the four appliances people ask about most in Arlington. The comparison page on this hub sets them side by side on what the wearer experiences and what the fee covers, so you can arrive at a consultation with specific questions. The free request then connects you with up to three vetted local providers.
Bailey's Crossroads and Nearby Neighbourhoods
Bailey's Crossroads sits between Annandale and Arlington, and providers from all three areas serve it. Use the same free request to be matched with up to three local providers near you. Each provider quotes and carries out the work; you choose whether to hire anyone, with no obligation.