Braces

Aligners

billed under the same code

A look at how the jaw is growing

Visit 1 · the check at seven

Around age seven the adult front teeth and first molars are in, enough for an orthodontist to see how the jaw is growing. Most of these visits end with "come back in a year."

Watch and wait, or phase one

The fork

Watch-and-wait is the most common outcome and a good one. Phase one, when suggested, is a smaller round now, often a palate expander or partial braces, to make room so the teen phase is easier.

Small appliance, short visits

Months 1–15 · if phase one

A visit every few weeks. Children adapt to expanders faster than parents expect: a day or two of a funny voice, then it's just theirs.

Then everyone takes a break

The rest period

The appliance comes out and the remaining adult teeth arrive on their own schedule, into the room that was made. Check-ins are short and usually free inside the plan.

Full braces or aligners, if still needed

Years later · the teen phase

Some children need nothing more. Others start the full teen treatment, shorter and simpler than it would have been. Remember the lifetime allowance: phase one already used part of it.