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Braces cost calculator

Updated October 12, 2026.

Answer six questions to get a personal estimate, what insurance might cover, and a monthly payment. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.

Type of treatment
How complex is the case?
Dental insurance with orthodontic coverage?

Paying monthly

$

Your estimate

Typical price for metal braces in the US on average

$5,000

Usual range in your area:

Low and high end for your area Your estimate
Estimated treatment price
You pay
Monthly payment over months, after the down payment
Interest paid

This is an estimate from published averages, not a quote. Only an orthodontist who has examined you can give a real price. If an adult's plan excludes adult orthodontics, insurance pays nothing; check your plan's age limit.

You pay about See estimate

How the estimate works

  1. We start from the average national price range for your type of treatment (CareCredit data, 2022).
  2. We scale it to your state using the federal government's 2024 regional price levels (BEA). A state at 110 is priced about 10% above the US average.
  3. Case complexity places you in the range: mild near the lower quarter, moderate in the middle, complex near the top. Adults move slightly higher, because adult treatment usually costs a little more (Healthline).
  4. Insurance pays your plan's percentage up to its lifetime maximum.

Full details, and what the model can't capture, are on how we get our numbers.

Questions to ask before you sign

  • What is the total fee, and what exactly does it include?
  • Are retainers included, and what does a replacement cost?
  • Are emergency visits for broken brackets included?
  • Is there a discount for paying in full?
  • Is the payment plan 0% interest, and what happens if treatment runs longer?
  • Will you submit the insurance claim and track the lifetime maximum for me?

Sources

  1. Average costs of orthodontics procedures by service (CareCredit data). Becker's Dental Review. October 21, 2022.
  2. Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (all items). U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, via FRED. Released February 19, 2026.
  3. Average cost of braces. Healthline, medically reviewed by Rooz Khosravi, DMD, PhD, MSD. April 1, 2021.

Figures are national averages or ranges from these sources. Estimates from our calculator are a model, explained on how we get our numbers.