Comprehensive braces at our practice typically fall between $6,000 and $8,500; Invisalign between $4,500 and $8,500; limited adult retreatment often $2,500–$5,000. The number depends on case complexity, and we give it to you in writing before anything starts — with retainers included and every other inclusion listed.
The one rule that saves families the most money
Never compare headline prices. Compare what sits inside them: records and X-rays, every adjustment and emergency visit, refinement aligners, retainers, and post-treatment checks. A fee $500 lower that excludes retainers and refinements is not lower. Every guide in this section comes back to that rule because it's the one that matters most.
How payment works at our practice
A down payment followed by equal monthly instalments across the length of treatment, arranged directly through our office. Direct billing to your insurer, so you pay only your share. Coordination of two family plans mapped for you before treatment begins — bring both benefit booklets to the free consultation.
Why our prices are on this page at all
Most clinics won't publish numbers, and we understand why: every case is different and a range invites arguments. We publish ours anyway, because a family that arrives knowing the market range asks better questions and is much harder to overcharge — anywhere. If your written quote from us lands inside these ranges with everything included, you've received a fair fee. If a quote from anyone lands well below them, look hard at what's missing.
What moves the number
Complexity, mostly: how many teeth need to move how far, whether a bite has to be corrected, whether the case is limited or comprehensive, and how long it's likely to take. Appliance choice adds a modest premium for ceramic brackets and, for aligners, varies with the number of trays. Age matters less than people expect — an adult and a teen with the same problem are quoted similarly. What should not move the number after you've signed: retainers, refinements, emergency visits, or a treatment that runs a few months long. At our practice, none of those do.
Two-phase treatment and money
A first phase for a child is a separate fee, typically $2,000–$4,500, and a second comprehensive phase usually follows in the teens. We'll give you a realistic expectation of both at the first visit, because a family deserves the whole picture — and because we believe a well-indicated first phase often lowers the total, by making the second phase shorter and avoiding extractions or surgery. When a first phase isn't indicated, we'll say so and monitor for free.
Frequently asked questions about orthodontic costs in Coquitlam
Why do orthodontists quote a range instead of a price?
Because the fee depends on the case, and the case is only known after records. We publish ranges so you know the market; we give you an exact written fee after your free consultation.
Is Invisalign more expensive than braces?
Not reliably. The ranges overlap. Limited aligner cases can be cheaper than braces; complex aligner cases can cost more. We price both side by side for your case.
Do you charge for the consultation or the X-rays?
No. The first visit, records and a written plan are free at our practice, as are monitoring visits for children who aren't ready yet.
What if I can't afford the down payment?
Talk to us. Payment plans are arranged through our office and we've structured them many ways. For children whose families meet financial criteria, Smiles Change Lives exists — ask.
Does insurance cover orthodontics for adults?
Some plans do, some stop at 18 or 19. It depends entirely on your plan, and our treatment coordinator will check before treatment begins.
Will the price change if treatment runs long?
Not at our practice. The written fee covers the treatment, however long it takes, including refinements and retainers.
How our fees compare, honestly
We're in the middle of the Tri-Cities market — not the cheapest, not the most expensive. What distinguishes our quotes is what they include rather than the number on top: retainers, all visits, emergency visits, refinements, retention checks, a revision policy. A clinic quoting $700 less with those items excluded is, over the course of treatment, quoting more. We'd rather compete on completeness than on a headline, and we'd encourage you to compare us that way.
Where the money goes
Families sometimes ask what they're paying for, and it's a fair question. Specialist time, mostly: the diagnosis, the plan, and eighteen months of supervised adjustments by someone who trained for years to make those decisions. Then the appliances themselves, the lab work, the records, the retainers, and a team that answers the phone at 9pm when a wire pokes. What you're not paying for at our practice is a lender's interest, a coordinator's commission, or a fee that grows as treatment runs — those are the places where an orthodontic bill can quietly inflate.
A closer look: reading a quote line by line
A complete orthodontic quote has a treatment description, a total fee, a list of inclusions, a list of exclusions (which should be short and specific), payment terms, and a revision or refinement policy. Read the inclusions against this list: records and X-rays; the appliances; all scheduled adjustments; emergency and repair visits; refinement aligners where applicable; retainers; retention checks. Anything missing is a future invoice. Then read the payment terms for interest, lender involvement, and what happens if treatment runs long. Then the revision policy, which tells you what the clinic will do if you're not satisfied — and whether that's written down at all. Ten minutes with two quotes side by side usually reveals a difference the headline numbers hid.
What we think about price competition
We'd rather compete on what's included than on the number, and we've built our fees that way. The risk in a market where headline prices are compared is a slow race to exclude: retainers become extras, emergency visits become chargeable, refinements become per-round. Families end up paying more while believing they paid less. Publishing our inclusions — and our ranges — is our attempt to compete on the honest basis, and to make it easier for you to hold every clinic to it.
Before you go
Read braces cost or Invisalign cost for your likely treatment, then insurance and payment plans for how you'd fund it. Bring your benefit booklet to the free consultation and leave with an exact written fee.
Misconceptions we correct most often
“The consultation fee is deducted from treatment.”
There is no consultation fee at our practice; the visit, records and plan are free.
“Insurance will cover half.”
Half up to a lifetime maximum — often $2,000–$3,000 — which is usually less than half of a comprehensive case.
“Cheaper braces are the same braces.”
The brackets may be; the inclusions rarely are.
What Coquitlam families search for, answered
“How much are braces in BC?”
Comprehensive braces across BC typically run $5,500–$9,000; in Coquitlam, our range is $6,000–$8,500 with retainers included. Invisalign overlaps. Complexity, not city, drives the number.
“Is orthodontic treatment tax deductible in Canada?”
Orthodontic fees generally qualify as a medical expense for the federal medical expense tax credit, subject to the usual thresholds. Keep your receipts; ask your accountant.
“Can you get braces on a payment plan?”
Yes — at our practice, interest-free through the office, with insurance direct-billed. Most families pay in the low hundreds per month.