How Much Do Braces Cost in 2026? An Orthodontist Explains the Real Value

When I was a child, I was fortunate enough to have had braces to fix my crooked teeth. Having straight teeth is important for any person's confidence, and my hard-working single mom made it a priority. She paid $5,500 for my braces back then. This was 25 years ago.

So, how much do braces cost today?

The Inflation Reality: What $5,500 From 2001 Is Worth Today

If you were to adjust that $5,500 from 25 years ago for inflation, its worth would be somewhere between $10,350 to $10,450 today (in early 2026). Yet, for some reason, many people still assume that braces should cost about the same today as what they did a quarter-century ago.

Now, don't get me wrong—you can still find some places that will charge between $5,000 to $6,000 for braces. But here's the kicker: you will hardly find any orthodontists who routinely charge over $10,000 for routine comprehensive braces on a child. That's pretty incredible if you think about it.

It's natural to wonder: how have we, as orthodontists, managed to keep orthodontic care so affordable despite decades of inflation and rising costs of labor, supplies, and other operating expenses?

How Technology Kept Orthodontic Care Affordable

The answer starts with technology dramatically reducing our marginal costs:

• Digital records have replaced film
• CAD/CAM labs have reduced the amount of time you spend in the chair
• Aligner therapy has lowered the frequency of active visits
• Better bonding agents and wires have reduced breakage and emergency appointments

The combined result: fewer overall visits per case, less staff time required per patient, and a higher case volume per doctor.

The Volume vs. Quality Trade-Off

For better or worse, technology allowed orthodontists to maintain their operating margins without raising fees to keep pace with inflation—essentially trading volume for price.

There are some practices out there who routinely see 100-150 patients per day. This high volume, however, comes at a significant trade-off: less doctor time with each patient.

The reality is that most comprehensive orthodontic fees should have risen 60-80% since the late 1990s to keep up with true costs. For a $5,000 comprehensive fee 25 years ago, the adjusted, inflation-fair value is actually $8,000–$9,500 today.

What Fair Pricing Looks Like in 2026

If you're looking for high-quality care, $8,000-$9,500 is the price range you should reasonably expect for routine comprehensive orthodontic treatment.

At The Art of Braces, we strive to keep our prices fair while providing exceptional value and a great patient experience. While we could fairly and justifiably charge $8,000–$9,500 as an average comprehensive case fee, we have managed to keep our routine comprehensive case fees between $6,400 - $9,000.

Additional appliances and treatment add-ons have additional fees, while limited and Phase I treatments have reduced fees. See our full transparent pricing page for details.

Why The Art of Braces Isn't the Cheapest (And Why That's Okay)

While we are not the cheapest orthodontic practice in Las Vegas, we believe that we provide one of the best values:

• Board-certified orthodontist: Dr. Benson has more than 11 years of experience
• Privately owned: The Art of Braces is owned by Dr. Benson, not a corporate entity—exceptional patient care always comes first
• Limited daily volume: We see no more than 40-50 patients per day, ensuring optimal time with Dr. Benson
• Same-day emergency care: If you have a broken bracket, we will fix it the same day instead of rescheduling you
• Complete appointments: Everything you need to progress your treatment will be performed that day instead of pushing it to the next appointment
• Family-like experience: Scheduling is easy and we treat our patients like family

The facilities, the equipment, the technology used, the doctor's experience level, and the overall patient experience all heavily influence the price. It's not wrong to shop around, and if price is your number one priority, that is okay. But if receiving the best care and best patient experience are your number one priorities, then you simply shouldn't expect the lowest price.

Making Quality Care Accessible

At The Art of Braces, we don't want finances to get in the way of you choosing the best healthcare decision for yourself or your loved ones. That is why we offer flexible, interest-free financing with extended payment plans.

Ready to learn more? View our payment options or schedule your free consultation below.