At Limestone Hills Orthodontics in Austin, TX, a modern room features an orange dental chair, cabinets, and sunlight from the window.

Braces Cost in Austin, TX

Metal braces from $4,000. Clear ceramic from $4,600. Children’s Phase 1 interceptive from $2,000. All-inclusive. No hidden fees, no surprise retainer bill at the end of treatment.
CareCredit
$0
down
Approved credit required
Cherry Financing
$189.99
down
Soft credit check only
★ Best Value
OrthoSync
$149.99
/mo
0% interest · No credit check
Pay in Full
3%
off
Lowest total cost
*Free consultation for new patients only. Patients in treatment $150, deductible from the comprehensive treatment fee.
4.9★ 220+ Reviews
Board-Certified Orthodontist
All PPO Insurance Accepted
Free 3D CBCT at consultation
Home / Braces / Braces Cost

4 Ways to Pay for Braces at Limestone Hills

Limestone Hills publishes the actual fee on the page so families can plan. The financing options below let most patients start treatment for less than the cost of a monthly streaming-service bundle, often with no money down. The right financing path depends on credit history, down-payment preference, and whether HSA or FSA dollars are part of the plan.

CareCredit
$0 		Cherry Financing
$189.99
★ BEST VALUE
Orthosync In-House
$149.99		 Pay in Full
3%
Down Payment
As low as $0
$189.99
$600
Full amount
Interest Rate
Promo 0%, then standard rate
Varies by credit
0% — no interest, ever
N/A — no payments
Credit Check
Hard inquiry
Soft only. No impact
None required
None
Monthly Payment
Varies by term
Flexible terms
From $149.99/mo
None. Paid in full
Total You Pay
Treatment + interest
Treatment + interest
Treatment cost only ★
Treatment − 3% ★
HSA / FSA Eligible
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (documentation provided)
Best For
Starting with $0 down today
Quick start, soft credit only
Lowest total with payments
Absolute lowest total cost
HSA & FSA Accepted – Pre-tax healthcare dollars apply to any of the four plans. Limestone Hills provides the itemized documentation required for reimbursement.
Not sure which plan fits? Every option is walked through at the free new-patient consultation. No pressure, no sales quotas.

The In-House 0% Plan – How It Works

OrthoSync is the in-house financing program. 0% interest, no credit check, monthly payments from $149.99. The down payment is appliance-specific: $600 down for any braces type, $1,000 down for Angel Aligners, $1,700 down for Invisalign, $3,000 down for MARPE. The down-payment requirement reflects the lab-fee pre-payment Limestone Hills has to issue to the manufacturer at the case start.

Pay-in-full discount is 3% off the full fee for patients who settle the entire treatment cost at case start. HSA and FSA pre-tax dollars are accepted toward any payment plan, including pay-in-full. Most families with HSA balances at year-end use this combination to capture both the 3% discount and the pre-tax savings.

How Much Are Braces? Price by Type

All pricing is all-inclusive. Exam, 3D CBCT scan, digital impressions, brackets, every adjustment visit, emergency visits for active patients, and the first full set of retainers. Starting prices are shown below. The exact cost is determined by case complexity and treatment duration, which Dr. Viecilli confirms at the free consultation.

Braces Type Starts From Down Payment Est. Monthly*
Metal Braces
Traditional metal brackets. The most cost-effective comprehensive option. Handles the strongest rotations and complex 3D movements. Patients pick new elastic color ties at each adjustment visit.
From $4,000
$600
From $149.99/mo
Clear Ceramic Self-Ligating Braces
Tooth-colored brackets with built-in doors (no elastic ties) that blend with natural tooth color. The most discreet fixed option, popular with adults and image-conscious teens.
From $4,600
$600
From $149.99/mo
Children’s Phase 1 (Interceptive)
Early-intervention partial braces for ages 7–10 to guide jaw growth and create arch space. May reduce or eliminate the need for full comprehensive treatment later.
From $2,000
$600
From $149.99/mo

How Your Tier Is Determined

Tier is determined by case complexity. The number of teeth requiring movement, the depth of bite correction needed, whether extractions are planned, and the predicted treatment duration. Simpler cases finish faster and sit in the lower tier; comprehensive adult cases with bite correction and longer duration sit in the higher tier. The exact tier for your case is assigned at the free consultation after the 3D scan and clinical exam.

Use the cost calculator below → to see an estimate for your specific case based on treatment type and duration.
*Estimated monthly based on the in-house 0% interest plan, Tier 1 starting price, over 24 months after down payment. Exact monthly payment depends on treatment complexity and duration, confirmed at the consultation.

How Limestone Hills Decides What to Charge for Braces

Limestone Hills prices treatment below the Austin market average. Metal braces start at $4,000 comprehensive, with SmartArch™ wire included at no additional charge for every braces patient. Dr. Viecilli sets prices to reflect the science behind the treatment, not what the local market can be persuaded to pay.

All-Inclusive Treatment – What’s Included

The published fee at Limestone Hills is the all-inclusive fee. It covers the initial 3D CBCT scan, the digital impressions, the brackets and wires for the entire case (including SmartArch™ wire upgrade at no extra charge), every adjustment visit, Grin remote monitoring during the case, the removal appointment, custom retainers fabricated in-house on 3D-printed models, and the first retainer-check visit. No surprise lab fees, no “premium wire” upsell, no separate removal fee, no separate retainer fee. The price you see at the consultation is the price you pay. Patients with insurance see the same total fee, with their portion paid by the carrier; the practice files every claim directly.

Initial exam + i-CAT FLX V7 3D CT scan (a $200–$500 value at most practices)
Digital impressions with Medit i700. No goopy trays
All adjustment visits through the end of active treatment
Bracket rebonds included if a bracket comes loose during treatment
Comfort visits during patient care hours for active patients. No extra charges. See full emergency policy
SmartArch™ wire technology (up to 40% faster treatment)
First full set of retainers (upper + lower Essix) at the end of treatment*
*Initial set of retainers included. Replacement retainers for loss, damage, or wear are available at additional cost (see below). Retainers are a lifetime commitment to protect the treatment result.

Out-of-Contract Costs – Priced Separately, Disclosed in Writing

Two categories of cost are not covered by the all-inclusive braces fee: replacement retainers (once the first set is worn out or lost) and non-patient emergency visits. Both are priced in writing at the consultation, so there are no surprises.

Replacement Retainers

First set is included. Replacements: $150/arch with the original 3D-printed model, $250/arch with a new intraoral scan, $300 for an Angel retainer set, $350 for a Vivera premium set. Reorder through the Retainer Club portal. No monthly membership fee.

Comfort & Emergency Visits

Contracted patients during patient care hours: no cost. Broken brackets, poking wires, cracked retainers, and similar in-treatment comfort visits are seen at no charge. All other patients pay $300 during patient care hours and $600 in other hours, subject to doctor availability. See the full emergency policy for the contracted-patient off-hours rate and other details.

MARPE Palatal Expander (when indicated)

Miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion is priced separately at $4,000 when a case requires palate widening before braces finish the alignment. Most MARPE cases land at the lower end of the range. Discussed only when medically indicated.

Transfer Cases

Patients transferring mid-treatment from another practice pay a $150 consultation fee, deductible from the treatment fee at case start. The treatment fee is calculated based on the remaining treatment time. Use the cost calculator for an estimate.

Insurance – Expected Contribution: $1,500

Limestone Hills accepts every major PPO dental insurance plan. Most plans include a lifetime orthodontic maximum (typically $1,000 to $2,500 per patient) that applies regardless of in-network status. The practice verifies the exact orthodontic benefit before treatment starts, so the family knows the out-of-pocket amount before signing anything.

The patient brings the insurance card to the free consultation. The front-desk team calls the carrier (or uses the carrier’s online portal) to confirm the orthodontic lifetime maximum, the percentage covered (typically 50%), and the waiting period, if any. The treatment estimate accounts for the insurance contribution. Limestone Hills files the claim directly with the carrier, and the family pays only the patient-responsibility portion.

Patients without dental insurance pay the published fee minus any community discount they qualify for. Most uninsured patients use OrthoSync 0% financing (from $149.99/month) or the 3% pay-in-full discount. HSA and FSA dollars are accepted even without traditional dental insurance.

Why Choose Limestone Hills Over a Cheaper Office?

What patients receive at Limestone Hills for the published fee: a PhD orthodontist who co-invented the SmartArch wire used in their treatment, a free 3D CBCT scan at consultation (other Austin offices charge $200 to $500 for the same scan), the same doctor present at every adjustment visit, and a privately-owned practice with no corporate chain or rotating-associate model behind the chair.

Limestone Hills publishes the actual fee with full transparency. No unreasonable bracket-breakage charges, no hidden add-ons, no surprise costs. Cheaper alternatives exist in the Austin market, but few combine clinical research depth, advanced diagnostic imaging, continuity of care, and transparent pricing under one roof.
0% Interest In-House Plan Calculator

Calculate Your Monthly Payment

Estimate the monthly payment on the in-house 0% interest plan. The option where the total paid equals the treatment price. Select a treatment type, adjust for insurance, and see a personalized estimate in under a minute. For CareCredit or Cherry estimates, see the comparison table above or ask at the consultation.

Orthodontic Cost Calculator - loading…

The calculator estimates the in-house 0% plan only. Actual terms are confirmed at the consultation based on treatment complexity, duration, and any insurance contribution.

Community Discounts and Refer-a-Friend Credit

Limestone Hills offers one-per-patient community discounts for families who serve the wider Austin community. One community discount applies per patient. Whichever saves the most. The $100 refer-a-friend credit stacks on top of one community discount.

Discounts apply to comprehensive treatment fees only. Not applicable to the down payment, retainers, or out-of-contract fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do braces cost with insurance at Limestone Hills?

Limestone Hills accepts all PPO dental insurance plans and files claims directly. Most family plans include a lifetime orthodontic maximum of $1,000 to $2,500 per patient, which is applied to the published fee. The front-desk team verifies the exact benefit before treatment starts so families know the out-of-pocket portion in advance.

Can I get braces with no money down?

Yes, with Cherry financing. Cherry approves most patients for $0 to $189.99 down with a soft credit pull (no impact on credit score). CareCredit also offers $0-down options for approved credit. OrthoSync (the in-house plan with 0% interest and no credit check) requires $600 down for braces, $1,000 for Angel Aligners, $1,700 for Invisalign, or $3,000 for MARPE.

What is the minimum monthly payment?

The monthly minimum on OrthoSync is $149.99 for any treatment type. Cherry and CareCredit monthly minimums depend on the approved-amount and term length. Most patients land between $150 and $250 per month for braces or Invisalign on a 24-month payment plan.

Are there any hidden fees?

No. The published fee at Limestone Hills covers the 3D CBCT scan, digital impressions, all brackets and wires (including SmartArch upgrade), every adjustment visit, Grin remote monitoring, the removal appointment, custom retainers fabricated in-house, and the first retainer check. No surprise lab fees, no separate removal fee, no premium-wire upsell.

Are refinements extra?

For aligner cases estimated at more than 12 months at consultation, Limestone Hills includes two refinement rounds at no additional charge. Refinements are additional aligner trays produced after the initial series finishes, used to fine-tune the final tooth positions.M

Most cases finish within the original aligner series; the included refinements ensure the result holds when biology responds slightly differently than the digital plan predicted.

Do you offer any community discounts?

Yes. Limestone Hills offers one-per-patient community discounts for military families ($500 off), teachers ($300 off), first responders ($300 off), healthcare workers ($300 off), family/sibling ($300 off), and full-time college students ($250 off). Discounts do not stack at Limestone Hills. One discount per patient, applied to the comprehensive treatment fee only. The pay-in-full discount is 3% of the comprehensive fee and cannot be combined with a community discount. A $100 refer-a-friend credit stacks on top of one community discount.

View all discounts →

Written and reviewed by Dr. Rodrigo Viecilli, DDS, PhD, Limestone Hills Orthodontics. Content last reviewed 2026-04-15.