When Should Your Child See an Orthodontist?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child have an orthodontic evaluation by age 7. At that age, your child has enough permanent teeth for Dr. Viecilli to identify developing problems. And enough remaining growth to guide the jaw in the right direction.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child have an orthodontic evaluation by age 7. At that age, your child has enough permanent teeth for Dr. Viecilli to identify developing problems and enough remaining growth to guide the jaw in the right direction. Most children Limestone Hills evaluates do not need immediate treatment. Many enter the free Growth Observation Program and are monitored until the right time.
Most children evaluated at Limestone Hills Orthodontics do not need immediate treatment. Many enter the Complimentary Growth-Observation Program and are monitored until the right time.
What Makes Pediatric Evaluation at Limestone Hills Orthodontics Different
Dr. Viecilli holds an Orthodontic Specialty Certificate from Indiana University and a PhD focused on Orthodontic Biomechanics and Craniofacial Genetics from Loma Linda University. Your child’s evaluation goes beyond standard screening. He assesses not just where teeth sit today, but why the jaw is developing the way it is, including hereditary patterns that predict future problems.
Dr. Viecilli spent five years as an associate at pediatric-exclusive orthodontic practices before opening Limestone Hills, treating children with conditions ranging from crowding and crossbites to craniofacial deformities referred by children’s hospitals. He has worked with special needs patients including children with autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, sensory processing differences, and cerebral palsy. He is also Invisalign First certified (since 2008) and offers Angel Aligners for children, a combination no other Austin practice provides.
Dr. Viecilli is Invisalign First certified and offers Angel Aligners for children. Angel Aligners for children carries the same orthodontist-only quality as the adult system, with the dual-stiffness Angel Pro option for stronger force control on growing teeth and transparent angelButtons built into the tray instead of bonded to baby teeth.
Complimentary Growth-Observation Program
When a child is not yet ready for treatment, the family is enrolled in the complimentary growth-observation program at Limestone Hills Orthodontics. Dr. Viecilli personally evaluates the child at each recall visit. Not a technician, not an assistant. Monitoring the specific factors that determine when (and whether) treatment should begin.
What Is Monitored at Each Recall
How It Works
After the free initial consultation with a complimentary 3D CBCT scan, Dr. Viecilli recommends a follow-up interval based on the clinical findings. Typically every 6 to 12 months. Each observation visit is free for as long as the child is in the program.
When Dr. Viecilli identifies that the right time has come, treatment begins with full parental agreement. Most children monitored at Limestone Hills Orthodontics do not end up needing Phase 1 intervention at all.
Comprehensive Children’s Plan. Starts at $6,500 with Braces
For children whose orthodontic care spans mixed dentition through the end of permanent dentition, Limestone Hills Orthodontics offers a comprehensive plan starting at $6,500 with braces that bundles everything from first consult through final retention:
At other practices, this scenario typically runs $8,000 to $8,500 when Phase 1 and Phase 2 are billed separately. The $6,500 starting bundle saves most families $2,000+ while removing the uncertainty of what the next phase will cost.
Alternative: Pay Phase 1 and Phase 2 Separately
Children’s orthodontic pricing at Limestone Hills Orthodontics, Austin, TX
| Treatment | Starting Price | Who It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 Braces | $2,000 | Ages 6–10, early intervention |
| Phase 1 Angel Aligners | $3,000 | Ages 7–11, Angel Kid system; lower cost than Invisalign First |
| Phase 1 Invisalign First | $3,700 | Ages 7–11, early mild correction |
| Comprehensive Metal Braces (Phase 2) | $4,000 | Ages 10+, full correction with SmartArch™ |
| Comprehensive Clear Ceramic Braces (Phase 2) | $4,600 | Ages 12+, discreet appearance |
| Comprehensive Invisalign (Phase 2) | $4,700 | Ages 12+, removable |
| Comprehensive Angel Aligners (Phase 2) | $4,000 | Ages 12+, Angel Pro system; lower cost than Invisalign |
Use our free calculator for a personalized estimate: Braces Cost Calculator · Invisalign Cost Calculator
Why Angel Aligners at Limestone Hills
Limestone Hills offers two Angel Aligner systems by age group. Angel Kid is for Phase 1 patients ages 7 to 11 and includes a mandibular advancement component for overbite correction plus habit support for issues like lip traps that can worsen overbite over time. Most Angel Kid cases do not require additional appliances.
When skeletal expansion is needed, the practice uses a separate palatal expander alongside the aligners rather than relying on aligner-driven expansion, because the evidence for skeletal expansion through aligners alone is not yet well established and Limestone Hills is an evidence-driven practice.
Angel Pro is for permanent-dentition cases ages 12 and up and uses a two-tray system (A and B) at every stage. Tray B is stiffer and delivers higher forces, which gives better root control on teeth with large roots and on extraction cases. Invisalign does not offer the dual-tray option.
The practice guarantees Angel Pro against non-cooperation: if the patient does not wear the trays as directed, the case switches to braces at no additional cost.
When Phase 1 Treatment Is Actually Needed
Dr. Viecilli does not recommend early treatment for every child. Most kids are better served by waiting until their permanent teeth come in and doing one comprehensive round. Phase 1 is recommended only when a specific problem will get worse if treatment waits:
A posterior crossbite causing the jaw to shift to one side. Correcting this early prevents asymmetric jaw growth that becomes surgical later. Usually treated with a palatal expander.
A maxilla too narrow for the permanent teeth. Expansion between ages 7–14 works with the growing suture and avoids MARPE or surgery later.
When baby teeth need to be managed to make room for permanent teeth. Early space maintenance can prevent later extractions.
A lower jaw growing ahead of the upper jaw. Reverse-pull facemask therapy between ages 7–10 can redirect growth and reduce or eliminate the need for surgery in the teen years.
Habits actively changing how the jaws develop. Addressed with exercises first, appliances only as last resort. See our tongue thrust protocol.
Airway restriction affecting jaw growth. See our mouth breathing and airway orthodontics programs.
Dr. Viecilli will tell you to wait. Limestone Hills would rather do the right thing and earn your trust. Many Austin practices recommend early treatment reflexively. The practice does not.
When Comprehensive (Phase 2) Treatment Begins
Comprehensive Phase 2 treatment usually begins between ages 11 and 14, after the last baby teeth have shed and the permanent second molars are in or close to in. Treatment time runs 12 to 18 months for a standard case and 18 to 24 months for cases involving significant bite correction, extractions, or skeletal coordination. SmartArch wire technology, included at no extra charge on every Limestone Hills braces case, often shortens the case by matching force output to each tooth’s root size.
Built for Kids
Dr. Viecilli co-invented the SmartArch wire used in his patients’ braces. Limestone Hills Orthodontics was designed by doctors who wanted an office they would feel good about bringing their own children to. Which is why the practice looks less like a medical clinic and more like a space a kid actually wants to walk into.
The waiting area has a dedicated kids’ zone with a beverage bar, bright seating, and room to move; the clinical bays are open and parent-friendly, so caregivers can sit chairside for every appointment rather than watch through a window.
That environment matters during orthodontic care because treatment lasts months, sometimes years. A child who associates the office with boredom and cold sterile walls fights every visit. A child who looks forward to the beverage bar and the pick-your-color appointment shows up cooperative, and cooperative patients finish faster. Specific touches the doctors built in:
Technology Used for Your Child’s Care
Free i-CAT FLX V7 3D Scan
Every new patient receives a complimentary 3D CT scan showing teeth, jaws, airway, and developing issues. A $200–$500 value elsewhere. Dr. Viecilli reads every scan personally.
Medit i700 Digital Scanner
No goopy impressions. Same-day digital records taken in a private room while your child relaxes. Results are shown on a screen so you see exactly what Dr. Viecilli sees.
SmartArch™ Wire (Included Free)
In-House 3D PrintingDr. Viecilli is the inventor of SmartArch. Every braces patient at Limestone Hills Orthodontics receives it at no extra charge. Full SmartArch research →
In-House 3D Printing
Retainers, models, and custom appliances printed same-day in our own lab. Faster replacements and better fit than lab-fabricated alternatives.
Insurance & Financing for Children’s Treatment
Limestone Hills Orthodontics accepts all major PPO dental plans and files claims on the family’s behalf. Most family plans provide $1,500–$2,500 in lifetime orthodontic benefits per child, often applied to Phase 1 AND Phase 2 separately (depending on plan).
See the insurance page for a specific plan, or use the cost calculator to estimate out-of-pocket with insurance applied.