Fees and payment plans
What braces and Invisalign cost
Orthodontic treatment is a significant cost and you should be able to see it before you walk in the door. Every fee below is all inclusive and every plan can be paid monthly, interest free, across the length of your treatment.
Our Orthodontic fees
These are ranges. Your exact fee is confirmed in writing at your assessment, once Catherine has seen what your case needs.
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Average Price
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$270
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$450
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$10,000 – $12,000
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$0,000 – $0,000
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$000
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$3300 deposit,
Balance direct debited monthly over length of treatment.
All fees include GST. There is no charge for a routine review appointment if Catherine decides treatment should wait.
Some health insurance policies include a one-off orthodontic benefit, more often for children than adults. Cover varies between providers, so ask your insurer about orthodontic benefits specifically before you start.
What your orthodontic fee covers
We charge a single fee, so the figure you agree at the start is the figure you pay.
Included in your fee
Fitting the braces or issuing your aligners
Every adjustment appointment for the length of treatment
Digital planning and any mid-treatment re-scans
Emergency visits for breakages and loose brackets
Removing the appliance at the end
Your first set of retainers, upper and lower
Review appointments for the first twelve months after
Charged Separately
The initial assessment, which is a standalone fee
Replacement retainers if yours are lost or damaged
Extractions, which are done by your own dentist
Any general dental work, including cleaning and fillings
Surgical procedures, where a case needs a jaw surgeon
Mouthguards made for contact sport
What your fees depends on
Catherine will explain which of these apply to you and what each one adds, before you decide anything.
How much needs correcting
Aligning crowded front teeth is a smaller job than correcting a bite. The more the teeth and jaws have to move, the longer it runs and the more appointments it takes.
How long it takes
A significant share of the fee is chair time. A case that runs thirty months costs more than one that finishes in twelve, because it is thirty months of Catherine's appointments.
Which method
Metal braces are the most economical. Ceramic costs more because the brackets do. LightForce and Invisalign carry a laboratory cost for the custom appliance itself.
One arch or two
Some cases only need the upper teeth treated. Treating one arch rather than both brings the fee down considerably, and Catherine will say so if it applies.
Whether it is one phase or two
A few children need early treatment at nine or ten and then a second course as teenagers. Each phase is quoted separately, and the second is usually shorter.
Coordination with other work
Cases involving extractions, implants, gum treatment or jaw surgery need planning alongside another clinician. That work is billed by them, not by us.
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"Catherine Porter is amazing. I had braces from her when I was younger, she fixed my teeth and I always get compliments on them! I’ve been going back for checkups and she’s always so lovely and understanding. I highly recommend her and her practice!"
ERIN
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"Catherine Porter did a great job for my 14 years old son....just a few weeks ago took the braces off and now we can see his very beautiful teeth and smile. Many thanks Catherine and her lovely team."
NAIEREH
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"Best orthodontist in the town, Dr Catherine and her team are caring and professional. I am very happy with the result!"
JOYCE
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"Outstanding. Had a very nervous 11 year old with complex dental needs. Having had a difficult experience at another orthadontist, Catherine's approach was amazing. My daughter had her braces fixed with no dramas! Highly recommend."
EMMA
Frequently
asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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You are buying about two years of a specialist's time rather than a product. A typical course involves fifteen to twenty appointments, digital planning, the appliance itself, retainers and follow-up. Spread across the treatment it usually works out at a few hundred dollars a month, and the result is intended to last decades.
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Yes. The assessment is a standalone fee covering Catherine's examination, imaging, a digital scan and a written treatment plan with a full quote. You are under no obligation to proceed, and the plan is yours to take elsewhere if you want a second opinion.
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Because nobody examines you. Mail-order aligners are planned from photographs or a home impression without x-rays, without a clinical examination and without anyone checking the health of your roots and gums. They can move front teeth, and they cannot correct a bite. If something goes wrong there is no one in the room. We see a steady number of people who need that work corrected afterwards, and it usually costs more than doing it properly the first time.
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Payment plans are designed to finish when treatment does, so the balance is clear by the time the braces come off. If your circumstances change during treatment, talk to us. We would far rather rework a plan than have someone stop coming to appointments.
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Catherine sees a number of transfer cases, whether people have moved cities or are unhappy with how treatment is going. The fee depends on how far along you are and what remains to be done, and she will give you an honest view at the assessment, including if the answer is to stay where you are.
Still got a question?
Ask at your assessment, or call the practice on 09 522 2767.
Ready to Book in a Consultation?
A forty five minute assessment with Catherine, including imaging and a digital scan. You leave with a written plan and a full quote, and no obligation to start.