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Straight teeth are just the start. Good orthodontics fixes how your bite works, protects teeth from uneven wear, and gives you a smile you don’t think twice about in photos. At Blue Ridge Orthodontics, we’ve been doing exactly that for Western North Carolina families since 2007.
Braces, clear aligners, or something in between: here’s how every option compares, so you can walk into your first visit already knowing what to ask.
At a Glance
Typical Treatment Time at BRO
Times are typical averages. Your plan depends on your bite.
| Traditional braces | Invisalign | Impressions (BRO’s at-home aligners) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical treatment time | About 24 months | About 18 months | About 12 months |
| How it works | Brackets and wires, adjusted in office | Removable clear trays, in-office check-ins | Clear aligners managed mostly from home |
| Visibility | Visible (clear ceramic option available) | Nearly invisible | Nearly invisible |
| Office visits | Regular adjustments | Periodic progress checks | Initial scan, plus a possible retainer visit |
| Cost at BRO | Same as Invisalign | Same as braces | About half the cost |
| Covered by insurance? | Often | Often | Ask us |
| Best for | Kids, teens, complex bites | Teens and adults who want discretion | Teens and adults with mild to moderate cases |
Explore each one: braces, Invisalign, and Impressions. For pricing and payment plans, visit our cost and financing page.
Every orthodontist is a dentist, but only about 6% of dentists go on to become orthodontists. After dental school, we complete two to three more years of residency focused entirely on how teeth and jaws grow, move, and fit together.
That training covers far more than braces. Orthodontists diagnose and treat crowded and gapped teeth, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. We also guide jaw growth in children, plan care alongside oral surgeons for more complex cases, and sometimes find ways to save a tooth another provider wanted to pull.
Crooked or crowded teeth, gaps, or a bite that feels “off” are the obvious ones. If your dentist has mentioned a bad bite, that’s a good nudge too.
Our orthodontists also treat patients for:
We recommend every child see an orthodontist by age seven. Most won’t need treatment right away, but early screening catches problems when they’re easiest (and often least expensive) to correct. Learn about pediatric orthodontics.
More adults than ever are straightening their teeth, and many of our patients are in their 30s, 40s, and beyond. Adult orthodontics at BRO often means clear aligners that nobody at work will notice.
Top 1% Invisalign provider. Our Diamond+ status reflects the thousands of aligner cases we’ve completed.
Orthodontics and oral surgery together. Our in-house oral surgery team means fewer referrals and faster answers.
Three convenient offices. Visit us in Asheville, Hendersonville, or Brevard, or start with a virtual appointment.
Care that continues after treatment. From retainers and appliances to whitening, we help you keep your results bright.
Most braces “emergencies,” like a loose bracket or a poking wire, can wait for your next visit or be fixed at home. Our emergency care guide shows you how. The most emergency visits we’ve ever had for a single patient during treatment? Five.
Most treatment takes 12 to 24 months, depending on the method and how much correction you need.
No. You can book a free consultation with us directly.
An orthodontist is a dentist with two to three extra years of specialty training in straightening teeth and correcting bites.
For most cases, yes, in experienced hands. We charge the same for both so you can choose freely. Have more questions? See our orthodontics FAQs.