Phase 1 is a first round of orthodontic treatment for a child who still has primary teeth, used when an early problem is easier to guide than it would be to correct later. It is not the same as full treatment, and many children who have it never need a second phase. This page covers what Phase 1 targets, the timing, what the consultation involves and how the fee is quoted.
Phase 1, sometimes called interceptive or early treatment, is a first round of treatment while some primary teeth are still in place. It is aimed at problems that are simpler to guide while a child is growing: a crossbite, a narrow upper arch, crowding that is blocking a permanent tooth, or a habit that is moving the front teeth. The second phase, if it is needed, follows once the adult teeth have come through and is the more familiar full course of braces or aligners. Most guidance points to a first evaluation around age seven to work out which children those are. Ashburn is an unincorporated community of 46,349 residents in Loudoun County, where 143,032 households and a county population of 449,749 keep school-age demand high, and Loudoun County Public Schools opened the 2026-27 year with about 80,000 students, so the school calendar shapes when families can book. This page covers what Phase 1 does, the timing, what happens at the consultation and how the fee is quoted. We are an independent matching service, not a practice: we match you with licensed Ashburn orthodontists, and they assess, quote and treat.
| Job | Published 2026 range |
|---|---|
| Invisalign published case example | $7,000 fee, $5,600 covered, $1,400 balance |
| That example paid over 24 months | about $58/month |
| Braces without insurance, published ceiling | up to about $7,000 |
| Published overall range (second source) | $3,000 - more than $12,000 |
Phase 1 treatment is a first phase of orthodontics that starts while primary teeth are still present. It is aimed at a specific problem: a crossbite, a narrow upper arch, crowding that is blocking a permanent tooth, a deep bite, or a thumb or finger habit that is moving the front teeth. The goal is to guide growth and remove an obstacle, not to finish the case.
The distinction matters for money and for expectations. A child who has Phase 1 may still need a second phase later, and a child who is watched instead of treated may need nothing at all, or may need a single full course later. Two practices can look at the same child and recommend different plans, and both can be honest.
Most guidance points to a first orthodontic evaluation around age seven, when the first permanent molars and front teeth have come through. That appointment is an assessment, and for many children the recommendation is simply to review again in six to twelve months.
No published source carries a Phase 1 fee, so this page does not state one. Phase 1 is quoted by the orthodontist who plans it, and the number depends on what is being corrected and how many appliances it involves. Ask for the fee in writing, and ask whether it covers the whole phase or only part of it.
The wider plan has published ranges. Comprehensive orthodontic treatment runs $3,000 to more than $10,000, and a second published source puts the overall range at $3,000 to more than $12,000. If a full second phase follows, that is standard treatment: metal braces are published at $3,000 to $7,500 and clear aligners at $3,000 to $7,000. Where a dental plan covers orthodontics, the published insurance shares are about half the fee band.
| Item | Published figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 fee | Not published | Quoted by the treating orthodontist |
| Comprehensive orthodontic treatment | $3,000 - more than $10,000 | Second published source: $3,000 to more than $12,000 |
| Metal braces, full treatment | $3,000 - $7,500 | Insurance share reported at $1,500 - $3,750 |
| Clear aligners (Invisalign) | $3,000 - $7,000 | Insurance share reported at $1,500 - $3,500 |
One question matters more here than anywhere else: does your plan treat Phase 1 and Phase 2 as one orthodontic benefit, or as two? Many plans carry a single lifetime orthodontic maximum, so a first phase can use up the benefit a second phase would need. Ask the practice to check that before you commit, and ask whether waiting changes the picture. Our cost guide sets out the published ranges in full, and the free matching form puts your request in front of licensed Ashburn orthodontists who quote in writing.
The consultation is a records and planning visit run by the orthodontist: photographs, X-rays and a scan or impression, plus an assessment of the jaw relationship and how much growth is left. That last part is what decides whether treatment should start now or be reviewed later.
The recommendation usually falls into one of three answers: start Phase 1 now, review again in six to twelve months, or plan a first phase now with a second phase later. A parent should leave knowing which one applies and why, not just that treatment is recommended.
Money and the calendar belong in the same appointment. Ask for the total fee in writing, whether retainers are included at the end of the phase, how the practice files insurance claims, and how the first phase fits around the school term.
Belmont Ridge Road and Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) are the routes for this part of town, and the Dulles Greenway (VA-267) is the tolled run east toward the airport corridor. For an adult case, ask how many visits the plan needs and whether the office can schedule them in one block of the day rather than across the week.
Potomac Green is on Loudoun Water, the county utility, which publishes an annual drinking water quality report and answers on (571) 291-7880 (https://www.loudounwater.org/). There is no town utility in Ashburn. Give us the street address rather than the community name and the utility question settles itself.
Utility accounts: Loudoun Water · (571) 291-7880
What is the total fee, and what does it include (records, adjustments, retainers, removal)?
Is a retainer included in that fee, and what does a replacement cost?
How is the treatment time estimated for this case, and how often are visits?
What does my dental plan pay, and does it reset on a calendar year?
Phase 1, or early treatment, is a first round of orthodontics while some primary teeth are still in place. It targets problems that are easier to guide while a child is growing, such as a crossbite, a narrow upper arch or crowding that is blocking a permanent tooth. It is not the same as full treatment, and some children who have Phase 1 also need a second phase later.
No published source carries a Phase 1 fee, so this page does not state one. The fee is quoted by the treating orthodontist. If a full second phase follows, that falls in the published ranges: metal braces at $3,000 to $7,500, clear aligners at $3,000 to $7,000, and comprehensive treatment at $3,000 to more than $10,000, or $3,000 to more than $12,000 in a second published source.
Most guidance points to a first orthodontic evaluation around age seven, when the first permanent molars and front teeth have come through. That visit is an assessment, not a commitment, and many children are reviewed again in six to twelve months rather than starting treatment straight away.
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