Posted on June 1, 2026
Traditional metal braces are an ideal, low-maintenance orthodontic solution for teens in Tempe. They eliminate the need for patient compliance since they are fixed 24/7, ensuring continuous tooth movement and making them highly effective for severe crowding or complex bite issues.
If you are weighing orthodontic options for your teen, traditional metal braces still earn their spot at the top of the list for a reason. They handle the most complex cases, work with peak jaw growth, and remain the most budget-friendly path to a corrected smile.
At Smilebliss Orthodontics, our team regularly treats teens, and we have seen how a well-timed course of traditional metal braces in Tempe sets a teen up for lifelong dental health without straining the family budget. Below is what teen-focused care looks like, what to expect during treatment, and how families in Tempe can make the call with confidence.
Have questions about your teen’s bite, timing, or budget? Contact us today, and we will walk you through the options that fit best.
Teen years align with peak jaw growth, which is exactly the window orthodontic teams prefer for moving teeth efficiently. Bone remodels faster during adolescence, so treatment that may run longer in an adult often finishes in 18 to 24 months for a teen. Metal braces give the orthodontic team the most direct control over each tooth, which matters when a case involves rotated teeth, large gaps, or a bite correction.
Three teen-specific advantages stand out:
A complete course of traditional metal braces runs 18 to 24 months for most teens. The treatment plan is set on day one, and a quality orthodontic office bundles every appointment, repair, and retainer into the same fee.
A complete bundle should cover:
After bracket placement, teens visit the office every four to eight weeks for a 15- to 30-minute adjustment. The orthodontic team tightens the archwires, swaps elastic bands, and checks progress. When active treatment ends, brackets come off, retainers go in, and follow-up visits keep the result stable while jaw growth finishes settling.
Less than parents usually expect. The first week is the biggest adjustment; by week three, braces fade into the background of a teen’s normal routine. The table below maps the concerns we hear most often to what actually happens once treatment starts.
| Common Concern | What Actually Happens |
|---|---|
| Contact sports (football, soccer, basketball) | Play every sport with a properly fitted mouthguard worn over the brackets. |
| Photo day and social comfort | Colored elastic bands swap out at every adjustment, so teens can pick a new combination every few weeks. |
| Eating at school and with friends | Most foods stay on the menu. Skip hard candy, popcorn kernels, sticky caramel, gum, and chewing on ice. |
| Brushing and flossing | Adds a few minutes per session. Floss threaders or a water flosser make it manageable. |
Three things matter more than anything else when choosing an orthodontic team in Tempe for your teen.
An orthodontic team that treats teens every day knows how to plan around growing jaws, packed school schedules, and sports seasons. Ask how many teen cases they finish each year and whether they offer both clear aligners and traditional braces. The right team fits the treatment to your teen, not the other way around.
The day-one fee should cover every adjustment, every emergency repair, and the final retainers. Watch for offices that bill per visit. A low headline price can stack up to thousands more by the end of the treatments.
Zero-interest in-house financing, HSA and FSA eligibility, and acceptance of most dental insurance plans keep monthly payments within a real household’s budget. Teen orthodontic care should never be delayed by sticker shock or vague fee schedules.
Traditional metal braces remain the most effective and most affordable path through teen orthodontic care, and the right time to start is during peak jaw growth. At Smilebliss Tempe, metal braces are $2,998 flat or $123 per month with zero-interest financing, with retainers and adjustments included. Dr. Hojae “Jae” Choi is a board-certified orthodontist with the American Board of Orthodontics, so your teen gets specialty-level care without specialty-level pricing.
Call us at (480) 907-0764 to book your teen’s free consultation at our 512 E. Southern Avenue office today.
