The questions people actually ask us.

How do I choose an orthodontist?

There are several good orthodontists on the Central Coast and it’s reasonable to see more than one. Five things are worth checking, whoever you choose. Is the doctor a board-certified orthodontic specialist rather than a general dentist offering aligners? Will the same doctor plan your case and still be the one treating you at every visit? Does the practice have imaging that changes decisions, such as 3D cone beam, rather than a list of equipment? Will they tell you plainly when a treatment isn’t necessary or when waiting a year is better? And do you leave the first appointment knowing the entire fee in writing? A practice that answers all five clearly is one worth considering.

What is an orthodontist, and how is that different from a general practice doing braces?

Orthodontists complete dental school and then a further two to three years of specialty residency in nothing but tooth movement and jaw development. Dr. Garrett did his at Loma Linda University. General practices can offer aligners; a specialist has spent those extra years on the bite as well as the alignment.

What does “board certified” actually mean?

Board certification is an additional credential for orthodontists who want to go beyond what licensing requires. To earn it you submit your finished cases to a panel of peers at the American Board of Orthodontics, who examine the actual clinical results, not just the paperwork. It then has to be renewed periodically, so it reflects current work rather than a one-time exam. It is entirely voluntary and most orthodontists never complete it. Dr. Garrett is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.

Meet Dr. Garrett →

Will I see the same orthodontist every time?

Yes. Dr. Garrett is the only orthodontist at Garrett Orthodontics and he treats patients at both the San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande offices. He designs your treatment plan himself, makes every adjustment along the way, and is the one who takes the braces off at the end. That continuity matters more than it sounds: in practices with several doctors, or in corporate groups, the person who planned your case is often not the person you see at a given visit, and treatment philosophy and judgment vary between clinicians. Here there is one plan, one set of hands, and one person accountable for the finished result.

Do you treat adults, or only children?

Both, and our patients range in age from as young as 7 to over 70. Adults are now a large share of the practice.

For children, treatment is usually about guiding growth. Between roughly seven and ten a jaw is still developing, which means a narrow upper jaw can be widened, crowding can be relieved before it becomes severe, and permanent teeth can often be brought in without extractions. Not every child needs anything at that age; many are simply monitored.

For teenagers, treatment is typically comprehensive braces or clear aligners once most permanent teeth are in, timed around the remaining growth.

For adults, the teeth move the same way they always did, and there is no upper age limit. What changes is the planning. Growth is finished, so widening a jaw isn’t an option and the bite has to be corrected by moving teeth precisely. Adults also more often have existing dental work, gum considerations, or wear from decades of an uneven bite, so treatment is coordinated with your dentist where it needs to be. Many adults choose clear aligners for the convenience, though braces remain the right answer for some cases.

What does the first visit cost?

Nothing. The exam, the X-ray, the digital scan and the full treatment plan are all included in the complimentary consultation. There is no imaging charge and no paperwork fee. You’ll leave knowing the complete fee in writing before you decide anything.

How much do braces or Invisalign cost?

It depends on what has to move and for how long, so any figure on a website would be a guess. You’ll get your exact fee in writing at the consultation.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes, interest-free, with a down payment and equal monthly installments. There’s a bookkeeping discount if you’d rather pay in full at the start.

What’s actually included in the fee?

Your appointments, materials and appliances, most emergencies, and your first retainers after the braces come off, plus the retainer check. Also every recall visit before treatment starts.

Do you take my insurance?

We verify your benefits before you come in, file the claims, and show you what your share is expected to be. What we can’t do is promise what a carrier will pay, plans differ and they process their own claims.

Financing and insurance →

Is there a charge if a bracket comes off?

Most emergencies are already in your fee.

Comfort care →

Which one is better?

Neither is better in general. They are two routes to the same finished bite, and which one suits you depends on your clinical needs and your lifestyle. Braces are fixed to the teeth and work continuously without depending on you to wear them, which makes them the more predictable choice for complex movements and for younger patients. Aligners come out to eat and to brush, so there are no food restrictions and cleaning is unchanged, and they are far less visible. Dr. Garrett now treats more clear-aligner cases than braces, which reflects what the cases have called for rather than a house preference.

Compare braces → Compare Invisalign →

Will people notice my aligners?

Most people don’t. The trays are clear and thin, and patients regularly tell us they have to point them out for anyone to realize they’re wearing them. Some cases need attachments, small tooth-colored bumps bonded to a few teeth to give the trays something to grip, and those are visible close up.

How many hours a day do I have to wear them?

Twenty to twenty-two. They only work while they’re in.

Can I get the same result with aligners I order online?

Nobody examines you, nobody takes an X-ray, and nobody is watching what the roots are doing. Here an orthodontist plans it, checks it, and is responsible for the finish.

Can you give me a perfect smile?

That’s a harder question than it sounds, because what looks right on one person doesn’t look right on another. Faces differ, and a result copied from a photograph rarely suits the person asking for it. What we plan is the smile that fits your face and a bite that works properly when you eat, which is the half of orthodontics nobody photographs.

My teeth shifted after braces years ago. Can that be fixed?

Usually, and often quickly. A short course of clear aligners is enough for most cases where teeth have drifted since treatment.

Invisalign Touch-Up →

How long do I have to wear a retainer?

Nights, indefinitely, if you want the result to hold. Teeth drift with age whether or not you ever had braces.

I lost my retainer.

Call the office, don’t wait. Teeth start moving within days.

Retention →