If you have spent years assuming braces were a ship that sailed in middle school, here is the good news: teeth move at any age, and you are in excellent company. Adult orthodontics has gone fully mainstream — and in a community like Bethesda, where a confident smile is part of how people present at work, it is one of the most common reasons adults walk into an orthodontist’s office.

You are far from alone

The American Association of Orthodontists reports that roughly one in three orthodontic patients is now an adult, with an estimated 1.9 million adults in active treatment across the U.S. in 2024 — an all-time high, up from 1.64 million just two years earlier (AAO). The stigma is gone; the technology that replaced it — discreet ceramic braces and near-invisible clear aligners — is exactly why.

Adults are a large share of orthodontic patients A visual showing that roughly one in three orthodontic patients today is an adult, with about 1.9 million adults in treatment in the United States in 2024. 1 in 3 orthodontic patients is an adult adult teen child 1.9M U.S. adults in treatment (2024) up from 1.64M in 2022
Source: American Association of Orthodontists member survey, 2024.

What’s actually different about treating adult teeth

Adult orthodontics is not just “braces, but later.” A few real differences shape the plan:

  • No more jaw growth. A child’s growing jaw can be guided; an adult’s can’t. Some bite corrections that are simple in a 10-year-old may, in an adult, call for longer treatment or coordination with other specialists.
  • More existing dental work. Crowns, bridges, implants, and old fillings change how teeth can be moved, and implants don’t move at all — they have to be planned around.
  • Gum health matters more. Teeth can only be moved safely through healthy bone and gums, so adults with any gum disease need that under control first. This is exactly why a specialist’s diagnosis is worth more in an adult.

None of this means harder; it means the diagnosis carries more weight. A board-certified orthodontist is trained for precisely these judgment calls.

An adult with a straight, healthy, confident smile
For many adults, treatment is less about vanity than about cleaning straighter teeth more easily — and finally fixing something they have noticed for decades. (Image: Pexels)

Your options, from invisible to bulletproof

  • Clear aligners (Invisalign and similar): nearly invisible and removable, ideal for the professional who can commit to 20–22 hours of daily wear. The most popular adult choice.
  • Ceramic (“clear”) braces: tooth-colored brackets that are far less noticeable than metal, with the full power of fixed braces — a strong middle ground.
  • Traditional metal braces: still the most versatile and often the most economical, and unbeatable for complex movements.
  • Lingual braces: bonded to the back of the teeth, completely hidden from the front — a niche, premium option.

What it costs in Montgomery County

Local 2026 pricing generally runs about $3,500–$4,000 for braces and $4,500–$6,000 for a full Invisalign case, depending on complexity. Two planning notes for adults:

  • Adult orthodontics is rarely covered well by insurance. Where an orthodontic benefit exists, it is typically a lifetime maximum around $1,000–$2,000 at roughly 50% — and it never resets once used (Delta Dental). Maryland Medicaid generally does not cover cosmetic adult orthodontics (Maryland Healthy Smiles).
  • Most local practices offer in-house, interest-free payment plans, so compare the total case fee rather than the monthly number, and you can often use FSA or HSA dollars.

The best-reviewed adult orthodontists nearby

Bethesda and the surrounding towns have an unusually strong roster for adult treatment:

  • Dr. Jill Bruno in Chevy Chase runs the area’s only dedicated adult treatment center and is a Diamond+ Top 1% Invisalign provider — a natural first stop for adults.
  • Dr. Mehdy Rad offers Bethesda and Potomac locations with options from full braces to remote-friendly Smile Express.
  • Dr. Eduardo Avila on Rockville Pike is known for complex cases other offices decline.
  • Dr. Richard Shin in Potomac and Dr. Atefeh Boroun in Rockville are both board-certified specialists with standout patient reviews.

Prefer a discreet, dentist-led aligner case? Dr. Sunny Bawa of Potomac Crown Dentistry is a Top 1% Invisalign Diamond+ provider — among the few general dentists in North America at that tier.

Where to start

It is genuinely not too late. The best age to straighten your teeth may have been at twelve — the second-best is now.

Sources & further reading