Invest in Your Smile. We Make It Easy

What Does Treatment Cost?

Straight answer: it depends on your case. And we mean that genuinely, not as a dodge.

Here's why. Cool Braces doesn't run cookie-cutter treatment plans. Dr. Tahir and Dr. Lia practice full-face orthodontics. That means your smile is designed to work with your face, your profile, your features. Not just straight teeth on a template. Actual artistry. That takes a different level of planning for every single patient.

It also means we approach treatment differently than most practices. We avoid extractions unless there's no better option. We avoid surgery unless it genuinely produces a result that orthodontics alone can't. We look at the whole picture first and build a plan around what your case actually needs, not what's fastest or easiest for us.

That approach is why two patients walking in with similar-looking crowding can have completely different treatment plans and completely different costs. The teeth are just the starting point. The face, the bite, the jaw, the profile, the long-term stability. All of it goes into the plan.

So we won't give you a number before we've seen your teeth, your X-rays, and your face. Not because we're hiding something. Because a number before that conversation would be meaningless.

What we can tell you: your first visit is free. You'll leave with a real treatment plan, a real cost, and a real payment schedule. No ranges. No ballparks. Your number.

Here's what's included in every treatment fee at Cool Braces:

• All diagnostic records and imaging
• Your custom treatment plan
• All adjustment visits for the duration of treatment
• Retainers at the end of treatment
• Three Emergency visits if a bracket breaks or a wire pokes

No hidden fees. No surprise add-ons halfway through. The number we agree on is the number.

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0% In-House Financing

We offer interest-free monthly payment plans straight through our office when using checking account, with no outside banks or credit checks involved*. You choose a comfortable down payment, and we split the remainder into fixed monthly payments across your treatment timeline.

*There is a 3% processing fee if using a credit card for monthly payments (initial down payment excluded)

How It Works

1. Free consultation — We assess your case, take digital scans, and determine your treatment plan.
2.  Same-day pricing — You receive your exact treatment fee, insurance estimate, and out-of-pocket cost before you leave.
3.  Choose your plan — Pick a down payment that works for you. We calculate your fixed monthly payment.
4.  Start treatment — Many patients begin the same day. Your payment plan starts when treatment starts.

Insurance — We Handle the Paperwork

If you have orthodontic benefits through your private dental insurance, we'll maximize your coverage*. Our team verifies your benefits, files all claims, and applies payments directly to your balance.

*At this time we do not accept public insurance

How Orthodontic Insurance Typically Works

• Most dental plans include a separate orthodontic benefit with a lifetime maximum (not annual).
• Typical orthodontic coverage: 50% of the treatment fee, up to a lifetime maximum of $1,000 – $2,000 (some plans up to $3,000).
• Some plans have a deductible ($50– $100) before coverage kicks in.
• Coverage applies to braces and Invisalign equally in most plans.
• Insurance payments are usually spread across your treatment as monthly disbursements (as long as policy remains active)— we factor this into your payment plan. 

Insurance Carriers We Work With

We work with most major dental insurance providers, including:

• BCBS (Blue  Cross Blue Shield)
• Cigna
• Delta Dental
• GEHA
• Guardian
• MetLife
• Mutual of Omaha
• Principal
• SunLife
• United Concordia
• UHC  (UnitedHealthcare)
• UNUM
• Local Welfare Plans
• Labor Union Plans

Don't see your carrier? Call us anyway — coverage changes frequently, and we may still be able to file with your plan.

HSA & FSA — Use Your Tax-Free Dollars

Orthodontic treatment is an eligible expense for both Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). This means you can pay for braces or Invisalign with pre-tax dollars — effectively saving 20–35% depending on your tax bracket.

How to Use HSA/FSA for Braces

• Confirm with your plan administrator that orthodontics is covered (it almost always is).
• Use your HSA/FSA debit card for your down payment and monthly payments.
• If your employer offers an FSA, you can elect funds specifically for orthodontic treatment during open enrollment.
• HSA funds may roll over year to year — you can accumulate funds before starting treatment (employer specific).
• Combine HSA/FSA with insurance benefits and our 0% financing for maximum savings.

Cool Braces Family Discount*

Families that smile together save together. When more than one family member starts orthodontic treatment at Cool Braces, each additional family member receives a discount on their treatment fee.

• Second family member: 5% off treatment fee
• Third family member and beyond: 10% off treatment fee
• Applies to any combination — siblings, parents, grandparents
• Discount applies to the patient's portion after insurance
• No expiration — family members don't need to be in treatment at the same time

Many of our families have been coming to us for two or three generations. The family discount is our way of saying thank you for that trust.

*If insurance applies a discount, we apply the highest discount towards your treatment fee. Discounts cannot be combined.

Community Heroes Discount*

Cool Braces is proud to support the people who serve our Oak Lawn and Berwyn communities. Active military members, veterans, teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and first responders receive a 10% discount on orthodontic treatment.

• Applies to the patient's portion after insurance
• Valid ID or pay stub required
• Combinable with 0% financing
• Available at both Oak Lawn and Berwyn offices 

This community has supported us for 30+ years. This is one small way we give back.

*If insurance applies a discount, we apply the highest discount towards your treatment fee. Discounts cannot be combined.

Protect Your Investment — 25-Year Smile Guarantee

Every Cool Braces patient is automatically enrolled in our 25-Year Smile Guarantee. If your teeth shift after treatment, for any reason, we'll re-treat you at a substantial discount. Free bracket placement and removal. Discounted retainers.