Orthodontics Near Claremont, CA — Including the Adults Who Thought They’d Missed Their Chance
Claremont is unusual for us: a large share of the orthodontic patients who come over from the Village and the Colleges are adults. Graduate students, faculty and staff at the five undergraduate colleges and two graduate schools, parents who never had treatment, people whose teeth shifted after braces twenty years ago. So this page starts with adults and works back to kids — the reverse of most orthodontic pages, because that’s who’s actually asking.
Every case is planned and treated by Dr. Lyndon Tran, a board-certified orthodontist — worth noting, because most of the Invisalign offices in the Village and along Foothill are general dental practices. Our office is on the Pomona side of the Claremont border, a few minutes from the Village. Se habla español.
Adult Orthodontics: What’s Different, What Isn’t
What’s the same: the price. Comprehensive Invisalign is about $4,000; comprehensive braces about $3,500; complex cases up to about $4,500. Adults get the same 0% in-house payment plans as everyone else.
What’s different:
• Healthy gums are the gate. Adult teeth move fine at any age, but bone and gum health have to be there first. If there’s untreated gum disease, that gets handled before orthodontics starts, not alongside it.
• Invisalign is usually the first choice. Most adults prefer it, and most adult cases suit it — crowding that returned after old braces, spacing, mild bite issues. Dr. Tran will say plainly if yours is one of the cases braces would handle better.
• Time is often tighter. Adult cases limited to the front teeth — the ones that show — can sometimes be shorter than full comprehensive treatment. That’s a conversation at the consultation, not a promise.
• Retention matters more. Teeth that drifted once will drift again. A retainer plan is part of the treatment plan, not an afterthought.
For Claremont Colleges Students and Staff
A few practical points for the Pomona, CMC, Scripps, Mudd, Pitzer, CGU, and KGI community:
• You don’t need a local dentist first. Come straight to the free consultation.
• Out-of-state PPO plans usually carry an orthodontic benefit that works here; we verify before your visit.
• Treatment can span an academic calendar. Aligner changes don’t require monthly visits; we plan check-ins around your schedule, including summers away.
• Graduating mid-treatment? We can coordinate a transfer to an orthodontist wherever you’re headed, with records.
Get Your Invisalign Cost Estimate
Teens From Claremont High, San Antonio, El Roble, and Webb
By the teen years most permanent teeth are in, so this is when full correction happens. Braces or Invisalign both work; which one comes down to what needs to move and — the honest variable — whether aligners will actually stay in 22 hours a day. Teen Invisalign has a wear indicator that helps. Dr. Tran recommends based on the case, not on which option was asked for.
Comprehensive braces: about $3,500. Comprehensive Invisalign: about $4,000. Both typically 24 months.
Younger Kids: The Age-7 Visit
An orthodontic look around age 7 is the standard recommendation — not because 7-year-olds need braces, but because a mix of baby and adult teeth is when jaw-growth and bite issues are easiest to spot and, occasionally, to guide. Most Claremont Unified kids at that visit get “nothing yet.” A few benefit from Phase One (about $3,000, 12–18 months) or Invisalign First (about $3,500). The consultation is free, so finding out costs nothing.
Find Out If Your Child Needs Early Treatment
Meet Dr. Lyndon Tran
Dr. Tran is board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. He attended dental school at New York University, where he was recognized as a top student in the orthodontic honors program, and completed his orthodontic residency at NYU. He plans and manages every case here himself, adults included — no hand-off to a general dentist for the “easy” ones.
Retainers, Relapse, and the Part Adults Care About Most
If you had braces at 14 and your teeth moved by 30, you already know the ending matters as much as the treatment. Retention is built into every plan here: a clear retainer (or a bonded wire behind the front teeth, for some cases), full-time for a period Dr. Tran sets, then nightly, indefinitely. There’s no separate retainer fee added at the end. And if a retainer is lost years from now, a replacement is a quick scan, not a new case.
Braces vs. Invisalign for Claremont High and Webb Athletes and Musicians
Aligners come out for contact sports and for brass and woodwind. Braces work with an orthodontic mouthguard and a couple of weeks of embouchure adjustment. A broken bracket before a game is a short repair visit and wax in the meantime; a lost aligner means wearing the previous set until the replacement arrives. Neither restarts treatment.
Paying for It
Zero-interest in-house financing:
• Comprehensive braces: $300 down, about $133/month for 24 months
• Comprehensive Invisalign: $500 down, about $146/month for 24 months
• Phase One: $300 down, about $150/month for 18 months
• Invisalign First: $500 down, about $167/month for 18 months
CareCredit is accepted. Paying in full in cash earns 5% off, and that stacks with CareCredit.
Insurance: PPO orthodontic benefits usually cover a portion; we verify yours beforehand. Medi-Cal Dental can cover braces for medically necessary cases and does not cover Invisalign. Claremont is in LA County, so IEHP doesn’t apply here — Medi-Cal Dental works directly.
I'm 45 and had braces as a teenager. My teeth have shifted. Is it worth doing again?
Usually, yes, and it's one of the most common adult cases we see. Relapse after old braces is often a shorter, simpler Invisalign case than the original treatment was. Gum health is checked first.
How much do braces cost for adults?
The same as for teens: about $3,500 for comprehensive braces or about $4,000 for Invisalign, which most adults choose, on the same 0% in-house plans. Complex cases can run up to about $4,500. Many adult dental plans have little or no orthodontic coverage, so we check yours before quoting.
I'm a grad student on my parents' out-of-state PPO. Will it work here?
Most PPO orthodontic benefits do. Bring the card or a photo of it and we'll verify before your visit.
Can I finish treatment if I move away after graduating?
Yes. We coordinate a transfer to an orthodontist near you, with your records and remaining aligners or plan.
Is Invisalign or braces better for adults?
For most adult crowding and spacing, Invisalign works as well as braces and fits working life better. Braces remain the better tool for significant bite correction, large rotations, or teeth that need to be brought down into place. Dr. Tran will tell you plainly if your case is one of those.
How much is the consultation?
Free, including the exam and a digital scan.
My child is 7 and nothing looks wrong. Do we still need the visit?
It's recommended, and it's free. Most kids that age leave with "nothing to do yet." The point is catching the minority where early action changes the outcome.
Does Medi-Cal cover braces for my child?
It can, for medically necessary cases. It does not cover Invisalign. We accept Medi-Cal Dental and can help check eligibility.
What happens if I lose my retainer in five years?
Call us. A replacement is made from a quick scan. It's not a new case.
Can braces fix an overbite?
Yes. Most overbites in teens and adults are corrected with braces or Invisalign combined with elastics that change how the upper and lower teeth meet. Severe skeletal overbites in adults sometimes need jaw surgery alongside orthodontics; Dr. Tran will tell you at the consultation whether yours is one of them.
Can I get braces if I have crowns or implants?
Usually, yes. Teeth with crowns can be moved; brackets or attachments are bonded with a different technique. Implants can't be moved, so treatment is planned around them. Bring any recent X-rays to the consultation.
¿Hablan español?
Sí. Se habla español en nuestra oficina.
Where We Are
Kids Dental Castle & Orthodontics
1532 San Bernardino Ave #A1
Pomona, CA 91767
909-741-7052
From the Village, south on Indian Hill or Foothill east to Towne and south. Our pediatric dentistry and oral surgery teams share the building. We also see orthodontic patients from La Verne, Upland, and Montclair.