Learning Center
Answers to the questions parents and patients ask us most
Reviewed and approved by Dr. Cameron Freelove, DDS, MS · Last updated
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Parents usually start with the early-treatment and braces guides; adults tend to start with the clear-aligner and cost pages. Every guide uses information provided and approved by Freelove Orthodontics & Smile Design and reflects how care is delivered at the practice.
Cost Guides
National pricing, by-state ranges, insurance coverage, financing options, and Freelove’s transparent fee structure. Updated annually.
Browse by Topic
Each card links to the Freelove Orthodontics & Smile Design service page that covers the topic in depth, with our articles on it listed underneath. The clinical detail, pricing context, and Kent and Sammamish-specific notes live on those pages so the answers stay current as the practice updates protocols.
Braces
Custom digital braces planned from an intraoral scan, with metal, clear, and hidden options.
- Clear Braces vs Metal Braces in Kent and Sammamish, WA
- How to Get Braces Glue Off Teeth in Kent and Sammamish, WA
- How to Floss with Braces in Kent and Sammamish, WA
Show 12 more articles
- Braces for Overbite in Kent and Sammamish, WA
- How Long Do Braces Take in Kent and Sammamish, WA? Average Duration Explained
- Cosmetic Orthodontics
- Taking Care of Your Smile At Home
- Best Orthodontic Treatment Option for Adults
- Braces and Mouthguards
- Why Start Braces in the Summer?
- Sensitive Teeth and Braces
- First Week in Braces
- Orthodontic Emergencies
- Orthodontic FAQs
- Orthodontics for Teens
Clear Aligners
Invisalign and Angel Aligners: how they work, who they fit, and what wear time decides.
Children & Early Treatment
The age 7 evaluation, when Phase 1 helps, and when observation is the smarter call.
Expanders & Appliances
Expanders, MARPE, Herbst, TADs, and how each one earns its place in a plan.
Airway & Mouth Breathing
How narrow jaws relate to nasal breathing, and what airway screening looks for.
Bite & Alignment Problems
Crossbite, crowding, overbite, underbite, open bite, impacted canines, and more.
Retainers
Why nighttime wear for life protects the result, and what a replacement costs.
Cost & Financing
Fees by case difficulty, insurance, and payment plans from $300 down.
For Parents
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic evaluation no later than age 7, and consultations at Freelove Orthodontics are free at any age, with CBCT complimentary when clinically indicated at the consultation. Not every child needs early treatment: Dr. Freelove places children in observation when waiting achieves the same result.
- Early treatment for children: when Phase 1 helps and when observation is smarter.
- Bite and alignment problems: crossbite, crowding, oral habits, and mouth breathing explained.
- Expanders and appliances: how a narrow upper jaw is corrected during growth.
- Emergency guide: what to do about poking wires and broken brackets.
For Teens
Most comprehensive treatment starts in the teen years. Teens at Freelove Orthodontics choose between custom digital braces, with a wide assortment of colors including two-tone bands, and clear aligners for those who prefer a less visible option with fewer food restrictions.
- Braces: what the first week feels like and which foods to actually avoid.
- Clear aligners: why full-time wear decides the result.
- Retainers: keeping the finished smile after the braces come off.
For Adults
Orthodontic treatment works at any age. Adults at Freelove Orthodontics most often ask about clear aligners, clear braces, and fully hidden lingual braces (InSmile), a treatment most orthodontists in the area do not offer.
- Clear aligners for adults: discreet treatment built around a work schedule.
- Lingual braces (InSmile): braces bonded behind the teeth, invisible from the outside.
- Airway-focused orthodontics: expansion options for narrow jaws and nasal breathing concerns.
- Surgical orthodontics: coordinated care when the jaw discrepancy is significant.
About This Content
Content in this Learning Center is provided and approved by Freelove Orthodontics & Smile Design. The practice supplies information through its questionnaire and approves each completed page before publication. Our editorial standards explain this process.
These guides are educational and do not replace an examination. Diagnosis requires records: a free consultation with imaging selected for each patient’s clinical needs is the reliable way to get answers specific to one patient.
Have a Question These Guides Did Not Answer?
Bring it to a free consultation at the Kent or Sammamish office. Dr. Freelove answers questions directly, and every new-patient visit includes a digital intraoral scan and a plain-language explanation of what it shows.