In 2026, a full course of metal braces with a Perth orthodontist typically costs about $5,100 to $9,200, ceramic braces $6,100 to $10,000 and clinic-supervised clear aligners $4,600 to $9,700. Initial consultations range from free to around $460. You do not need a referral, but you should check the practitioner's AHPRA registration before you book.
Cannington
Invisalign, Braces, Early/interceptive treatment, Surgical orthodontics, Retainers
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Perth has a large pool of specialist orthodontists for a city of its size, spread from Joondalup in the north to Mandurah in the south. Prices sit close to the national middle: a little below Sydney, a little above Adelaide. This guide gives you indicative 2026 fees for the three main treatments, a plain method for choosing a practitioner, and answers to the questions Perth readers ask us most.
Everything here is general information. Only a registered dentist or orthodontist who has examined you can tell you what treatment you need and what it will cost.
Orthodontists in Perth do not publish a standard fee schedule, so the figures below are compiled from a 2026 Perth cost guide, a Perth practice’s own published price blog and national comparison sites. Treat every number as indicative. Your quote will depend on how complex your case is, how long treatment runs and which appliance you choose.
| Treatment | Typical Perth range | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Metal braces | $5,100–$9,200 | Brackets, wires, adjustments, first set of retainers (check) |
| Ceramic (tooth-coloured) braces | $6,100–$10,000 | As above with ceramic brackets, usually upper arch at least |
| Clear aligners (clinic supervised) | $4,600–$9,700 | Scan, aligner series, refinements, reviews |
| Limited or minor treatment (3–6 months) | $2,550–$4,100 | Short course for mild relapse or spacing |
| Initial consultation with records | $0–$460 | Exam, photos, X-rays or 3D scan, written plan |
| Retainers (replacement set) | $200–$820 | Fixed wire or removable plates/clear retainers |
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The second table shows how a Perth practice’s own published figures line up with a national guide. The practice numbers are older, so expect the low ends to have moved up, but the spread is a useful sanity check when you receive a quote.
| Treatment | Perth practice page (The Orthodontists) | National guide (Canstar, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Metal braces | $4,000–$9,300 (adults); $4,000–$8,500 (children) | $4,500–$8,000 |
| Ceramic braces | $5,000–$10,000 | $5,000–$8,500 |
| Invisalign | From $4,000 to $9,300 | $6,000–$9,000 |
| Lingual (behind-the-teeth) braces | About $7,000 single arch; about $14,500 both arches | Not listed |
A $4,000 difference between two Perth quotes for “braces” is normal once you look at what is included. Some practices bundle records, all adjustment visits, breakages and the first set of retainers into one fee. Others charge for records separately (commonly $200 to $460 in Perth) and bill retainers at the end.
Location matters too. Western-suburbs and riverside practices in Subiaco, Claremont, Nedlands and Applecross tend to quote at the upper end of the ranges. Practices in outer growth corridors such as Ellenbrook, Baldivis and Butler are often closer to the middle. That is partly rent and partly the mix of adult cosmetic cases, which take longer.
For a national picture of what drives price, see our guide to braces cost in Australia and the companion Invisalign cost guide.
You do not need a referral from a dentist or GP to see an orthodontist in Australia, and Medicare does not cover orthodontic treatment. That leaves the choice entirely with you, so it is worth doing three checks before you pay for records.
In Australia, “orthodontist” is a protected specialist title. Only a dentist who has completed an accredited three-year specialist program and is registered by the Dental Board of Australia as a specialist in orthodontics can use it. The quickest way to confirm this is the Ahpra public register of practitioners.
A general dentist can legally provide braces or aligners, and many Perth dental practices do. They just cannot call themselves a specialist orthodontist. If you are comparing a dentist’s quote with a specialist’s, ask each how many cases like yours they treat each year.
Ask every practice for a written treatment plan that lists: the appliance, the estimated treatment time, the total fee, what records cost, whether breakages and extra visits are included, and the price of retainers. Perth practices that are confident in their pricing will give you this without fuss.
Braces need an adjustment roughly every six to ten weeks. Clear aligners need fewer visits but still need reviews. If you work FIFO or live in the outer suburbs, ask about appointment windows, early or Saturday slots and what happens if you miss a visit while on swing. A practice ten minutes from home or work usually beats a cheaper one across the river.
For a deeper look at the specialist’s role, read what an orthodontist does.
Specialist orthodontic practices in greater Perth cluster around medical precincts and major shopping centres. This hub covers practices in and around:
Mandurah and the Peel region have their own specialists, so you rarely need to travel into Perth from the south. Regional Western Australians (Bunbury, Geraldton, Albany, Broome) are often served by Perth-based orthodontists who run visiting clinics; ask whether the visiting schedule suits a two-year treatment.
Western Australia’s Dental Health Services (DHS) runs the School Dental Service, which gives free general dental care to students aged 5 to 16 (or to the end of Year 11) at Department of Education recognised schools. This covers check-ups, fillings and preventive care. It does not provide braces.
Subsidised specialist orthodontics in WA is limited. DHS runs a Private Orthodontic Subsidy Scheme for eligible patients in country areas, but only patients contacted by DHS qualify, and subsidised specialist services are available in Perth only. If your child is seen at a school dental clinic and the therapist identifies a severe bite problem, ask directly about specialist referral pathways and expected waiting times.
Adults aged 17 and over with a current Health Care or Pension Concession Card can access subsidised general and emergency care through DHS general dental clinics, but this does not extend to orthodontics. For most Perth families, braces and aligners are a private expense, with any help coming from the extras cover described next.
The Commonwealth Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) covers basic dental for eligible children up to a capped amount over two years, but orthodontic and cosmetic work is excluded. See our Medicare and CDBS guide.
Orthodontics is usually covered under extras policies at the higher tiers, typically with a lifetime limit per person. Practice-published figures for 2026 put typical lifetime orthodontic limits in the $1,400 to $4,500 range, with annual sub-limits that mean the benefit is paid in instalments across the treatment. Waiting periods of 12 months are standard, so a policy bought the month braces go on will not pay.
Never assume a payout. Ask your fund for a quote on the exact item numbers in your treatment plan, and check your policy’s lifetime limit and waiting period before you sign. Our extras cover comparison explains how the tiers differ, and the dental payment plans guide covers interest-free options.
Most Perth orthodontists offer in-house plans: a deposit (often 20 to 30 per cent) when braces go on, then fortnightly or monthly instalments across the treatment, usually interest-free. Third-party providers add establishment and processing fees, so compare the total cost, not the fortnightly amount.
Your quote minus what your fund pays, per week.
Short answers to the practical questions we hear from Perth readers. For the full list, see the FAQ panel below.
If you are weighing up aligners against fixed braces, our Invisalign in Perth page goes into local aligner pricing in more detail, and Invisalign vs braces compares the two for different bite problems.
No. Healthdirect confirms you can contact an orthodontist directly without a referral from a dentist or GP. Many Perth practices still like a recent dental check-up first, because teeth and gums need to be healthy before braces or aligners go on. Your dentist can also send X-rays, which may save you paying for new records.
Indicative 2026 fees run from free to about $460. Many Perth practices offer a no-charge first visit, then charge separately for records such as photographs, X-rays and a 3D scan. Ask whether the consultation fee is credited against treatment if you proceed, and whether records are included in the quoted treatment fee.
Private practices in Perth can usually see you for a consultation within two to four weeks, and braces can often go on within another few weeks once records are done. Public subsidised orthodontics through WA Dental Health Services is limited to patients the service contacts, so most families treat privately rather than wait.
Sometimes, particularly for clear aligners, but not always. The fee depends more on case complexity and what is bundled than on who provides it. A specialist orthodontist has completed three extra years of accredited training and holds specialist registration with AHPRA. For moderate or complex bite problems, that experience is usually worth comparing against any saving.
It can, if you hold extras cover at a level that includes orthodontics and you have served the waiting period, which is commonly 12 months. Benefits are capped by a lifetime limit, often $1,400 to $4,500 depending on the policy. Check your policy and ask your fund for a quote on your treatment plan's item numbers before committing.
The WA School Dental Service provides free general dental care to students aged 5 to 16 or to the end of Year 11, but it does not provide braces. Subsidised specialist orthodontics exists only through limited DHS schemes for patients the service contacts. The Commonwealth CDBS also excludes orthodontic treatment, so most Perth families pay privately.
General information, not personal advice. Prices are indicative and change; always get a written quote. Editorial policy · Disclaimer