Here’s how a free virtual orthodontic consult works: you snap a few guided photos of your smile, submit them online at no cost, and a licensed orthodontist reviews your case and sends back preliminary recommendations. No office visit, no fee, and no obligation to start treatment afterward.
Most virtual consults happen through a secure web form or app. Some offices also offer a live video call if you’d rather talk things through in real time.
And here’s what matters most: a real orthodontist looks at your photos. Not an automated algorithm, not a chatbot sorting you into a generic category. At Draper Elite Orthodontics, Dr. Streiff personally reviews virtual submissions and responds with likely orthodontic options, a general timeline, and a suggested next step. Dr. Brandon Streiff, DMD, MS, is a board-certified orthodontist whose 11 years of training break down into four years of college, four years of dental school, and three years of orthodontics residency, and you can trust that you’ll be treated like family from your very first message.
What a virtual consult can’t do is replace the in-office exam. Before any treatment begins, your orthodontist needs diagnostic records, which typically include:
- A 3D digital scan of your teeth
- X-rays to see roots, jaw structure, and developing teeth
- A hands-on bite and jaw evaluation
Think of the virtual consult as your starting point. It answers the big questions early so you know whether an in-person visit makes sense for you.
How a Virtual Orthodontic Consultation Works, Step by Step
A virtual orthodontic consultation takes about 10 minutes to complete. You fill out a short online form, upload five or six guided photos of your teeth, describe your smile goals, and submit. An orthodontist reviews everything and typically responds within 24 to 48 hours with preliminary recommendations and next steps.
Here’s what each step looks like.
Step 1: Start the Online Form
You’ll share the basics first. Your name, age, contact info, and a sentence or two about what you’d like to change. Crowding? Gaps? A bite that feels off? Say it in your own words.
Step 2: Take Your Guided Photos
The form walks you through which shots to capture. Most virtual consults request:
- Front smile with lips relaxed and teeth showing
- Front bite with teeth closed together
- Upper arch looking down at your top teeth
- Lower arch looking up at your bottom teeth
- Right side view with teeth together
- Left side view with teeth together
Step 3: Share Your Concerns and History
Tell us whether you’ve had braces before, whether you still wear a retainer, and if you’ve noticed shifting. Mention any clenching, grinding, jaw clicking, or teeth that have never come in. Small details shape the recommendation more than you’d think.
Step 4: An Orthodontist Reviews Your Case
Your photos and notes go to Dr. Streiff for review. He’s a board-certified orthodontist with a DMD and MS, so you’re getting a specialist’s read rather than a generic estimate.
Step 5: You Get a Personalized Response
Expect a reply within a day or two. It’ll outline the orthodontic options that likely fit your case, a general treatment length range, and what an in-office visit would involve.
How Can You Take Photos That Actually Help?
Good photos lead to better feedback. A few things that make a real difference:
- Use bright light. Face a window or step outside in the shade.
- Retract your cheeks. Cheek retractors work best, but two clean spoon handles do the job.
- Keep teeth together for the bite and side shots so your jaws show clearly.
- Skip the filters, and ask someone else to hold the camera for you.
Benefits of Starting With a Virtual Consultation
A virtual consult costs nothing, takes roughly ten minutes on your phone, and skips both the drive and the waiting room. In return you get a specialist’s preliminary read on your orthodontic options, a general timeline, and a clear next step, all before you commit to an in-office visit or spend a single dollar.
Starting online removes almost every reason people put off that first step.
- Zero cost. No fee, no insurance billing, no obligation to move forward.
- No driving, no waiting room. You don’t take time off work or pull your child out of class.
- Ten minutes is all it takes. One coffee break on your phone, from your kitchen table.
- First-visit nerves drop. If you’ve been anxious about walking into an office, this gives you a low-pressure way to get real answers.
- Easier comparisons. Adults weighing clear aligners against clear braces or metal braces can get direction before committing to anything.
- Time saved later. By the time you arrive for your in-office exam, the team at Draper Elite Orthodontics already knows your goals and history.
Busy parents especially like this route. You can submit photos of your child’s smile after bedtime and have a specialist’s opinion by the next afternoon.
There’s one more benefit: clarity. Plenty of people aren’t sure whether they even need treatment. A virtual consult answers that question honestly, and sometimes the answer is “your bite looks healthy, keep monitoring it.”
Virtual vs. In-Office Consultation: What’s the Difference?
The short version: a virtual consult gives you a preliminary assessment from photos, while an in-office free consult produces the diagnostic records and customized treatment plan needed to actually begin treatment. Both are free at Draper Elite Orthodontics. One is a first look, the other is the real starting line.
| Virtual Consult | In-Office Free Consult | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Time required | About 10 minutes | 45 to 60 minutes |
| Records collected | Photos you submit | 3D digital scan, X-rays, clinical exam |
| Bite evaluation | Visual estimate only | Hands-on jaw and bite assessment |
| Accuracy of estimate | General timeline and option guidance | Customized treatment plan |
| Can treatment start? | No | Yes |
Photos show surfaces. They don’t show root position, unerupted teeth, bone structure, or how your jaw joints move. That’s why the in-office exam stays essential.
Some situations should skip straight to in-person imaging:
- Jaw joint concerns, clicking, or limited opening
- Teeth that appear impacted or never erupted
- A history of jaw surgery or facial trauma
- Active discomfort, swelling, or a recent injury
If your virtual submission raises any of these, Dr. Streiff will tell you directly that you need records sooner rather than later.
Is the Virtual Consultation Really Free?
Yes, the virtual orthodontic consultation is genuinely free. There’s no fee, no insurance claim filed, and no card required to submit your photos. The in-office free consult that follows is also no-cost.
Here’s how the three main treatment options compare once you’re ready to move forward:
| Treatment Option | Visibility | Typical Visit Rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Clear aligners | Nearly invisible | Check-ins every 6 to 10 weeks |
| Clear braces | Blends with tooth color | Adjustments every 4 to 8 weeks |
| Metal braces | Visible but smaller than before | Adjustments every 4 to 8 weeks |
Dr. Streiff will walk through which option fits your case, and your retainer plan afterward, once your diagnostic records are complete.
Who Is a Good Candidate for a Virtual Consultation?
Almost anyone curious about straightening their teeth can start here. A few groups get especially good value from it:
- Adults considering clear aligners for mild to moderate crowding or spacing who want to know if they’re a candidate before booking anything.
- Parents seeking a first opinion on a child’s growing bite. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic evaluation at the first sign of an issue or no later than age seven, and a virtual consult is an easy way to check in.
- Pre-teens and teens approaching the typical age for braces, when permanent teeth are mostly in place.
- Adults with previous orthodontic treatment who lost a retainer years ago and have watched their teeth shift back.
- Anyone comparing offices. Get a specialist’s read from more than one practice before you commit your time to an in-person exam.
Draper Elite Orthodontics welcomes children, teens, and adults, so the virtual consult works the same way whether you’re asking on your own behalf, for a teenager, or for a younger child whose permanent teeth are still arriving.
Some situations need hands-on attention right away instead:
- Active discomfort or sensitivity
- Swelling or signs of infection
- A recent injury to teeth or jaw
- Suspected jaw joint trouble, including clicking, locking, or difficulty chewing
If any of those apply, call our office and we’ll get you seen. Photos can’t evaluate what’s happening under the surface.
Frequently Asked Questions About Virtual Orthodontic Consultations
How long does a virtual orthodontic consultation take?
Submitting takes roughly 10 minutes, including photos. The review happens on the orthodontist’s end, and most people hear back within 24 to 48 hours with preliminary recommendations. If you choose a live video consult instead, plan on 15 to 20 minutes of conversation.
Do I need special equipment?
No. A smartphone camera and decent lighting handle it. Cheek retractors give the clearest view of your teeth, though two clean spoon handles work nearly as well. Having someone else take the photos makes the whole thing faster.
Is my information private?
Yes. Virtual consult submissions are handled through secure, HIPAA-compliant channels, and your photos and health details stay part of your protected record. We don’t share your information with third parties.
Can children have a virtual consultation?
Absolutely. A parent or guardian submits the photos and fills out the form on the child’s behalf. This works well for families wanting a first opinion on crowding, spacing, or an emerging bite concern without scheduling anything yet.
Do I have to start treatment afterward?
No. There’s no obligation of any kind. Some people submit a virtual consult, learn their bite is healthy, and simply keep an eye on things. Others use the response to compare orthodontic options at their own pace. Either outcome is fine with us. You’ve Got Options, and finding out what they are costs you nothing but ten minutes, so submit your free virtual consult whenever it fits your schedule and let’s talk about your smile transformation.