Award-winning orthodontic care. Convenient experience.

There's no single price for orthodontic treatment, because the fee depends on what your treatment needs — a limited correction of a few teeth costs meaningfully less than comprehensive treatment of your full bite, and no two cases take the same time. That's why we don't quote prices sight-unseen: an honest number requires an exam. Instead, your consultation with Dr. G is complimentary and ends with an exact, all-inclusive fee for your specific case — the same day, in writing, before you commit to anything. Most PPO dental plans contribute a lifetime orthodontic benefit toward treatment, we offer 0% in-house financing, and our [braces cost calculator] can help you estimate a monthly payment before you visit.

Lightning Orthodontics works with most major PPO dental insurance plans — including Delta Dental, Aetna, Cigna, MetLife, United Healthcare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, among others. We verify your orthodontic benefit before treatment starts and file claims on your behalf, so you don't chase paperwork. Most plans carry a lifetime orthodontic maximum that varies by policy, and we'll confirm your exact out-of-pocket cost at your free consultation — before you commit to anything. If we're out of network with your plan, we can still usually help: many plans include out-of-network orthodontic benefits, and our in-house payment plans make starting treatment possible either way.

Yes. Lightning Orthodontics offers in-house financing at 0% interest, so you pay the treatment fee itself with nothing added over time. Your monthly amount is set with you at your consultation, based on your treatment plan, your insurance benefit, and a schedule that fits your budget. We also accept HSA and FSA funds. Exact terms are laid out in writing at your complimentary consultation, with no obligation to proceed.

Lightning Orthodontics uses Angel Aligners for clear aligner treatment — a doctor-directed system planned and supervised at every stage by a certified orthodontist like Dr. G. That sets it apart from mail-order aligners, where no orthodontist ever examines you in person, and from aligner brands available to any general dentist regardless of orthodontic training. Your treatment starts with a 3D scan of your mouth, your aligners are custom-made to that scan, they're removable for eating and brushing, and most cases finish in 12 to 24 months.

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends a first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Why that age? Because the first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in, which lets Dr. G assess bite alignment, jaw growth, and how the adult teeth are coming through. Most children seen at 7 don't need treatment right away — the early visit is preventive, so anything developing incorrectly is caught while it's easiest to correct, which can mean shorter treatment later or avoiding years in braces altogether.

Most comprehensive treatment at Lightning Orthodontics takes 12 to 24 months. Straightforward cases can finish in as little as six months, and complex bite corrections sometimes take longer. After reviewing your X-rays and 3D scan at your consultation, Dr. G gives you a specific estimated timeline for your case — and her estimates typically prove highly accurate — so you know what you're committing to before you start. Wearing your aligners or elastics as directed is the single biggest factor in finishing on schedule.

Yes. Lightning Orthodontics makes replacement retainers, repairs damaged ones, and reissues lost ones — even if your original orthodontic treatment was done at another practice. We take a fresh 3D scan of your teeth and fabricate a new custom retainer, no old records required. Visiting or new to the Tampa Bay area and lost your retainer while traveling? Call us at (813) 733-0007 — we can usually help quickly, and acting fast matters, because teeth begin shifting within weeks without one.

No. You don't need a dental referral to see an orthodontist in Florida. Many Lightning Orthodontics patients come to us directly after noticing crowding, spacing, or a bite that doesn't feel right; others are referred by their general dentist in the Lutz, Wesley Chapel, or Land O' Lakes area. Either way, your first consultation is complimentary and includes a 3D scan, X-rays, professional record photos, and a full discussion of your options with Dr. G.

Yes — if you're moving to the area. If you've relocated to Lutz or are new to the Tampa Bay area while in braces or aligners, we'll request your records from your previous orthodontist ourselves, and Dr. G will assess exactly where your treatment stands and outline what's left, including cost, before you decide anything. We handle the coordination with your previous practice, so you don't have to. For patients in active treatment with another local orthodontist, we don't take over mid-treatment — finishing with the doctor who planned your case is what best protects your result. But if your child is completing Phase 1 elsewhere, you're welcome to start Phase 2 with us.

Dr. Isis El Ghannam is fluent in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and treats families across the Tampa Bay area in all three. That means your treatment options, costs, and care instructions are explained directly by your orthodontist in the language you're most comfortable with — not through a translation app, an intermediary, or a family member pressed into interpreting. For many of our families, it's a genuine game-changer.