A million-dollar smile is something everyone wishes for. Still, the fear of having to spend a hefty sum can be disheartening. Clear Aligner Therapy has transformed Modern orthodontics, and this might just be your ticket to get the smile you’ve always dreamt of. But before anything, you must be wondering, “how much does Invisalign cost?”
One of the most major roadblock people face when choosing Invisalign over other orthodontic treatment is the price. On the surface, the Invisalign price is often higher than other teeth straightening treatments. However, the cost of Invisalign is usually compensated by the benefits it offers. Moreover, the price of Invisalign can vary depending on many factors.
How expensive is Invisalign?
When finding out about how much is Invisalign’s cost, you should have a little know-how about its working. You’ll be more pleased with the treatment that gives you the best result, even if it was a little more expensive.
A vast number of Invisalign braces have put a beautiful smile on millions of faces. However, determining “what is the cost of Invisalign” isn’t something you can simply Google. So, let’s cut the chase and find out how much do Invisaligns cost.
Factors affecting the cost of Invisalign
There are different factors to consider when it comes to the cost of Invisalign. These include:
- How well you’re following the instructions of your orthodontist during the treatment.
- How effective Invisalign will be for you.
- Is your Invisalign covered by insurance or not.
So before estimating the Invisalign price range, you must take all these factors into account.
What is the Average Cost of Invisalign?
There’s no fixed price for Invisalign treatment because it all depends on the number of aligners and office visits your dental condition requires. The average cost of Invisalign braces also depends on how long your teeth take to straighten. So, the best way to get a specific Invisalign pricing, you need to consult your orthodontist.
That said, the average cost of Invisalign is typically between $3,000 and $8,000 (most often somewhere between $4,000 and $5,000 mark).
How much do Invisalign braces cost?
The typical cost of Invisalign braces is usually at a higher-end than regular braces. According to the manufacturer, the average cost for Invisalign is between $3,000 and $7,000. But again, your orthodontist can give you a better estimate for Invisalign braces cost. Various factors come into play while estimating Invisalign cost. One of them is how much Invisalign braces your teeth require throughout the treatment.
Why the Cost of Invisalign varies?
The cost of Invisalign treatment varies based on the following conditions:
1 Condition Severity
Invisalign can treat almost the entire teeth and jaw misalignments. Mainly because of its regular office visits, which allow your orthodontist to modify and supplement your treatment according to complex teeth movements.
However, more severe conditions take more time and supplies to treat. Thus, resulting in higher overall Invisalign costs.
2 Dentist Expertise
Like many other professions, more experienced dental professionals can charge higher prices. However, many experienced dentists receive a lab fee discount as per their rank. They also need the experience to get the points on their practice profile. Therefore, dentists with less professional experience in Invisalign often lower their prices to attract new customers. These discounts can impact the cost of your Invisalign treatment.
3 Aftercare Retainers
After you complete your straightening treatment, your teeth will be straight and full. However, teeth have a natural tendency to return to their original places. To prevent this from happening, your dentists will likely tell you to wear retainers for a while. At first, you’ve to wear them all day and then just overnight.
4 Dental Office Location
Certain places are more expensive to do business than others. In the US, people living in the northeast or west tend to pay more. If your orthodontist’s office is in a big city, their rent, utilities, etc., will cost more. So, this can mean higher costs for patients.
5 Change in Plans
Occasionally, there can be a hitch in the treatment plan. It can occur due to your teeth’ unpredicted behavior, or your teeth just don’t look like the original treatment plan showed. In such rare cases, your dentist can issue a refinement – new custom aligners – to achieve the desired result. Refinements won’t often cost extra if you’re on Invisalign’s full treatment plan. Make sure to ask your dentist for confirmation.
Invisalign Aftercare Costs
As touched earlier, you can expect to use a dental retainer to keep your teeth in their new position after Invisalign works to move them. As we know, our teeth have a tendency to shift back to their original positions. To prevent them from doing so, we use teeth retainers. That’s how much Invisalign retainers are useful. Furthermore, People who get Invisalign and wear their retainer as advised shouldn’t need to repeat teeth straightening treatment again. But you should expect teeth retainer cost to add-on with the cost of the entire treatment.
So, how much does a retainer cost?
Retainers can be either removable or cemented to your teeth. Invisalign retainers can cost around $100-$500 per retainer. However, there are multiple dental insurances for Invisalign and many discounts offer that dental offices usually provide.
People who get Invisalign and wear their retainer as advised shouldn’t need to repeat teeth straightening treatment again.
How much is Invisalign with insurance and without insurance?
How much is Invisalign with Insurance:
There are lots of ways to make Invisalign treatment much more affordable. You may be able to use your insurance coverage, pay with tax-free dollars from your FSA or HSA, or arrange a monthly payment plan. Thus, reducing Invisalign cost with insurance.
Dental Insurance for Invisalign with FSA
A Flexible Savings Account (FSA) helps you pay for individual medical, dental, and orthodontic costs, including Invisalign clear aligners. Your FSA is managed by your employer. In which you pay money into the account throughout the year. You may have to save $2,600 annually.
However, not all employers offer an FSA.
Invisalign cost with insurance by HSA
A Health Saving Account (HSA) is designed for people with a high-deductible health insurance plan. Like FSA, you put money into the account and use it to cover certain health-related costs, including Invisalign cost. You may have to save up to $3,400 (for an individual) and $6,750 (for a family) annually. Don’t forget to read IRS eligibility requirements if you’re planning to open an HSA.
Like braces, the cost of Invisalign is covered by insurance in such a way that your insurance pays for a certain percentage of your treatment, or it may pay for a specific dollar amount. We suggest you ask your benefits manager about how much Invisalign is covered by insurance. You may also ask your dentist about what insurance plan he or she accepts.
How much does Invisalign cost without insurance?
There are several ways to save the cost for Invisalign. While Invisalign with insurance is cheaper, you can still reduce the cost of Invisalign treatment significantly, thanks to the following cost-saving measures:
Monthly Payment Plans
Most orthodontists offer monthly payment plans to allow you to pay only a small portion of the Invisalign cost each month. These are usually flexible, helping you to adjust the monthly installments as per your financial circumstances. Make sure you ask about whether your dental office has interest-free payment plans.
Care Credit Cards
Healthcare credit cards can offer significant savings. It can help you cover the cost of Invisalign and other dental care. Especially when you need immediate financial assistance to cover orthodontic care.
Promotional Deals
Orthodontic offices want your business. So, most orthodontists offer frequent promotional deals, such as back-to-school specials, family discounts, or holiday deals. Search your provider’s website to find such helpful offers on Invisalign. You can also ask about seasonal saving deals when you schedule your appointment.
Experienced Orthodontic Office
Generally, Invisalign costs lower with a licensed orthodontist as compared to a general dentist. The higher the number of Invisalign cases treated by an office, the lower the lab cost required to create Invisalign aligners. Thus, lowering the price for Invisalign treatment.
Can Invisalign Treat My Severe Tooth Misalignment?
Let’s examine to understand more about which tooth misalignments can Invisalign treat and which it can’t.
What orthodontic issues can Invisalign treat?
Invisalign can treat a variety of tooth misalignments. Some of the most common are:
- Crooked teeth
- Overbites
- Underbites
- Gaps between the teeth
- Crossbite
What orthodontic issues Invisalign cannot treat?
While there are many issues Invisalign can fix, there are also some that it cannot. For example, if you need to severely rotate a crooked tooth. Invisalign may not do that. Similarly, small gaps between teeth are fine for Invisalign. However, Invisalign may not be up for the challenge if you want to treat large gaps between the teeth. Invisalign can’t raise or lower the tooth’s position in the jawline or correct a midline discrepancy that’s more than 2mm. You need to consult your orthodontist for such severe cases to find better options according to your dental needs.
Invisalign Alternatives
Invisalign is a great way to straighten your teeth and improve your smile. However, some people fear the high price of Invisalign and dental visits. This let many people looking for different kinds of teeth aligners. Yes, Invisalign is the most popular name for clear aligner braces, but there are alternatives.
Lingual Braces
If you’re mostly concern about your appearance, you can ask your dentist about lingual braces. These braces are installed behind the teeth, and nobody can see them when you smile. Lingual braces still use metal or ceramic brackets, but they may be cheaper than Invisalign.
ClearCorrect
ClearCorrect is the major competitor of Invisalign. It also uses invisible plastic aligners but usually slightly cheaper than Invisalign. According to its website, the product can cost you $2,000 to $8,000 before insurance, depending on your teeth issues’ complexity.
Smile Direct Club
The third alternate can Smile Direct Club. They offer at-home impression kits and bypass the dental office visits altogether. Allowing you to make a mold of your mouth at home and mail it to them. Then, you receive your aligners via mail and use them as directed. Smile Direct Club can cost you only $1,850 and can also do a monthly payment plan.
This is clearly the cheapest option and maybe better for people who’re scared off by dental visits. However, you’re missing out on the professional consultation. You don’t want to risk it when it comes to oral health and teeth to last you a lifetime.
Schedule a Consultation
Whether you are considering Invisalign or its alternatives, we invite you to call (281) 477-7200 and schedule an appointment with our dental office. So that we can discuss your goals and Invisalign procedure in further detail. Once you’re ready to get started, we will walk you through the process and examine your teeth regularly to make sure they are responding as they should. Our goal is to make you and everyone around you love your smile again.