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A million-dollar smile is something most people want to have, but the fear of having to dish out a hefty sum can be disheartening. Clear Aligner Therapy (CAT) has revolutionized modern orthodontics and might just be your ticket to achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. Unfortunately, asking the question “is Invisalign worth the money?” often discourages patients from moving forward with aligner treatment.
CAT has changed enormously since the year 2000. Now there are multiple clear aligner options (e.g., 3M Clarity, ClearCorrect, Candid Co, SureSmile) that can offer advantages that the Invisalign braces appliance lacks.
Various clear aligners brands have put a beautiful smile on millions of adults, teens and children. However, determining your Invisalign cost isn’t something you can just simply Google.
How much will Invisalign cost?
On average, clear aligners (Invisalign cost) will range in cost from $2000 to $10,000 across the United States. Conventional braces cost is often similar to these costs. These are average prices. Invisalign’s official website states that average cost of Invisalign treatment can range from $3,000 – $9,000. The cost of clear aligners and orthodontic treatment is dependent on many factors and ultimately varies from patient to patient. These factors may include:
- Severity of the issue(s)
- Overall state of your oral health
- How long you’ll require treatment – straightening teeth vs bite correction
- Geographic location
- Experience of your doctor (orthodontist vs dentist)
CAT is a process that requires a series of custom-made plastic aligner set (also known as trays) that shift teeth into the desired position. The more severe your problems are, the more likely you are to need numerous aligners, attachments and a longer time commitment – therefore increasing the price. You must also take into consideration the location of your orthodontist’s office, as the cost of rental spaces and taxes vary from state to state. Your orthodontist’s experience can also influence the cost of Invisalign orthodontic services he or she provides.
Dr. Rooz at Porth – Personalized Orthodontics is one of the leaders in developing the next generation of aligners and is also an expert in 3D printing. PORTH Aligners (before & after) offer includes less regular visit to the dentist office and a faster treatment time by eliminating the long shipping time associated with aligners, as well as full control over treatment planning and execution by an orthodontic specialist as opposed to lab technicians. You can get more information about customized PORTH Aligners compared to other brands by clicking here.
Does insurance cover Invisalign?
Most dental insurance plans cover Invisalign treatment. Preventative dental care is the main focus of dental insurances in dentistry. When it comes to orthodontic treatment, dental insurance covers similar amount to braces for Invisalign treatment costs. Specifically, dental insurance covers almost a quarter of overall cost. The remaining treatment cost is your out-of-pocket cost as the deductible. This is very similar braces cost coverage with insurance. You can pay for Invisalign treatment through third parties like carecredit.
Are Invisalign aligners covered by most dental insurance?
CAT, including the Invisalign appliance, is covered by most dental insurance providers and may even cover up to $3,500 of your total treatment cost. Depending on your insurance company, they could offer to cover a percentage or a dollar amount of your Invisalign appliance. Most benefit packages have this information under the “orthodontic treatment” section, but you should always call your provider if you have questions.
How much does Invisalign cost without insurance?
If you currently don’t have an insurance dental provider, there are some payment options that can make aligners more affordable. Many orthodontic practices, like Porth – Personalized Orthodontics, offer various monthly payment plans so you can pay your bill over a period of time, rather than all at once. Basically, clinics will create a flexible system for your down payment, insurance coverage and monthly payments. Most banks also offer Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) or Health Savings Accounts (HSA) that allow you to take out pretax dollars from your salary and use that money towards healthcare expenses.
How much is Invisalign per month?
If you decide that monthly payments are right for you, a dental plan that aligns with your budget can often be made available. Similar to determining the total cost of your individual clear aligner, the monthly costs of Invisalign aka CAT is specific to each patient. Payments can often be made all at once, over the course of several months or even years. At Porth – Personalized Orthodontics, we offer multiple payment plans during your free consultation.
Invisalign cost calculator
This calculator helps you to determine if is Invisalign cheaper than braces. You can enter the insurance coverage in the calculator. Enter the cost of your orthodontic treatment with braces and Invisalign to compare Invisalign vs braces cost. At the initial consultation the length of treatment will be discussed with you. The cost of aligner treatment is determined based on the complexity of treatment and length of treatment. The cost includes office visits and the cost of appliances.
Are braces cheaper than Invisalign?
In most cases, Invisalign, Invisalign express or any type of CAT can be more expensive than traditional braces. At Porth we don’t charge extra for clear aligners. Many people choose to go with clear aligners over braces because of the aesthetics. As the name indicates, clear aligners are almost invisible when worn, unlike metal braces that can clearly be seen in someone’s smile. Clear aligner trays also apply softer pressure that can make them feel more comfortable to wear than braces.
Another reason why you might want to be treated with a clear aligner system is simply the convenience of them. It’s recommended that patients wearing their trays for 22 hours out of the day. However, you can decide when you want to take the aligner out for food and oral hygiene breaks. You can also eat anything you want while undergoing CAT as long as you clean your teeth before putting your aligner back in your mouth. Braces, on the other hand, cannot be taken out and it is recommended that you don’t eat anything overly chewy or sticky. Many patients feel it’s more challenging to clean their teeth with traditional braces and sometimes find it hard to restrict their diet.
Is there an Invisalign alternative?
Yes. There are many alternatives to Invisalign that are readily available. Before you move forward with any appliance, make sure you do your research. At-home treatment options are examples of alternative to Invisalign which the American association of orthodontists recommend not to pursue.
Lingual braces are great alternative options to Invisalign clear aligners.
The most important thing is that you consult your preferred orthodontist to discuss the method that is best suited for your smile. You can read our article about how mail-ordered box companies are different from treatment from an orthodontist and why it’s best to seek professional help. Box aligners can be successful in alignment of your teeth yet most of the time they short of correcting your bite.
PORTH – Personalized Orthodontics offers next generation clear aligners that are designed and fabricated utilizing cutting edge technology – 3D scanners and printers. Created by Dr. Rooz Khosravi, PORTH Aligners are expertly crafted tooth movement with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and our in-office 3D printer. Porth aligner and retainer packages provides exceptional results as well as impressions-free retainers helping to protect your smile. First, our process involves taking a digital scan of your teeth. Utilizing AI-driven software, we can then map out your entire CAT journey with your smile. Finally, we create a series of custom aligners that will move your teeth into the ideal position. Make sure to check the amazing results of Porth aligners in our website.
No matter what clear aligner you decided to go with, wanting to take charge of your oral health is something worth smiling about.
Box orthodontics
Smile direct club was the pioneer of mail ordered orthodontic treatment. A few other box orthodontic companies like Candid co or Byte followed this trend. All these companies learned the challenges of ignoring in-person office visits and thorough evaluation of dental health. Smile direct club closed all their stores. The impression kits didn’t offer high quality records. Most of patients end up with longer treatment time and sought treatment at local orthodontists.
How much do clear aligners cost?
Cost of Invisalign and other clear aligner systems are often similar. There are various clear aligner brands. The cost aligner treatment done by dentists (DDS) is often cheaper than orthodontists. Most offices offer financing options.
What are invisible braces?
Alternative to traditional metal braces are clear aligners or lingual braces. Metal brackets used to be the only option to fix crooked teeth. Invisalign trays were the first brand of aligners offered by the align technology. Advancements in orthodontic treatment led to emergence of various brands for a set of aligners aka aligner systems. Teeth straightening to fix issues with your bite, like openbite or crossbite, or build a new smile is possible with various treatment plans.
What kind of orthodontic treatment can be fixed with Invisalign?
Clear aligners including Invisalign can be used to fixed underbite, deep overbite, misalignment, crowding and other type of malocclusions. Basically, most teeth alignment treatment options. Clear aligners Invisalign works similar to braces on how it moves the teeth. Orthodontists spent more training in dental school on how to move teeth and are often more efficient on moving the teeth with clear plastic trays.
How does clear aligners like Invisalign work?
Aligners come with various sets of trays. These trays are fabricated based on a scan from your teeth by a scanner like iTero. Each new set of tray move the teeth slightly. Collectively, all these movements position the teeth in their final position. There are various types of plastics including smarttrack plastic from the Invisalign appliance.
A healthy periodontal tissue is importnat for moving teeth with plastic or braces. Flossing and cleaning your teeth with a toothbrush regularly is the key to maintain great oral health and avoid soreness around your gums.
Dental issues that aligners (Invisalign) can fix
Clear aligners (Invisalign), a revolutionary approach to orthodontics, is a great treatment option for correcting a variety of dental issues without the need for traditional metal braces. These dental issues including overbites, underbites, crossbites, gap teeth, and crowded teeth. Clear aligner treatment can be almost always an option. The question is the efficiency of the treatment. Certain tooth movements are not efficient with Invisalign. For example, rotating a tooth for 90 degrees requires close to 40 aligners. Scientific systematic reviews all suggesting the aligner treatment inefficiencies hence sometime a hybrid of clear aligner and braces would be a great treatment option for an efficient orthodontic treatment.
Takeaway | Costs of Invisalign
- The cost of aligner therapy – a type of orthodontic treatment that can be done with the Invisalign appliance – varies based on the complexity of the problems/issues.
- Invisalign is not the only option for clear aligner therapy.
- Clear aligner therapy has changed enormously since 2000, there are better alternatives than the Invisalign appliance out there now.
- Braces cost might be similar to the cost of Invisalign. You need to visit an orthodontist to learn more.
- Adult orthodontics is not the same as before. Lots of options exist to fix your smile.
TL/DR FAQ
How much will Invisalign cost?
It depends on the complexity of your treatment.
Is Invisalign covered by most dental insurance?
Yes and the amount varies.
Are braces cheaper than Invisalign?
The cost of Invisalign (clear aligners) are often the same as braces.
Are metal braces the only option for adult with complex dental problems?
No clear aligner and lingual braces made it easy to straighten your teeth if conventional metal or clear braces are not your choice. Learn more about adult orthodontics here.
Is there an Invisalign alternative?
Yes. Invisalign is one of the oldest aligner options. Multiple platforms offer similar or better options compared to the Invisalign appliance.
What is the average of braces cost?
Braces and Invisalign are mostly cost the same these days. The cost of treatment is often based on the complexity of the care and treatment time. Average cost of Invisalign treatment in Sammamish and Bellevue varies.
What are the differences between an orthodontist and an Invisalign provider?
Invisalign providers know how to use the Invisalign system and could be any dental professional – orthodontists or dentists (DDS).
What are the differences between Candid co (Smile Direct Club aligners) & the Invisalign aligners?
All of these companies manufacture different type of aligners. Box orthodontics like Candid Co offer treatment remotely with less of physical supervision of the treatment. The Invisalign aligners often offered by an orthodontist or a dentist (DDS).