Here are some things to consider when comparing costs for invisible braces treatment.
Type of Corrections
Most aligner brands offer teeth straightening services for mild to moderate misalignment corrections, while some can treat more severe cases. According to American Dental Association, malocclusion is the technical term for crooked or crowded teeth and can also include problems with upper and lower jaw alignment. A mild case may consist of slight crowding or irregular spacing between the teeth, and a moderate case may indicate crowding or spacing problems and slight bite misalignment, such as an overbite. Conversely, a severe case may include overlapping teeth, an abnormal arch, and a significant overbite or underbite.
Many affordable invisible braces are effective for either mild or moderate corrections. More expensive brands like Invisalign are suitable for severe problems because of the attachments that allow the aligners to exert more force to help move the teeth into the desired position, according to review posted Dec 2019 at Turkish Journal of Orthodontics.
The type of corrections you need will directly affect how long you may need to wear clear aligner braces, which can affect the cost of your treatment. Brian Harris, DDS, of Harris Dental in Phoenix, Arizona, says that treatment time “depends on how religiously you follow your dentist’s instructions about using clear aligners. It is recommended to wear [them] at least 20 hours a day for effective results.” Dr. Harris adds that these general recommendations can help you achieve the desired result, but the total treatment time will vary from case to case.
Home services versus in-office services
Online invisible nail brands provide in-home services, which means you don’t need to make an office appointment or meet face-to-face with an orthodontist or dentist. This is part of the reason they can be cheaper than traditional orthodontic treatments. Home treatment may offer increased flexibility, but you are ultimately responsible for submitting your impressions and following your treatment plan.
Some brands may have a combination of in-home and in-office services where a professional completes your impressions or performs a digital scan in person. You still receive all alignment discs in the mail and are treated without further appointments. Some providers only offer in-office treatments, meaning you must meet with an orthodontist at every step of the treatment process.
In our January 2022 focus group, more people preferred in-office services than home treatment. The clear aligners in the focus group felt more comfortable letting a professional create their impressions. If you want to have the option of office visits, be sure to check if the brand you choose has physical locations or partner practices in your area.
What’s Included in the Cost
Many brands offer free perks with the total cost of treatment to set you apart from the competition. The price of your treatment may include things like a free impression kit, free teeth whitening products, or your first set of retainers for free. While many of these perks are essential to the treatment, such as the starter kit, some brands may charge for them separately, increasing the price you’ll pay up front.
Financing Options
Most clear aligner brands offer some form of monthly financing or payment plan to help you afford the total cost of treatment, but not all are structured the same. Some, like AlignerCo and SnapCorrect, work with third-party services that may require a credit check. Other brands, such as SmileDirectClub and Byte, have their own financing plans that offer 100 percent approval with no credit checks. Clear aligner financing options can last for different periods, including 6, 12, 24 or 36 month increments, for example, or require you to take out additional services, such as an annual maintenance subscription, adding additional costs. Make sure you know any required down payments and the APR rate attached to your financing plan.
Lifetime Warranties
If a clear aligner brand offers a lifetime post-treatment guarantee, the company usually says they will work with you if you’re not satisfied with the results after treatment and address your issue at no cost to you. These statements, however, depend on the cause of the dissatisfaction with the treatment. If the company decides that you did not follow the treatment as directed, then they may not help you fix your smile at no cost.
Make sure you read the details of any treatment guarantees the brands offer and what they require to qualify.
