Cost of Traditional Braces
Traditional braces are widely used and available nearly everywhere and in a variety of styles so their price range varies quite a lot. In general, they can go anywhere from $2000 all the way up to $8000, depending not only on their type - metal, lingual, ceramic - but also on your own unique treatment situation (if it’s longer or shorter, for example).
On average, traditional braces are affordable and vastly covered by dental insurance which only furthers their accessibility. If you have health or dental insurance, check with your provider to check your coverage. Most health plans won’t pay for orthodontic treatments for people over 18 years of age, but they do partially cover children under 18. If your dental plan does not include orthodontic coverage, you can still buy supplemental orthodontic insurance to help with the costs of braces. For any plan, be sure to ask about the percentage they protect and the lifetime maximum. The amount of coverage varies greatly, but a usual figure is 50% coverage with a $1500 lifetime limit per child. It's also recommended that you keep the same insurance plan during your whole orthodontic treatment. Keep in mind that most orthodontic coverages don’t cover dental braces if they have already been applied to a person’s teeth before the effective date of the policy. This would be considered a pre-existing condition and becomes an out-of-pocket expense.
Cost of Invisalign Braces and Other Clear Aligners
Invisalign’s price range is tighter than with braces but, on average, the treatment is still slightly more expensive than traditional braces - from $3,000 to $5,000 on average. The advantages are clear though - they’re nearly invisible, super comfortable and require no lengthy adjustment sessions. All you need to do is wear them for most of your day (20–22 hours/Time) to see results. You do need to remove them to eat and brush your teeth though. Invisalign is the most popular choice but not the only one - ClearCorrect’s treatment time may be the same as Invisalign, but ClearCorrect is usually cheaper, for example. There is also a third option, which is the increasingly popular Smile Direct Club. Smile Direct Club does have a few locations, but they can bypass the dental office
visitation requirements by delivering your custom-molds straight to your home by mail. First you make an impression mold of your teeth at home and then send it to Smile Direct Club. Then, you get your aligners in the mail and wear them as directed. Smile Direct Club is very affordable due to this strategy, bringing their cost down to just $1,850. This is clearly the cheapest option and may be fit for someone who really doesn’t like dental offices. However, you’re missing out on the benefits of in-person consultations, which give you a more personalized and safe experience. With Smile Direct Club, on the other hand, you never have any direct contact or visitations with a licensed dentist. Also, your molds are overviewed by a dental professional — not necessarily a licensed dentist.As you can see, the cost of braces vs Invisalign or other clear braces isn’t that big but the main difference is how they’re covered by insurance plans. Clear aligners can be considered “cosmetic” items by the insurers, rendering them ineligible for coverage, meaning you have to pay the full amount. Traditional braces, on the other hand, are widely covered by nearly all dental plans, which can cut their cost down by a large margin. If you want to get a more in-depth look at all the details of the c.
In Conclusion
Again, all of these prices depend on your personal case. Very crooked teeth or an overbite, for example, will require more repetition to slowly move the teeth into the right position, whether you use Invisalign or traditional braces. In the end, it is up to you and your orthodontist to decide which is the best treatment for your individual case. Overall, Invisalign price is not that much higher than normal braces and the unique advantages that Invisalign offers often outweigh the slight difference in price.
And there you have, a quick but thorough guide on the main price differences between regular braces and the modern clear braces like Invisalign. We hope that this has helped you clear your doubts and make it easy for you to choose the right option for you. Thanks for reading and have a great day!
References
"Invisalign: Cost, Alternatives, and Comparison". n.p., 13 Apr. 2020.Web. 14 Apr. 2020.
"What do Invisalign braces cost? Are they worth it?". n.p., 14 Apr. 2020.Web. 14 Apr. 2020.