How much does Invisalign ® orthodontic treatment cost?

The fee that a dentist or orthodontist charges for a case that they treat with the Invisalign ® system will probably be similar to that price that they charge for traditional braces, possibly more. The Invisalign ® website (April 2008) states that the cost of treatment is typically $3,500 and up, with an average cost being in the neighborhood of $5,000. We would anticipate that the majority of cases would be priced somewhere between $3,500 and $9,000. This fee would be based upon both the complexity of the case (which can only be determined after an examination by the treating dentist) and the location (geographic region and city) in which the dentist practices.

The fee that a dentist pays to Align Technology, Inc. for the Invisalign ® system, per patient, is typically greater than the cost of those supplies and materials they utilize in providing traditional braces treatment. Invisalign's ® website (April 2008) suggests that the typical price paid by a dentist to Align Technology, Inc., per patient case, is on the order of $1495.

Does dental insurance cover clear braces orthodontic treatment?

Dental insurance policies vary greatly, so it's impossible for us to definitively answer any question regarding insurance benefits for invisible braces. In most cases, however, if a person's dental insurance policy does provide benefits for orthodontic treatment, it is expected that clear braces would be covered to the same extent as traditional braces.

What is Invisalign Express ®? How is its pricing different from standard clear braces cases?

[ Need more information? Take a look at our table comparing standard vs. Invisalign Express ® treatment. >> ]

Invisalign Express ® is essentially a scaled down version of the regular Invisalign ® system. It provides a way for a dentist to minimize their costs so they can, in turn, treat less complex orthodontic cases at a lower price. By definition, each Invisalign Express ® case only involves the use of ten or fewer sets of aligners (regular cases typically involve the use of twenty to thirty sets of aligners, possibly more). Because a fewer number of aligners are involved, the dentist's costs are reduced.

The price that a patient pays for orthodontic treatment using Invisalign Express ® might run on the order of $1500 to $4000. According to their website (April 2008), a dentist's cost for the Invisalign Express ® system is roughly $750 per case (about half the cost of standard Invisalign ®).

Because a reduced number of aligners are involved, Invisalign Express ® is intended for use with only the simplest cases. It can be appropriate for treating mild tooth crowding (less than 2 mm per arch), minor tooth rotations (including canine or bicuspid rotations less than 10 degrees), small midline corrections (less than 2 mm), or limited arch expansion cases (less than 1.5 mm per arch). It is also sometimes used to make minor tooth alignment improvements in preparation for certain cosmetic dental procedures such as porcelain veneer placement.

How does a dentist or orthodontist learn to use the Invisalign ® system?

Align Technology, Inc. requires that all dentists who want to offer the Invisalign ® system to their patients must complete a certification course. In the earliest days of the Invisalign ® program, this certification training was only offered to orthodontists. Now days this training is available to general dentists too, so they can offer clear braces orthodontic treatment to their patients. While additional coursework, workshops and seminars are offered, the minimum amount of training that Align Technology, Inc. requires before a dentist can participate in their Invisalign ® program might be less than you would expect. The bare minimum amount of training required is a single one-day course.

As a dental patient, you need to understand that clear braces provides a simple entry for the general dentist into a realm of treating orthodontic cases on a level that otherwise they probably would not be able to. And since, for the most part, Align Technology, Inc. typically defers to the treating dentist's clinical judgment, the Invisalign ® system places significant emphasis upon the dentist's ability to make a proper diagnosis and understand the expected outcome of the treatment plan.

Teeth that have been realigned in a fashion where they wind up being positioned beyond accepted biologic limits will be at greater risk for relapse and possibly other dental problems as well. Knowing where in the jawbone teeth can be successfully and predictably positioned is a vital part of any orthodontic treatment plan. It would be expected that an orthodontist, as opposed to a general dentist, would have a higher level of experience and training in regards to making this type of determination.