Invisalign has long been the country’s go-to clear aligner treatment. From New York to California, they’ve crafted dazzling smiles and renewed confidence for over twenty years. And while Invisalign delivers consistent coast-to-coast results, their prices can vary based on where you live. Why? That’s a good question.
Numerous factors can sway Invisalign costs, depending on your home state. Montana is a mountainous frontier with few residents and plenty of dentists. Typically, Montanans enjoy moderately priced Invisalign treatment. Generally, you can expect to pay between $4,000 and $7,000. However, where you fall in that range depends on several factors.
So, if you’re trying to plot out a budget, but don’t have a good Invisalign estimate, we’re here for you. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a better idea of what you can expect to pay for Invisalign in Montana.
Area | Cost in Montana | National Average |
---|---|---|
Urban | $4,000–$6,500 | $5,750 |
Suburban | $4,500–$7,000 | $6,000 |
Rural | $4,000–$6,250 | $5,500 |
These ranges are estimates based on what we know about Invisalign costs and some information from a few Montana-based orthodontists. But they should give you a general sense of what you might pay.
Table of Contents
Why Is Invisalign So Expensive?
We won’t lie: Invisalign is pricey no matter where you live. But there are good reasons for this, and many people think it’s worth the expense.
Every part of your treatment will go through your dentist or orthodontist, which gives them the chance to make on-the-fly adjustments, implementing additional attachments and altering timelines where they see fit. This is the most drastic difference between Invisalign and at-home aligner services like Byte and SmileDirectClub. And it enables your orthodontist to treat a wide variety of severe conditions, even jaw misalignments like overbite and underbite.
The average Invisalign treatment time is 12–18 months and requires office visits around every six weeks. But your dentist or orthodontist’s time, facilities, and equipment aren’t free, which means Invisalign often costs substantially more than at-home alternatives.
Looking For Affordable Orthodontic Treatment in Montana?
Invisalign is a great product, but the price tag can be difficult to swallow. If you're looking to straighten your teeth without breaking the bank, there are more affordable options out there.
Home-based clear aligner brands like SmileDirectClub and Byte sell similar products for a fraction of the cost of Invisalign. We've researched and reviewed these services to help you find the best solution for your smile (& your budget).
What Factors Influence Invisalign Costs?
No matter where you are, Invisalign can be expensive. But just how expensive depends on numerous factors. Some apply to every state while others are based on where you live, but you can find all of them in detail below.
Condition Severity
This is the most significant price-determining factor. A minor case of crowding or spacing simply takes less time and aligners to correct than a severe case of crossbite. The fewer office visits and aligners your teeth require, the less you’ll pay. During your initial consultation, your dentist/orthodontist can evaluate your teeth and estimate how long your treatment might take.
Region
In general, orthodontic care costs more on the coasts and less in the middle of the country. The northeast is particularly expensive, while southern states like Arkansas and South Carolina boast some of the nation’s lowest costs. Taxes can also play a role. The state will add sales tax to your total Invisalign cost, and higher corporate taxes might cause your orthodontist to accommodate by raising prices.
On the whole, the Mountain region (Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, etc.) has dental fees right in line with the national average. Similarly, Montana’s overall cost of living is only slightly below the national average. So, no matter where you are in the state, you’ll most likely find Invisalign prices in line with America’s median costs. Montana also has a high ratio of dentists per capita, although the population is fairly spread out, so you might still need to travel to find one.
If you live on Montana’s eastern border, you might find cheaper Invisalign prices in North or South Dakota, since both states have lower costs of living. Montana’s other neighbors, Wyoming and Idaho, usually have similar prices, so it’s not worth crossing state lines. Residents of northern Montana might be tempted to cross the border and search for better deals in Canada. However, Canada’s dental and orthodontic costs are pretty comparable to those in the United States.
One bonus of purchasing Invisalign in Montana is that there’s no sales tax. What you see on the price tag is what you’ll typically pay in the end. Montana does have a 6.75% corporate income tax, though. This won’t directly affect your Invisalign price, but it does contribute to your dentist’s business expenses. Usually, the more expensive it is to run a business, the more that business will charge.
Urban, Suburban, or Rural?
Not only are Invisalign prices different between states, but they also vary depending on your location within the state. Urban areas, for example, often have a higher cost of living, and it’s less expensive to live in a small town. Do you have high rent and utility payments? Then your dentist or orthodontist likely does too. Higher overhead costs usually result in more expensive orthodontic treatment.
Urban
Montana has the third-lowest population density in the U.S. (behind only Wyoming and Alaska). As a result, it doesn’t have any heavily urban areas. The largest city, Billings, has around 115,000 residents and would be considered a mid-sized town in other states. Billings’ cost of living is essentially the same as the state and national averages, so you probably won’t pay significantly more for Invisalign there than elsewhere.
Unlike many other cities, Billings isn’t brimming with Invisalign providers. In fact, according to Invisalign’s Find a Doctor tool, there are only 15 inside a 100-mile radius around the city. This means you’ll have fewer price options to compare.
Suburban
Montana’s cities and towns are each fairly isolated, so they don’t have sprawling suburbs like you might find in big cities. But there are still mid-sized towns throughout the state, and some of them are slightly more expensive for residents and businesses alike.
The cost of living in college towns like Missoula and Bozeman is higher than the state average, and Invisalign prices can follow suit. Other moderately populous towns like Great Falls and Butte aren’t quite as pricey. But none of these towns have extensive dentist and orthodontist options, so you can’t shop around quite as much.
Rural
Montana has plenty of wide-open space, so its small towns are pretty self-sustaining. Even so, there are some parts up north that don’t have an Invisalign provider within 100 miles. If you’re in a relatively rural part of Montana, your dentist will probably have lower prices, but you might need to travel much farther to get there.
It’s also important to mention that not all of Montana’s small towns are inexpensive. Certain ski resort destinations like Whitefish and Bigfork are actually some of the most expensive places to live in Montana and have very few Invisalign provider options. However, these are the exceptions rather than the rule.
Local Competition
When you have numerous dentists and orthodontists in an area, they each need to find ways to stay ahead of the competition and attract new customers. Many times, this means lower prices and special offers or sales. So, if there’s a high concentration of Invisalign providers in your area, it can mean lower prices, giving you the ability to “shop around.”
Montana’s Invisalign providers are pretty spread out, so even in the most populated spots, they don’t face a ton of competition. But in Billings (the largest city) or Missoula and Bozeman (the college towns), there are multiple providers vying for your business. As a result, they might offer promotional discounts and other deals in an effort to stand out. By comparison, a dentist who’s the only one within 50 miles has less incentive to run sales and other promotions. Keep an eye out for special deals, especially if you live in one of Montana’s larger towns.
Dentist or Orthodontist Experience
A seasoned dental professional with an impressive portfolio of Invisalign successes will often charge more than a novice who just started offering clear aligner treatment. So, in some cases, you may need to decide between experience and affordability (but not always!). Sometimes it can be helpful to “shop around” to weigh your options if you have multiple dentists and orthodontists nearby.
Invisalign has a tiered series of levels (ranging from bronze to platinum) that tell you how much experience a given provider has. When you search for providers through Invisalign’s website, they will show you the level of each dentist and orthodontist in your area.
Managing Treatment Costs
When you’re staring down thousands of dollars in orthodontic treatment, it can be intimidating. Fortunately, there are effective ways to lower and manage those costs, from promotional discounts to payment plans. Here’s what you can do:
Review Your Insurance Plan
Some insurance plans will include Invisalign treatment and others don’t. If your plan includes orthodontic benefits, there’s a good chance you might receive partial coverage. But you don’t want to begin treatment expecting help from your insurance provider, only to find out that it’s not coming. So don’t commit to an Invisalign plan without first reviewing your insurance plan and contacting your provider to see if you’ll receive coverage.
You can also pay for Invisalign directly from an FSA or HSA if you have one. Consult your dentist or orthodontist to see how they handle these payments.
Search for Sales and Discounts
Unfortunately, you won't see sales plastered across Invisalign’s homepage and you won’t receive floods of promotional emails advertising “$100 off!” or “20% discount!” Invisalign doesn’t do that. However, your specific dentist or orthodontist might. Give their office a call to see if they have any special Invisalign offers. Sometimes, dentist offices will post these discounts on Groupon. Just head over to Groupon.com and search for Invisalign deals in your area.
Universities with dental schools will also offer discounts if you don’t mind a student or resident administering your Invisalign treatment. These individuals are qualified and overseen by professors and experienced dental professionals, so you can be sure you’re receiving quality care.
Unfortunately, none of Montana’s universities offer a dentistry program, so you won’t have an opportunity to visit one for discounted orthodontic treatment.
Ask About Financing
Most people can’t pay thousands of dollars for treatment all at once, so in many cases, financing is a must. Invisalign doesn’t have any company-wide payment plan policies — they leave it up to each provider. So, speak with your dentist or orthodontist to see what types of financing they offer. Many offices partner with specific third-party companies like CareCredit or beWell to break Invisalign costs into more manageable payments.
Discuss Aftercare in Advance
Even after Invisalign treatment, teeth have a tendency to shift back to their old positions. Aftercare retainers keep that from happening. When you remove your last aligner, you’ll have a perfect new smile, and you’ll need to purchase a retainer to protect it. Retainer costs vary, but you can usually get one for $200–$600. Ask your Invisalign provider what they charge so you can plan it into your budget.
Because your dentist can make tweaks and course corrections throughout your treatment, they can ensure that you’ll get a perfectly straight smile. But sometimes, teeth simply don’t move as expected. In the rare case that things don’t turn out as you hoped, you might be eligible for a refinement, where your dentist will craft new aligners to deliver the results you’re after. Of course, this will take more time and resources, so refinements often cost an additional fee.
3 Affordable Invisalign Alternatives
If you’ve come this far, you’re probably pretty serious about Invisalign, but it’s not ideal for everyone and there are some other high-quality options out there. Take a look at three of our favorites:
1. Byte
Byte is an at-home aligner service, so you’ll receive your full aligner series in the mail, then administer treatment from the comfort of home, no office visits required. And it comes at less than half the price of Invisalign.
They can’t treat the same scope of conditions that Invisalign can, but for mild and moderate cases, Byte claims their treatment plans are an average of 4–5 months long. Byte’s aligners are nearly invisible and come with the HyperByte — a high-frequency vibration device that's intended to provide a comfortable aligner fit. Studies show that devices like this might also encourage more efficient dental shifts for some people. We also like their lifetime guarantee, which promises users free revision treatment if their teeth ever move out of alignment.
Want to review Byte and Invisalign side-by-side? Take a look at our Byte vs. Invisalign comparison guide.
2. Candid
Candid is another aligner company that takes extensive measures to provide safe, effective treatment for mild-to-moderate cases of misalignment. They’ve combined the convenience of remote aligners with the effectiveness of hands-on care in a hybrid treatment.
Your Candid treatment begins in a dentist’s office, and that dentist remains involved throughout the process. Over 6–9 months (on average), you’ll upload photos of your teeth every two weeks. This allows your dentist and Candid’s team to keep you on track and request additional office visits, if necessary.
At $3,500+, Candid’s price-point is higher than Byte’s, but still usually lower than Invisalign. So if you’re looking for a healthy middle-ground between in-office and at-home treatment, Candid is a great option.
Check out our Candid vs. Invisalign review for a more in-depth comparison.
3. ClearCorrect
ClearCorrect is one of Invisalign’s largest in-office competitors. Like Invisalign, a dentist or orthodontist will administer your ClearCorrect treatement in person, so you’ll need to make regular office visits. Much of ClearCorrect’s process is very similar. The advantage they have over Invisalign is that they charge dentists and orthodontists less for lab fees, which often makes treatment less expensive.
For a deeper analysis of these two companies, chck out our ClearCorrect vs. Invisalign review.
Conclusion
One of the first steps in preparing for Invisalign treatment is working it into your budget, but it’s difficult when you don’t have an accurate cost estimate. Now that you know all the intricate pricing details in Montana, you can better evaluate how viable this treatment might be.
Of course, the only way to get a truly spot-on estimate is by consulting a dentist or orthodontist. If you love Invisalign but aren’t sure about the cost, don’t let that hold you back. Speak with your dentist to see how you can make it more affordable. Or, check out one of the quality alternatives we’ve outlined here. Either way, you’ll be on track to the perfect option for your perfect smile.
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