The high cost of Invisalign has led many people in the UK to seek more cost-efficient options, like at-home clear aligners from companies like SmileDirectClub and Straight Teeth Direct. But unfortunately, at-home treatment isn’t the right fit for everyone. Traditional, in-person clear aligners like Invisalign are considered a better option for correcting bite issues and other complex cases of misalignment.
So, what factors cause Invisalign to cost so much more than the competition? And are there ways you can make treatment more affordable? In this guide, we’ll dig into the factors that impact the cost of treatment and cover some options that might help you work Invisalign into your budget.
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Average Price
Invisalign does not have a set cost for treatment. While the aligners have a firm price (rising a bit most years as products do), this can be lowered for certain doctors in good standing with the company. Then, there are numerous factors that can cause the price to fluctuate between patients and between medical practices.
So, when looking into the cost of Invisalign, you have to view it as a range. In the UK, most Invisalign treatments cost somewhere between £1,500 and £5,500. If you choose Invisalign Express, you might pay as little as £1,300. Just keep in mind that your case could fall anywhere inside this range, or in rare cases, even outside of it.
Worried About the Price of Invisalign?
If Invisalign’s hefty price tag simply won’t work for your budget, you aren’t out of luck. There are other clear aligner brands that offer similar treatment at a much lower price. If your goal is to improve the appearance of your smile without going broke, look into at-home clear aligners.
5 Factors That Impact the Cost of Invisalign
The cost of Invisalign is dynamic, changing with each patient and practice. But the question to answer is: why does the price of Invisalign treatment fluctuate so much? It mostly comes down to these five factors.
1. Condition Complexity
Invisalign can address nearly all orthodontic conditions, pretty much matching braces in their effectiveness. This is due to the force they can generate and the ability to incorporate attachments from your doctor.
However, the larger the changes that need to be made, the more time it takes. Longer treatment means more office visits, more aligners, and any additional costs related to imaging and attachments. As a result, more complex cases usually mean a bigger price tag.
2. Doctor Expertise
You might expect that Invisalign treatment will cost more with a highly experienced provider. However, this isn’t always the case with this particular system.
Yes, your doctor will likely charge more for their time and effort based on how many years of experience they have within the field and with Invisalign specifically. But Invisalign as a company offers bonuses to these doctors to offset these costs.
Invisalign places its providers on a scale they call Invisalign Advantage. With this program, every dentist or orthodontist who provides Invisalign treatment is ranked into tiers ranging from Bronze to Diamond II. For each Invisalign treatment a provider completes, they earn points. Comprehensive treatment with traditional Invisalign nets 100 points, while Invisalign Express only earns 20 and Vivera retainers 5.
To reach Diamond II, a doctor needs to accumulate 20,000 points within a given timeframe. This means that any provider who has reached this tier has significant experience with the system and has likely treated fairly complex cases.
But how does this impact the cost of treatment?
The higher the Invisalign Advantage tier of the doctor, the lower their lab fees. Diamond II providers get a 46% discount while those in the Silver tier only get 10% off. This means that in certain cases, your treatment might be more affordable with an experienced provider than someone who is pretty new to the system.
3. Aftercare Retainers
Once you finish active treatment, you move into the retention phase, which is where you wear retainers. Most doctors who offer Invisalign treatment use Vivera retainers. These cost about £130 per set. However, some doctors will charge more or less than others, and some will opt for other types of retainers that come with a more affordable price tag.
4. Refinements
Typically, Invisalign treatment delivers the exact results patients seek. Even if things are a bit off part of the way through treatment, your dentist should be able to make slight adjustments that get things on track.
However, there are occasions when patients reach the end of treatment and find that their smile doesn’t match what they’d expected, or they don’t wear the retainers correctly and their teeth shift out of place. In these cases, refinements — additional aligners meant to get the teeth into their correct positions — allow your doctor to make a few final tweaks.
Depending on your doctor’s policy and the Invisalign system you choose, these refinements might cost extra, raising your total cost of treatment.
5. Office Location
Some areas have a lower cost of living than others. And this doesn’t just apply to residents; businesses also have higher overhead costs in certain locations. Generally speaking, urban areas have a higher cost of living than rural ones. So, if you get treatment in London, you’ll likely spend more than if you did so in Uttlesford.
Financing Options
Facing a treatment that costs thousands of pounds is intimidating, and many people are unable to pay such a price out of pocket. Financing doesn’t make treatment cheaper; in fact, in most cases, it results in a higher cost of treatment. However, what it does do is break up the cost into more manageable chunks, allowing Invisalign to have a place in your budget.
Invisalign does not offer financing, but individual providers do. Before you sign up for treatment, verify with your doctor that they offer financing with terms that work for you. If you are set on a provider and they either do not offer financing or have terms that do not work for you, you could look into third-party companies. Just keep in mind that they tend to charge more interest than a dental or orthodontic practice will.
Insurance Coverage
One option for reducing the cost of Invisalign is to utilize your insurance benefits. National Insurance does offer coverage for dental and orthodontic care. However, this coverage is restricted to treatments that are considered a medical necessity. If you are looking into Invisalign to make cosmetic corrections, such as closing small gaps or addressing slight crowding, National Insurance won’t be an option.
In some cases, private dental policies will cover certain cosmetic treatments, especially if the policy provider feels that they will prevent actual health problems from developing later on. So, if you have a private policy in addition to National Insurance, be sure to verify if coverage will apply from either provider.
How Does the Cost Compare to Other Clear Aligners?
Invisalign is, on the whole, the most expensive option in clear aligner therapy. So, if price is a major or deciding factor in the system you choose for treatment, you’ll want to consider other options. What companies can you select from?
If you want to stick with an in-office treatment, you can look into ClearCorrect and Six Month Smiles. ClearCorrect averages £1,200–£4,500 in cost, while Six Month Smiles is just £1,750 to £2,850. Six Month Smiles only makes cosmetic changes, but ClearCorrect comes close to matching Invisalign in treatment scope.
However, if your corrections are cosmetic in nature, there are cheaper — and more convenient — systems for treatment: at-home clear aligners. Companies like Straight Teeth Direct, SmileDirectClub, and NewSmile allow you to correct your alignment at home, and as long as you are approved for treatment, you pay one flat rate, no matter how complex your case may be. Below are the top five at-home clear aligner companies in the UK and their prices:
- Straight Teeth Direct: £1,650
- Virtuoso: £1,999
- NewSmile: £1,495
- Diamond Whites: £1,990
These prices are significantly lower than what you’d likely pay for Invisalign. However, there are very good reasons for this: Invisalign offers the most experience, the most innovative technology, and in-person expert oversight. At the same time, not all people need these features in their clear aligner treatment.
Final Thoughts
Is Invisalign the right choice for you? If price is your driving concern, it likely isn’t. Before you settle on a system, take your time to look into alternatives and figure out which offers the features that best align with your needs. You might be surprised by which one is truly right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will National Insurance pay for Invisalign?
In some cases, it will! If your alignment poses problems to your dental or overall health, they should cover your treatment. However, if you have mild crowding or spacing that isn’t contributing to dental or health problems, you’ll need to use a supplemental insurance policy or pay fully out of pocket.
Can I use coupons or discounts to lower my Invisalign bill?
Invisalign does not issue coupons or discounts on its system to patients. Doctors can access discounts on lab fees and other bonuses through the Invisalign Advantage program. Where you might be able to access discounts is through your individual provider. Sometimes, doctors will have digital coupons or run specials that reduce the cost of treatment.
Why does Invisalign cost more than other clear aligner companies?
This depends on the system you are comparing it to. If you are looking at at-home clear aligners, they cost less because they don’t have in-person check-ups, spread out their overhead costs over more patients, and are limited in scope, so each case uses fewer aligners. With other in-office treatments, it is because the manufacturer generally charges less than Invisalign does.
Are at-home aligners as effective as Invisalign?
They are equally effective when treating cases of the same complexity. However, remote treatments cannot address complex cases. So, if you are looking at effectiveness as a whole, Invisalign is more effective, but on a case-to-case matchup, there isn’t usually much of, or any, difference.
Does Invisalign have hidden costs?
The word hidden implies deception, and we don’t feel that Invisalign nor its typical providers attempt to deceive patients into paying more than they should. There are expenses related to treatment that you might not realize you’ll need to accommodate. These include cases for the aligners, soft-bristled toothbrushes, and your aftercare retainers.
How many people have used Invisalign treatment?
Since Invisalign launched in the U.S. in 1998, over 15 million patients have used the system worldwide. This makes it the most experienced clear aligner company operating in the UK.
Are there clear benefits of choosing in-office treatment over remote aligners?
Yes, there are. In-office treatments can address more conditions, offer more direct customer service, and are more personalized than remote options. However, the additional costs and office visits are often more of a strain than the benefits are a reward.
How do I start with Invisalign?
You locate a doctor near you offering Invisalign treatment and schedule your consultation. It is a good idea to speak with 2–3 doctors to see who offers the best price for you.
How long does Invisalign treatment take?
Your treatment time depends on a few factors:
- How severe your condition is.
- How easily your teeth move.
- How well you stick to your treatment plan.
Usually, treatment takes about 12–18 months.
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