Are you looking forward to make straight your smile? If the answer is yes, then maybe you should consider Invisalign. This orthodontic appliance is practically capable to do wonders. The procedure relies on a series of clear aligners. It shows to be a reliable alternative to standard braces. The cost of Invisalign treatment in the UK is up to £4,500 with £1,000 while it ranges between the figures £1,500 and £6,000. In fact, the Invisalign cost totally depends on several factors and that is why it may differ from person to person.
Few factors that affect the cost of Invisalign treatment include –
- The level of difficulty involved in a case
- Pricing structure of a dentist
- The type of Invisalign aligners required in a case
Invisalign Comprehensive is one of the most common types of treatment in the Invisalign category. It cost around £4,000. For minor movement of the teeth Invisalign may cost you something around £2,000 to start from.
The treatment cost
The two major significant factors which is impacting the cost of this treatment are the level of complication involved and the length or duration of the treatment. Even the cost that dentists pay to Invisalign also matters in this context. It is important to mention that there are several alternative options to Invisalign. However, those options depend on a patient’s age and particular orthodontic needs says a dentist working in Thousand Smiles.
Here is a chart to give you some idea about cost of this cutting-edge teeth-straightening technology.
Mild to mild cases | Invisalign Express | Cost Up to 5 Aligners – £1,200 to £1,800 Cost Up to 7 Aligners – £1,500 to £2,800 |
Mild to moderate cases | Invisalign Lite | Cost Up to 14 Aligners – £3,000 to £4,500 Cost Up to 20 Aligners – £3,500 to £5,500 |
Moderate to severe cases | Invisalign Comprehensive | Cost Up to unlimited number of Aligners – £4,500 to £8,000 |
Invisalign for growing children | Invisalign First Comprehensive | Cost Up to Unlimited number of Aligners – £3,000 to £4,500 |
Invisalign First comprehensive Phase 2 |
Dentists who offer great Invisalign deals in London explain severe cases obviously cost more compared to minor cases of teeth misalignment. In cases of severe teeth misalignment patients are likely to require full comprehensive treatment package from Invisalign. This is the costliest treatment may easily cost thousands of pounds.
Factors that affect the cost of the Invisalign treatment
The following factors affect the cost of Invisalign treatment more than anything else.
- The level of treatment complexity involved in a case
When only a few teeth require to be aligned properly the treatment is likely to be short, easy and uncomplicated the same goes for if your bite is only a little misaligned. In these cases, the treatment costs less. On the other hand, if a patient suffers from complex level of malocclusion, then a larger number of aligner trays are required to correct the problem. As a result, the treatment cost is much higher.
- Qualifications and experiences of a dentist
The qualifications and experiences of a dentist or orthodontist also affect the cost of Invisalign treatment. There are dentists and orthodontists who provide the treatment at highly discounted rates. In almost all such cases you will find the professionals lack sufficient experience working on Invisalign. Going to these dentists or orthodontists often proves futile. You are likely to get unsatisfactory results from these dental practitioners. On the other hand, dentists or orthodontists who possess sufficient experience in it usually charge more for the treatment.
- Discipline and cooperation from a patient
A large part of result of any Invisalign treatment depends on discipline and cooperation of a patient in maintaining compliance. Invisalign aligner trays must be worn at least 20 to 22 hours a day. Only then you can expect desired and timely results. Invisalign trays are easily removable. As a result, it is easy for some patients to not comply with the treatment guidelines and not wearing the aligners for sufficient number of hours a day. These cases usually keep lingering over the scheduled deadline. The treatment cost in these cases also spiral up from the initial quote.
Does my dental insurance cover Invisalign?
Usually dental insurances (PPO) cover Invisalign treatment. However, that is not always because for that the HR team in an office has to bargain hard with insurance provider. When an insurance plan does not cover this treatment, then insurance companies usually cover anywhere between 25 to 50 percent of the total cost of the treatment explains a dentist renowned for offering Invisalign at discounted rates in London. Most insurance companies shell out a maximum of £1,500 to £2,000 of the total cost of the treatment. Therefore, the percentage of the coverage varies from one Invisalign case to another.
As far as writings on insurance contracts are concerned the majority of insurance plans cover Invisalign treatment at 50%. But this is actually misleading. These dental EMI plans usually contain a maximum teeth straightening benefit of £1,500 to £2,000. Now if your Invisalign treatment costs around £6,000, the maximum treatment contribution from your insurance coverage will be only £2,000 at the most. The rest £4,000 need to be paid out of your pocket before the procedure.
In this context it is relevant to mention about inter-free payment option that some Invisalign providers offer. Usually patients get a payment option for 12 months free of any interest. Monthly payment in these bargains comes down to as low as £28 a month.
Invisalign payment options
Broadly there are three ways in which one can pay for his Invisalign treatment in the UK. These are – one’s dental insurance, using either one’s FSA or HSA (FSA is Flexible Spending Account whereas HSA is Health Savings Account) or requesting your dentist to approve you a monthly payment plan.
Affordable treatment at dental schools
Dental schools are a good option to get Invisalign treatment done at a reasonable cost compared to private practices. At these schools student provide the orthodontic treatment under supervision of a qualified and experienced dentist. People who cannot afford the otherwise costly treatment from private dentists can get their treatment done at these dental schools at a lesser cost. But a dentist who offers great Invisalign deals in London explains at these schools there could be longer wait times and stricter rules for a patient to follow.