Find the Best Invisible Braces

On average, invisible braces cost between $99 and $125 on a monthly basis. A month-to-month plan could make the payment more manageable as you proceed with the treatment. Most dental alignment companies offer financing options to help you reduce upfront costs, but if you prefer to pay upfront, invisible braces typically cost between $1,850 and $5,000.

Depending on your treatment plan and insurance provider, invisible aligners may be covered in part or in full by dental insurance. Most HSA and FSA plans can be used to cover the cost of invisible braces as well.

The overall cost of invisible braces ultimately depends upon the severity of your case. Some invisible braces companies let you mail in your dental impressions without first seeing a doctor, dentist or orthodontist. If your dental situation requires in-office fittings and approval, you should expect to pay a higher price.

Overall, clear aligner systems are usually more affordable than traditional braces. The cost of traditional braces can be anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000. The cheapest invisible braces start at around $1,200 and have financing options available.

Invisible braces are a series of clear retainers that straighten and align your smile over time. Sometimes called clear aligners or dental aligners, invisible braces are an excellent option for those with:

• Crooked teeth
• Gapped teeth
• Crowding
• Overlapping
• Overbite
• Underbite

Clear-alignment treatments aren’t easily noticed by others because they are made of clear plastic (e.g., clear polypropylene) or acrylic material instead of metal wires. Some people consider ceramic braces, which are wired to the teeth like traditional metal braces, to be invisible braces, but ceramic braces are quite visible and require extensive in-office orthodontic care. Truly invisible braces don’t require hardwiring attached to the teeth.

Clear aligners work by using a series of clear plastic retainer sets, sometimes called trays. The trays fit tightly so that they put a low-pressure force on the teeth to gradually shift them into place over time.

The first clear aligner tray fits easily because the plastic has been vacuum-formed or thermoformed over a model of your teeth. Each new retainer set presses your teeth into slightly straighter positions than the one before it.

Invisible braces companies use advanced imaging technology to create the right treatment option for every customer’s smile. Some people experience a minimal amount of discomfort each time they put in a new set of aligners, which is required every couple of weeks.

The attachments, in the case of clear aligners, are tooth-colored bumps that are fitted to your teeth. The exact points at which these bumps are placed, as well as the shape of these bumps, vary based on the shape of your teeth and the results that you are striving to achieve.

These bumps act as pressure points and direct each tooth to move toward the right position. In some cases, your treatment may require elastics. These are attached toward the inner part of your jaw and help aid the tooth movement.

You must typically keep clear aligners on your teeth at least 20 to 22 hours per day for them to fully work and bring your teeth to the proper position. You can take them out to eat, brush and floss, but that’s about it. You can drink water with your aligners in, but it is recommended that you avoid soda, coffee, tea and other dark liquids that might stain the retainer sets. Hard candy, crunchy breads and gum should also be avoided to prevent plaque buildup.

Some people who wear clear aligners experience unintentional weight loss due to the hassle of removing the retainer for snacks, which many people refer to as the "Invisalign diet." If you are actively trying to determine whether Invisalign or braces would be the best fit for you, consider reading Invisalign vs. Braces to look at some of the pros and cons of both.

Some companies offer night-time aligners that don’t need to be worn during the day. While these aligners may be more convenient, they typically take longer to achieve full results.

Much like traditional metal braces, clear aligners correct crooked teeth and misaligned bites. Busy professionals and young adults with mild to moderate dental misalignments typically prefer clear aligners or invisible braces. They are cheaper, easier and more discreet than traditional metal braces.

Instead of wires and brackets like traditional or lingual braces, invisible braces use clear retainers. Traditional braces require more frequent office visits for regular tightenings and checkups, whereas most clear aligner companies mail you all your required trays at one time. Braces must often be worn for years, while dental aligner treatment typically takes months. Clear aligners are also more hygienic and let you eat all types of food throughout treatment.

Invisible braces are not always the best fit for extensive teeth straightening or severe alignment issues. If you are required by your dentist to have traditional braces, such as the typical metallic wired ones, then clear aligners may not be an option for you.

Otherwise, you have the option to get clear plastic aligners that may not be directly visible or lingual braces that are attached to the back of your teeth. Clear aligners are great for making small adjustments, but traditional metal or ceramic braces are usually required to complete severe corrections.

Straightening teeth at home with invisible braces is simple. After your initial consultation, an orthodontic specialist creates a treatment plan and fits you for invisible braces. Depending on your plan, the orthodontic treatment duration can be as short as a few months or more than a year. After your teeth are straight, there are a few post-care boxes to check. The typical steps in the process are:

1. Consultation: The first step to straightening teeth at home is to determine if you’re a candidate for invisible braces. Many invisible braces companies start the process with an online questionnaire that asks about the severity of crowding, spacing and bite issues and whether you’ve had previous dental work.
2. Fitting: Some companies require an office visit and X-rays to create dental impressions, but many of the best invisible braces companies provide at-home impression kits so you can do this at home and mail it to the company.
3. Evaluation: Dental impressions are usually scanned and 3D-printed. An orthodontist then evaluates the impression of your mouth and creates a treatment plan for you to review. If you like what you see, a series of clear aligners (called trays) are mailed to you in a few weeks.
4. Orthodontic treatment: You wear each clear aligner for approximately two weeks before moving on to the next tray in the series. Clear aligners typically must be worn around 22 hours each day, so you need to keep the tray in your mouth as much as possible. Most invisible braces treatments take between six and 18 months, but you could start seeing improvements to a misaligned tooth within a month. You can clean the aligners with a little water and soap or peroxide.
5. Post care: Once your alignment treatment is complete, the company sends you a post-care retainer to ensure your teeth don’t shift back to how they were before. Removable retainers are available to wear while you sleep at night, or you might opt for a permanent retainer, which is a small strip of metal fastened to the back surface of your teeth.

There are a few advantages and disadvantages to having invisible braces that you should consider. Here are a few pros and cons you will want to know.