How Much Does Invisalign Cost?
Invisalign in Rockford IL and other orthodontic treatments range in cost based on a number of factors, including the overall health of the patient and the extent of the work required, the average rates for treatment in your city or region, and how much your personal insurance plan will cover. The general cost estimate for Invisalign treatment ranges from $3,000 to $7,000, and many patients qualify for assistance of up to $3,000 from Invisalign’s own insurance company. The national average cost for Invisalign tends to be closer to $5,000; metal braces range in price from $2,000 to more than $6,000. No matter what type of orthodontic treatment is selected to straighten a patient’s teeth and restore their bite, patients with exceedingly crooked teeth or profound overbites or underbites will take longer to treat and require more work, increasing the cost of treatment proportionately.
While orthodontic treatments may appear to be purely cosmetic, the truth is that straightening the teeth and fixing the bite can help improve the overall oral health. It’s usually more difficult to clean between crooked teeth, which increases the likelihood of gum disease and tooth decay. Crooked teeth can also affect the ability to comfortably chew and lead to disproportionate wear on the teeth and jaw. And this doesn’t even begin to address the lack of confidence that crooked teeth or a misaligned smile can cause. Overall, repairing crooked teeth leads to an improved appearance as well as an increased quality of life. Orthodontic treatments can be expensive, though, and there are multiple ways to decrease the cost of treatment or budget it effectively over time.
Flexible spending accounts, or FSAs, are linked with people’s employers and allow employees to reserve a portion of their salary, before taxes, in a healthcare account. In many cases, people have at least a few thousand dollars in their FSA account, and these funds must be spent within a calendar year; orthodontic treatments make good use of FSA benefits. Some people have different kinds of accounts, called health savings accounts, or HSAs. The HSA also reserves money from the pre-tax salary, setting aside these funds to be used on healthcare. The key differences between an FSA and an HSA are that HSA programs often accompany high-deductible insurance plans while FSAs are offered as part of an employee benefit package, and HSAs also allow patients to roll funds over into a new calendar year while FSAs do not.
Many dental practices offer periodic payment plans that allow patients to pay over the course of several months, so ask your dentist if this is an option for you. You may also want to do some research and see if dental schools in your area might offer orthodontic services at discounted prices. This allows a dental student to learn while repairing your teeth, and a board-certified dentist will be present to observe the treatment and ensure its accuracy. Some patients successfully finance orthodontic treatment with 0%-interest credit cards; in these cases, it’s important to pay off the balance before the lower introductory interest rate ends and higher rates kick in. Some state government insurance programs may also assist with orthodontic treatment for children and teenagers when the oral condition adversely affects the overall health; your dentist and insurance representative can help you get your child’s orthodontic treatment covered if you qualify in your state.