Paying for Invisalign: Questions to Ask About Cost and Coverage
If your first question about clear aligners is whether you can afford them, this article is about how to get an answer you can rely on. It doesn't quote a figure, an average or a monthly payment. What it gives you instead is a set of questions worth asking before you agree to treatment, and a pointer to where we set out how insurance and payment are handled.
Ask what a quoted fee covers
Start with the quote itself. Ask what the figure covers and what would be billed separately, and ask for it as a total for the whole course of treatment rather than per visit. Ask what the fee assumes, and what would change it. Ask for the answer in writing, so that you are comparing the same thing if you get a second opinion.
Two things that differ from person to person
Two things differ from one person to the next, and both are worth raising in a cost conversation — not because either one is a price, but because both are reasons to ask what your own case would actually involve.
The first is whether aligners suit your case at all. That is something only your dentist or orthodontist can tell you, and generally, Invisalign can correct most mild to moderate orthodontic issues; if your case is severe, traditional braces might be more suitable (Cleveland Clinic).
The second is how long treatment takes. For some people orthodontic treatment takes less than one year, and for others it can take up to two years or longer, and because every person has their own unique needs, treatment times look different for everyone (Cleveland Clinic). Treatment plans will vary based on your situation, but most people are in treatment from one to three years (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)).
Both of those are general statements about orthodontic treatment, not a quote and not a timeline for you. They are the reason to ask for an estimate built on your own case, and to ask what that estimate assumes about how long you would be in treatment.
What happens after treatment ends
If you wear braces or clear aligners, you'll need a retainer once your orthodontic treatment ends, and if you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth could drift back into their old positions over time (Cleveland Clinic).
So the retainer is worth asking about while you are still talking about money: whether one is included in what you have been quoted, and what the arrangement is if it needs replacing later.
What your own plan covers
Coverage is a question for your insurer as much as for a dental office. Ask whether your plan includes any orthodontic benefit, whether that benefit applies to clear aligners as well as braces, and what limits or conditions come with it. Ask how a claim would be submitted and what you would be expected to pay directly.
We verify insurance before treatment and file claims, and our insurance and payment page gives a PPO list and mentions CareCredit and payment plans. What that means for your own plan is a question to put to us before treatment starts.
Where to go next
If you would rather understand the sequence before the money, the steps to getting Invisalign covers the process, and our Invisalign page and first-visit page are both on this site. Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Teeth Braces." Updated 2023-01-13. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24601-teeth-braces
- Cleveland Clinic. "Orthodontics." Updated 2022-10-12. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24285-orthodontics
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). "Braces." https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/braces
