How much does Invisalign cost?

$6000.  Approximate cost for Invisalign braces. “Elizabeth Risberg knows something about the cost of dental care, and not just because she works for a dental insurance provider. ‘I do a lot of public speaking,’ says the media relations manager. ‘I want my teeth to be perfect.’  Next month, she will get transparent Invisalign braces at a cost of nearly $6,000.  Her dental insurance will cover $1,800, but no more — that's the plan's lifetime coverage cap on orthodontia.”  (January W. Payne, “Taking the Cost Out of the Bite,” U.S. News & World Report, Volume 144, Issue 6, February 25, 2008, p. 57) 

$5000.  Average price charged for Invisalign.  “When Carla Morelli made an appointment for a routine checkup at the Kentlands Dental Care in Gaithersburg, she didn't request a cosmetic consultation. But that didn't stop clinic staffers from offering up beauty advice. First to weigh in was the hygienist who cleaned her teeth. After telling Morelli how much prettier she would look if she got her teeth straightened, she urged her to consider being fitted for Invisalign, clear plastic braces that would slowly move her teeth into place. . . . Morelli briefly considered making the investment, which averages $5,000. But because no dentist she had seen elsewhere had told her she needed braces -- nor, in fact, did the dentist she saw at Kentlands -- she began to get annoyed. Rather than a patient getting advice, she felt like a customer being pressured.” (Rita Zeidner, Special to The Washington Post, “Doctors and dentists can face complaints about pushing cosmetic treatments, The Washington Post, Tuesday, May 18, 2010; HE01)

$5000.  Average nationwide cost of Invisalign braces.  “[Dr. Steven Moravec, orthodontist from Plainfield, Illinois] said the cost of SureSmile braces is comparable to Invisalign clear orthodontic trays - which average about $5,000 nationwide, depending on the doctor, part of the country and complexity of the case, according to Invisalign. Conventional braces can cost about $500 less.” (Katie Foutz, “Trims months off conventional treatment,” The Herald News, Joliet, Illinois, June 18, 2008)

$5000 - $7000.  Range of cost for Invisalign braces.  “Unlike traditional braces, which use metal or porcelain brackets and wires to adjust teeth, the Invisalign system adjusts teeth with a series of clear plastic aligners. Similar plastic aligners have long been used as retainers after treatment with braces is complete. But with advances in 3-D imaging technology, Align Technology Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif., uses a proprietary computer system to create a series of 12 to 48 aligners to incrementally move patients' teeth….

David Wardlaw, [an] Invisalign-certified [orthodontist in the Little Rock, Arkansas area], said treatment with traditional braces runs $4,000-$5,000. But treatment with Invisalign will run $5,000-$7,000.” Estimated price for clear braces.  (No author credited, “Clear 'Braces' Available -- For a Price,” Arkansas Business, Little Rock, Arkansas, November 20, 2000)

$4,687 (Nov. 2009-Latest price information).  Average price of Invisalign braces reported as of November 2009 in a RealSelf nationwide survery.  “Invisalign -- it's considered relatively painless and moderately priced, and gets a Worth It rating of 80% [with an average cost for Invisalign of $4,687].” (Press release, “Consumers Reveal the Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Treatments That Are - From Botox to Breast Implants -- RealSelf.com Reports Actual Patient Satisfaction... or NOT,” Market Wire, Seattle, Washington, November 12, 2009)

$4,500 to $7,800.  Cost of Invisalign Teen braces.  “More parents are buying into the notion that even adolescents shouldn’t be stuck in unsightly orthodontia. But are the prettier (and pricier) alternatives to braces better? Most orthodontists say no. This summer, Align Technology—the company that lured adults back to the dentist with clear retainers in 1999—launched Invisalign Teen.

Though kids might be thrilled to avoid a mouthful of metal, Manhattan orthodontist Jan Linhart warns that the removable devices ($4,500 to $7,800) are a big responsibility. “You have to wear them in order for them to work,” he says.  According to patient Jenny Cook, 17, of Los Angeles, “It’s really easy to get lazy putting it back in.” Neal Kravitz, an orthodontist in Chantilly, Va., says that most adolescent cases are too severe for Invisalign anyway. (The company says its retainers fix crowding, spacing issues and overbites.)” (Caitlin McDevitt, “Do Cosmetic Braces Work For Teens?,” Newsweek, Saturday, October 25, 2008)

$4,311 - $7,185.  Approximate cost of Invisalign orthodontic braces in London.  “Invisalign [costs] ([pounds ] 2,700 to [pounds] 4,500 at James Hull Associates, 020 7938 3331) [or $4,311 to $7,185 U.S. dollars] is similar to the [Inman Aligner] but is invisible. Good for correcting gappy teeth but need to wear 22 hours a day for six months to a year.” (Sophie Goodchild, “Brace yourself,” The Evening Standard, London, England, October 28, 2008)

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Listen to this NPR story about braces by Allison Aubrey.

$1500.  Amount Invisalign braces cost over the cost of ceramic or metal braces.  “Invisalign costs about $1,500 more than ceramic or metal braces, which tend to range from $4,000 to $5,500. Doctors say Invisalign works only for minor corrections…”  (Allison Kaplan, Pioneer Press, “Brace yourself - Poster boys like Tom Cruise are helping to make braces the hippest trend in self-improvement,” St. Paul Pioneer Press, July 25, 2002, p. E1)  Discover more about the Tom Cruise braces story.