Most people are thrilled when they learn they’re a candidate for Invisalign treatment. Compared to traditional metal braces, Invisalign is a more discreet and less intrusive method of straightening teeth and correcting a host of issues, such as teeth crowding, spacing, and underbites.
Although it’s great that Invisalign is comparatively discreet and non-invasive as it relates to your lifestyle, you still have to pay to undergo Invisalign treatment. In fact, that’s really the only downside to this method of straightening teeth! While some people dread the thought of having to pay for orthodontic work because they’ve heard others discuss the cost of their own treatments, you shouldn’t let cost prevent you from undergoing Invisalign treatment.
How Much Does Invisalign Cost?
Before you start stressing about the cost of Invisalign, you need to gather the facts about the treatment. Every Invisalign treatment plan is custom-made based on the needs of the individual patient the plan is created for. For this reason, there is no one static price for Invisalign.
Like metal braces, Invisalign often costs several thousand dollars. That doesn’t mean you necessarily need to pay that much out of pocket all at once, however. In some cases, patients don’t even have to pay anything for their Invisalign treatment.
Will My Insurance Cover Invisalign?
If you have health insurance or dental coverage, it may cover the cost of your Invisalign treatment at least in part. Dental insurance often covers Invisalign similarly to the way it pays for conventional braces. If that’s the case, your policy will likely pay either a pre-set percentage of your treatment’s cost or it will pay up to a predetermined dollar amount.
Many dental plans have an allowance to cover orthodontic treatments. Even still, most of them have a cumulative cap on the amount they’ll pay for this type of treatment. Once your policy has paid out that amount, your treatment will no longer be covered by your plan.
To see if your dental or health insurance will cover Invisalign, contact your employer’s HR department or get in touch with your insurance provider. If your existing policy doesn’t cover your upcoming Invisalign treatment, ask if you can purchase a separate orthodontic insurance policy.
What Are My Options if My Insurance Doesn’t Cover Invisalign and I Can’t Get Coverage for Orthodontic Work?
All hope isn’t lost if your health or dental insurance won’t pay for Invisalign and you can’t get an orthodontic policy. There are other resources you might be able to tap to pay for your treatment.
Your Spouse’s Health or Dental Insurance Policy
Regardless of whether your own insurance will cover your Invisalign treatment, you should check with your spouse’s insurance provider to see if additional coverage is available through their plan. When you coordinate coverage between policies, you may end up paying less out of pocket overall, which will make the extra paperwork worthwhile in the end.
Your HSA or FSA Account
If you have a health savings account or flexible spending account through your workplace, you may want to use the funds from that account to pay for your Invisalign treatment. This is a particularly good idea if you have an FSA instead of an HSA.
While you can roll over the money in an HSA from one year to the next, you can’t do the same with the funds in an FSA. If you don’t exhaust the money in your flexible spending account by the end of the year, you will lose the funds that remain in your account. If the end of the year is drawing near, you have money in your FSA and you don’t foresee needing the balance for anything else, consider using the funds to pay for your orthodontic treatment.
Interest-Free Lenders
Believe it or not, there are some lenders that will lend money to cover the cost of various medical procedures, including Invisalign treatment. If you have a pet, you might already be familiar with Care Credit, which has provided funds to cover expenses for veterinary procedures interest-free to qualified applicants for years. Care Credit will do the same for qualified people who need medical treatment.
In general, lenders will provide funds interest-free for a limited time, such as 12 months. If you don’t pay off your loan within that time period, your lender will charge you interest that typically dates back to the day you took out your loan. To avoid paying interest, make sure you can pay off your loan within the interest-free period.
Discount Plans
Although they’re not insurance plans, discount dental plans may still help you save on your Invisalign treatment. Many discount plan providers will charge an annual or monthly membership fee in exchange for offering discounts on certain procedures.
Full, Up Front Payment
Depending on the Invisalign dentist or orthodontist you choose, you may be able to drive down the cost of your treatment by paying for it in full up front. Many Invisalign providers offer a discount to people who pay up front, which can amount to considerable savings on your treatment.
If you’re going to pay for your treatment up front, you may want to use a credit card if your bank offers rewards based on the amount you charge to your account. Just be sure you can pay off the charge before your bank starts charging interest to make sure the rewards you earn are worth it.
Payment Plans
As you investigate payment options for Invisalign, you’ll quickly realize that many Invisalign specialists will offer payment plans for the treatment. Some Invisalign providers will offer interest-free payment plans and most will work with you to ensure your monthly payment will fit into your budget seamlessly.
Learn about the Available Payment Options at Clearsmile Orthodontics
At Clearsmile Orthodontics, we offer several payment options to people who are going to undergo Invisalign treatment. Payment plans with zero percent, in-house financing and discounts for up front payments are just samples of the options we offer.
To learn about payment options that are available at Clearsmile Orthodontics, contact our Charlotte, NC office now.