What is the expected Invisalign cost Illinois?
Invisalign has established its name as the go-to orthodontic treatment alternative for teeth alignment in the country in the past couple of decades. While traditional metal braces are still widely considered the gold standard of orthodontic treatments, Invisalign has addressed the common issues associated with conventional braces, particularly the comfort and aesthetics. This is why more and more people are opting for Invisalign aligners. While their clear aligners continue to deliver consistent results, the prices for treatment plans vary tremendously across the country.
If you currently reside in Illinois and looking to know how much you can expect to spend for an Invisalign treatment, then you are on the right page. This entry will give you everything you need to know about Invisalign costs in Illinois.
Invisalign Cost Illinois
Invisalign prices in Illinois range from around $3,500 to $7,000. Why a wide range?
Well, there are actually many factors that can influence Invisalign cost, such as your geographical location (home state and city), of course, your overall oral health, the complexity of the treatment needed, severity of the problem, dental provider’s experience (dentist or orthodontist), etc. Most dental and orthodontic treatment services in the state of Illinois are reasonably priced. Similar to many Midwestern states with a reasonable cost of living. However, you may see high prices when you compare them in Chicago.
To give you a general sense of how much you might need to pay, here’s the price range comparison for Invisalign treatment in the state of Illinois and the national average.
- For urban areas – $5,500 – $7,000 in Illinois, $5,000 national average
- For suburban areas – $4,500 – $6,500 in Illinois, $5,500 national average
- For rural areas – $3,500 – $5,500 in Illinois, $4,500 national average
The associated cost of Invisalign treatment
Paying for an Invisalign treatment is paying the cost of making the clear aligners and the professional and labor cost of your dental professional. Most Invisalign accredited dental clinics use 3D scans and x-ray to get a clear and full picture of what they need to work on. A 3D image provides dentists and orthodontists the best reference to create a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. Moreover, 3D imaging allows patients to see what their teeth and smile will look like even before they start the treatment.
Some dental clinics charge $100 to up to $200 for the initial consultation, while some offer it for free.
Most patients are required to wear nighttime retainers for continuous treatment even after they finish the whole Invisalign treatment plan. This is to ensure the teeth will not move back or shift out from their positions during the retention phase. Retainers are usually worn for six months to a year, or more, depending on the specific details of the patient’s case. Some may have to wear their nighttime aligners for the rest of their life to ensure the alignment of the teeth stays.
Invisalign Express cost
Patients with lighter cases of teeth alignment problems may qualify for a “lighter” type of treatment as well called Invisalign Express, shorter and more affordable teeth aligning treatment from Invisalign.
Express is perfect for people with minimum teeth straightening needs, those with small spaces between teeth, or for those who just started to move back after previous orthodontic treatment. This treatment costs $1,500 to $3,000, depending on the number of clear aligners needed to fix the problem.
Here is a breakdown of Invisalign treatment prices in Chicago:
Invisalign full Treatment Plan – $5,400
For cases that require full treatment, the treatment time will take 12 to 24 months, depending on the complexity and severity of the malocclusion. Additional aligners may be required at no additional charge for up to 5 years. A typical Full treatment plan takes around 20 to 30 clear aligner trays, while severe cases that may take longer treatment time could take up to 50 aligner trays.
Invisalign Lite Treatment Plan – $4,400
Milder malocclusion problems such as mild overcrowding, spacing problems, and mild to moderate alignment issues can be fixed using the Lite treatment plan. This treatment plan lasts for only 7 months and will only need a maximum of 14 clear aligner trays.
Invisalign Express 7 Upper and Lower – $2,500
For patients with minor crowding problems, spacing issues, or who have had pre-restorative corrections for the upper and lower sets of teeth that had a relapse, then this treatment plan offers a cost-effective solution that lasts 3 to 6 months. This will only need 5 to 10 clear aligner trays.
Invisalign Express 7 Upper or Lower – $ 2,300
This is essentially the same as the previous treatment plan above, except that the clear aligners provided are only for the upper or lower set of teeth, not both.
Invisalign Express 5 Upper and Lower – $1,800
Express 5 is a much shorter treatment to correct mild problems for both upper and lower teeth.
Invisalign Express 5 Upper or Lower – $999
The cheapest and most cost-effective clear aligner treatment from Invisalign for upper or lower teeth.
Why is Invisalign treatment so expensive in the first place?
As you can see, the total treatment cost for a full Invisalign treatment is close to or similar to traditional braces, which is a conventional orthodontic treatment. This is true no matter where you live. But as with any orthodontic treatment, the steep Invisalign prices are easily justifiable, and people who have undergone the treatment think it is worth the expense.
For one, each step of the treatment goes through a dental professional, whether you choose an orthodontist or dentist. This gives your dental practitioner the best opportunity to come up with a personalized treatment plan, a chance to make specific adjustments on-the-fly, implement additional attachments or alter the timelines where they see fit. This is the biggest difference between Invisalign and other at-home clear aligners in the market today, like Byte, Candid, and SmileDirectClub. With a comprehensive and customized treatment plan, orthodontists can treat a wide variety of conditions, from complex to severe. As a matter of fact, a comprehensive Invisalign treatment plan can address even bite alignment issues caused by a jaw-misalignment type of malocclusions, such as overbite and underbite.
An average full treatment of Invisalign can take 12 to 18 months. This includes office visits every six weeks to check the progress of the treatment and to ensure everything is going according to the plan. With that said, your orthodontist’s time, equipment, and facilities are considered for the total treatment cost. This is why Invisalign treatment is more expensive than at-home Invisalign alternatives.
Other factors that influence Invisalign treatment cost
While Invisalign treatments can be expensive, just how expensive they depend on numerous factors. Some of these factors apply to every state and city, while others are based on your location.
Type of malocclusion and severity of the condition
Wherever you choose to get your Invisalign treatment, the most common determining factors for its cost are the type of dental problem you have and the severity of the case. Obviously, complex and severe cases require longer treatment time, more number of aligners, and more visits to the orthodontist needed.
Your case will be evaluated right from the initial consultation. From here you can get an idea of how much you can expect to pay for your treatment.
Region
Like in general healthcare, dental care and orthodontic treatment cost less in the middle of the country compared to coastal states. The Northeast region is particularly expensive, while most southern states like Alabama and Mississippi enjoy a lower cost, as with their general cost of living.
State tax can also play a huge role in the overall cost of orthodontic treatment, as many states add sales tax to orthodontic care. Not to mention higher corporate taxes can also affect the cost of orthodontists’ services.
Like in healthcare, the Midwest region generally has cheaper dental and orthodontic care. While it is not always cheap in the south, they are still much more affordable compared to cities located on the east or west coast. Chicago’s higher tax, however, slightly affects the cost of living in its neighboring states like Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri. This could mean a slightly higher cost for Invisalign treatment.
Compared to its neighboring states in the Midwest, Illinois has higher taxes, which can easily affect the cost of orthodontic care. The statewide sales tax is at 6.25%, but local taxes can make that go as high as 11%. This amount will be added to the total of your final Invisalign treatment. Moreover, there is a 4.8% corporate income tax. Though clients and patients don’t have to pay that, your orthodontist might, which could definitely affect their service rates.
If you reside near one of Illinois’ borders, then you can definitely find affordable Invisalign providers, particularly around Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. If you live in Chicago, which is Illinois’ most expensive city, then you can expect higher prices for orthodontic care. Obviously, you can just jaunt over the border and look for less expensive options. However, should you do that, make sure you consider the fact that Invisalign treatment requires visits to your orthodontist every 4 to 6 weeks. So make sure you don’t go too far.
Invisalign Cost Illinois: Urban, Suburban, or Rural Areas
As with any other products in the market or industry, prices for Invisalign treatment within the state also vary. Obviously, you can expect expensive orthodontic care in metropolitan areas with a higher cost of living. Subversively, small towns with more affordable cost of living usually have affordable orthodontic care.
If you pay expensive utility payments or higher rent compared to other areas in your state, then that applies to your orthodontic care as well.
Urban Areas in Illinois
In highly urbanized cities like Chicago, Illinois, you can expect Invisalign treatment to cost somewhere around $5,000 to $7,000. You can, of course, find cheaper options in the suburbs of the city.
Suburban Areas in Illinois
Though most of Illinois ’suburbs’ costs of living are not quite as expensive as city life, they are still pricier compared to the rest of the state. While it can be a lot easier to find affordable dental clinics in the suburbs compared to the city, there are not a lot of Invisalign providers to choose from in Illinois’ suburbs.
Rural Areas in Illinois
As with the suburbs, there aren’t a lot of Invisalign providers in the rural areas of Illinois. In this case, you may need to find a larger neighboring town.
Local Competition
The basic law of economics which is the law of supply and demand also applies to orthodontic care. When you have numerous dental practitioners in a given area, they will need to compete to attract clients and stay ahead of their competition. One of the ways they can attract people is to lower their prices and/or offer special deals, promotions, discounts, or sales. In a place where there is a high concentration of Invisalign providers, you can expect more affordable options. Thus, it is best to “shop around” and compare prices.
In the case of Illinois, there are lots of dentists and orthodontists in the city. Most of them, however, are clustered in and around Chicago. Thus, if you are looking to undergo orthodontic treatment like Invisalign, you may want to shop around northeast Illinois. Small town dental clinics may offer deals too, but they have less reason to do so since there isn’t much competition in their area.
Dental professional’s experience
The more seasoned a dental professional is, and the more impressive his/her portfolio in Invisalign treatment, the more expensive their service fee can get. Like other orthodontic procedures, the success of the Invisalign treatment depends largely on the skills of the dental provider. While there are indeed qualified dentists accredited by Invisalign, there is no question that their orthodontist accredited Invisalign providers are more adept in handling more complex and sophisticated cases of malocclusions. Thus, there is definitely a delicate balance in choosing between an affordable dentist over a skilled dental service provider. Again, this is where the importance of shopping around gets into the picture.
Fortunately for would-be patients, Invisalign offers tiered series of level (bronze to platinum) that shows how much experience a certain Invisalign provider has. You can check out service providers from Invisalign’s website to compare their experience and expertise level in Invisalign treatment.
How to save in your Invisalign aligners
While Invisalign and most orthodontic treatments are expensive, it is still possible to save big in your orthodontic care.
Government programs
Unfortunately, Medicare and Medicaid will not pay for Invisalign treatment.
Medicate is only for people 65 years old and above. Plus it only covers the emergency-related costs. Medicaid on the other hand considers the treatment as a cosmetic procedure, and doesn’t see it as a medical emergency or medically necessary.
Insurance
Yes, many insurance cover Invisalign.
More and more health insurance companies provide coverage for orthodontic care procedures such as traditional braces and Invisalign. Ask your insurance provider about their details on this. Many insurance companies cap plans at around $1,000 to $1,500 per year, but some dental insurance plans cover braces and have a limit of $3,500 or even more.
Managing Treatment Costs
Orthodontic treatment prices can be daunting, but you don’t have to settle for their first offer. Many dental clinics actually offer promotional discounts and payment plans that can help you manage the treatment cost. Here are some tips:
Review your dental insurance plan
Some insurance companies provide coverage plans that include orthodontic care procedures like Invisalign treatment. Some, however, don’t. If your plan provides coverage for orthodontic treatment, then there is a good chance you can get partial coverage for Invisalign. However, make sure you are absolutely sure about it before starting a treatment plan. Ask your insurance provider to review your coverage.
If you have one, you can also use your FSA or HAS account to pay for your Invisalign treatment. You can ask the help of your dentist or orthodontist to handle these payments for you.
Look for discounts and sales
You will not see sales plastered across the homepage of Invisalign’s website, and you won’t find them either in promotional emails or ads. They simply don’t do that. Fortunately for you, your dental provider might.
Call your orthodontist’s office and ask if they have special offers in their Invisalign treatment. They sometimes post this on Groupon too, so check out Groupon’s website.
Many universities and dental schools also offer huge discounts. That is if you don’t mind getting your Invisalign treatment from residents or students. Don’t worry though, these people are qualified and the procedure will be overseen by a dental professional to ensure you get quality dental care.
There are actually three universities around Illinois that offer dental programs, namely the University of Illinois at Chicago, Southern Illinois University, and Midwestern University.
Ask about Financing
Most patients cannot pay thousands of dollars upfront for their orthodontic treatment. Dental providers understand this, that is why many dental clinics out there offer financing options for their treatments, and that includes Invisalign. Speak to your dental health provider about their financing options. Many clinics in Illinois have partnered with third-party companies like beWell, or CareCredit to help you manage the payments for the Invisalign treatment.
Discuss aftercare with your dental provider in advance
In many cases, the teeth have a tendency to shift back to their old position or to a different direction after the Invisalign treatment. This is why the Invisalign treatment plan includes the use of retainers during the “retention phase” of the teeth – to keep the teeth in their desired positions.
Retainers however are billed differently from the clear aligners. Invisalign clear retainers usually cost around $100 to $300. However, the package includes four pairs of clear retainers (or eight trays, one for upper teeth, and one for the lower teeth). This is a great deal still as you will have extra retainers should they break, crack and get loose, or lost.