For many patients, Invisalign is an appealing alternative to traditional metal braces. The clear and comfortable design of Invisalign’s plastic aligners are two major draws of the Invisalign system and allow patients to fix their teeth in a more low profile manner. Aside from these two factors, however, the price can also play a large role in the decision-making process surrounding orthodontic treatment. Invisalign tends to be slightly more expensive than metal braces, and Washington’s state tends to follow this trend.
How Expensive is Invisalign in Washington?
Is Invisalign expensive? Like many other states, Invisalign cost on average, is higher than the cost of traditional metal braces. Washington is also located on the west coast of the United States, which is another factor that could potentially raise the cost of orthodontic treatment compared to areas not on either coast. In Washington, the average cost of Invisalign treatment is between $3,000 and $5,000 on average. This is on par with the national average for the cost of Invisalign, which ranges from $3,000-$7,000. Again, however, some locations could be a bit on the higher side, given that Washington is a coastal state.
Average cost of Invisalign in Seattle
Extra cost considerations
Apart from Washington being located on the West Coast, there are other cost considerations for those thinking about “Invisalign cost Seattle” like the duration of treatment for each patient. Typically, longer treatment times correspond with a higher cost of treatment.
Is Invisalign Washington worth the investment?
Deciding whether or not Invisalign is worth the investment is a personal decision that must be made on an individual basis. One of the main points that factor into this is how much weight a patient puts on the visual appearance of his or her orthodontic treatment. Those who value a discreet appearance for their treatment might be more willing to spend additional money on Invisalign treatment. For instance, older patients or those with jobs requiring a more professional appearance might fall into this category. Others, however, like teenagers who more typically wear metal braces, might not be as willing to spend more money on Invisalign treatment.
Factors affecting cost
Several factors have the potential to influence the cost of Invisalign. As mentioned above, one of these factors is the location in which a patient is seeking treatment. Rural areas tend to be less expensive compared to their urban counterparts, as the overall cost of living tends to be higher in cities. However, Washington does not always follow this tendency because the most expensive cities (except Seattle) are Bellevue, Sammamish, and Kirkland, which are suburban areas.
Nonetheless, the cheapest cities to get an Invisalign treatment in Washington state are Auburn, Bothell, and Lakewood, in which the cost of living is cheaper than those mentioned before.
Additionally, the average cost of orthodontic treatments tends to be higher on the coasts as we mentioned before. Another variable that can influence the cost of Invisalign treatment is the length of the treatment time and the specific dental problems that are being addressed. Invisalign can treat various issues, including gap teeth, crowding, crossbite, overbite, and underbite. Each of these problems also varies in their severity and thus can have different timelines for treatment. The longer the treatment time, the more expensive that treatment will be. Furthermore, the number of individual Invisalign aligners that the orthodontist deems appropriate for each patient can also influence how much the treatment will cost in the end, with a more significant number of aligners being more expensive.
How to make Invisalign affordable?
Even though when comparing Invisalign vs braces, Invisalign has a tendency to be more expensive than traditional metal braces, there are ways that this cost can be reduced to make this treatment more accessible to everyone.
If you’re wondering, “does insurance cover Invisalign?” you will be happy to hear that one of the main ways that you can reduce the sticker price of Invisalign is via dental insurance coverage. However, it must be noted that not all insurance plans will cover the full cost of Invisalign treatment, and some plans may not cover the treatment at all. For example, Washington state dental insurances, Uniform Dental Plan and DeltaCare don't mention if they cover or not Invisalign. On the other side of the coin, Willamette Dental provides coverage.
However, if you have any doubts, check if your insurance plan covers Invisalign treatment and if it doesn't cover it, you can also look for “cheap braces Seattle,” or “orthodontic treatment” within your benefits package.
In an effort to make Invisalign more affordable for patients, several options are listed on the Invisalign website. Apart from using insurance to cover treatment, patients can also set up a monthly payment plan or pay with tax-free dollars from a FSA or HSA.
An FSA is a flexible savings account, an account managed by your employer that can be used for medical, dental, or orthodontic needs. An HSA, on the other hand, a health savings account, is a similar type of account meant for those with high-deductible insurance plans.
As another option to reduce the cost of Invisalign, a monthly payment plan can be set up. Instead of paying the entire cost of Invisalign upfront, you can break it down into smaller monthly payments. Depending on the specific payment plan offered by your orthodontist’s office, you might even be offered these monthly payments with 0% APR, meaning that the payments will be interest-free for a set amount of time.
Invisalign Alternatives in Washington
If you feel as though Invisalign is not the best option for you, there are several other options out there that might be more suitable. Perhaps the most obvious alternative to Invisalign in Washington is going with traditional metal braces. Other alternatives that have the added benefit of being less visible include ceramic and lingual braces. Ceramic braces appear similar to metal braces, but they are more of a clear color. On the other hand, lingual braces are nearly regular metal braces, but instead of being placed on the outside of the teeth, they are placed on the back of the teeth. As a fourth alternative, there are companies other than Invisalign that offer clear aligners. Many of these are telehealth companies that operate remotely, making this a more convenient option for those who have busy everyday lives and want to avoid traveling back and forth from an orthodontist’s office.
Invisalign Providers in Seattle
There are many quality options for those looking for Invisalign providers in Seattle.
Suppose you would prefer to investigate potential Invisalign providers on your own and are wondering how to find an Invisalign doctor. In that case, you should be sure to look at the find a doctor function on the Invisalign website. With this function, you can find Invisalign doctors near you just by entering your zip code in the search box. The results will show all of the Invisalign providers nearby and show information about their level of experience with the treatment. Finally, reading this Invisalign review article will allow you to learn more about the Invisalign treatment overall in-depth and allow you to make a more informed decision about what orthodontic treatment would be the best for you.
