Gone are the days where your only choice for achieving straighter teeth is by having metal braces placed on your teeth. They were ugly, uncomfortable, and it was practically a guarantee you’d get food stuck in them.
Thankfully, times have changed. There are options, including Invisalign. They’re clear, removable, and comfortable.
While these clear form of braces are certainly a huge step up, their price is still a challenge to some. It would be a shame for anyone to go through life afraid of smiling just because of crooked teeth.
Let’s take a look at how you can find the best price on Invisalign.
Use Your Dental Insurance
If you have dental insurance, that’s great. However, it’s not a guarantee that your insurance will cover everything.
Clear braces usually cost anywhere between $3,000 and $8,000. The cost depends on how much work needs to be done before you get your braces.
If you have minor alignment issues, chances are it will only cost between $3,000 and $4,000. Most dental insurance companies cover up to $3,500 for clear braces.
If you need more work like extractions done before you get fitted, the price will be higher. To get the best price on Invisalign and you’re married or in a domestic partnership, compare your dental insurance with your spouse.
Contact both insurance companies. There’s a chance they’ll allow you to pick which insurance company is offering the best plan. If that happens, you’ll have to sign a waiver.
You might also be able to use the benefits from both plans. If this happens, it might be possible to have all or most of the cost covered.
Look Into Discount Plans
While discount plans aren’t as great as a dental plan is, they can still provide large savings on your dental treatments. Some companies will even offer you membership to their plans for as little as $100 per year.
Some discount plans such as Carrington provides up to 20% off certain dental service fees. Check with these discount plans to see which ones offer the best price on Invisalign.
However, be careful before you go ahead with a discount plan. Some companies offer discounts “up to 70%”. Usually, the savings you receive from discount plans are much less. Especially when you consider the plan’s monthly premiums and discount fees.
In the end, there may be no real discount at all. What’s worse, without insurance, if an emergency arises, you’re responsible for covering most, if not all of the bills.
Also, don’t mistake a dental discount plan for actual health insurance. They are not the same. If you have a specific orthodontist in mind, contact them directly to make sure they accept your discount plan before you enroll.
Sometimes doctors remove themselves from plans but the updated information hasn’t been made available to the patients on the discount plan’s site.
Do your homework before you sign anything. If they’re pressuring you to sign up immediately, it’s a red flag. If they contact you out of the blue and ask for personal information, do not provide it to them because they could be scammers.
If you think a scammer is contacting you or you’re the unfortunate victim of a scam, contact the FTC to report them.
Negotiate with Your Orthodontist to Get the Best Price on Invisalign
Always remember that it never hurts to ask. Especially when you’re looking for the best price on Invisalign.
Don’t be afraid to contact your local orthodontists. Compare their prices and what insurance they accept.
Ask if any of them would be willing to negotiate payment options with you. Explain you are contacting all of them looking for the best deal. Some might be willing to offer you a discount just to get the business.
Others might office payment plans within their office. They work similarly to a personal loan. Some might even be okay with creating an installment plan for you to pay them back.
There have even been cases where certain dentists are willing to barter for services. However, you must have something worth bartering. Your orthodontist may be more willing to barter or negotiate something if he or she is already familiar with you and your family.
If you have more than one person who needs braces, they may be willing to negotiate a better price for Invisalign.
If you do take out a loan with an orthodontists office, make sure to compare the repayment terms with those of a regular personal loan. It may be best to go outside and find a company not affiliated with the orthodontist in order to get the best price on Invisalign.
Use Your Flexible Spending Account
Depending on where you work, you might be able to use your flexible spending account (FSA) to pay for the braces. This is especially helpful if your dental plan doesn’t cover all of the expenses.
With an FSA you can set aside up to $2,500 in pre-tax dollars to help you pay for the braces. This enables you to budget for your braces without being taxed on the expense of .
Care Credit
Care Credit is also another option when it comes to the best price for Invisalign. It’s a healthcare credit card designed to help you with your health and wellness needs.
You can pay for the costs of treatments and procedures while making convenient monthly payments. It’s also accepted at over 200,000 providers nationwide.
You can use it for dental, vision, veterinary, hearing, and even dermatological purposes. It’s also now accepted at certain retail locations.
For most people, the interest rate is 26.99%. However, it is possible to receive a lower APR depending on your financial circumstances.
There’s also a deferred interest/no interest option if you pay in full rather than installments.
Find Other Ways to Save Money
Sometimes, the only other solution you have is to find other ways to save money and cut costs. One option is to start selling items you no longer need or use.
Another way is to visit our classifieds to find great deals on all sorts of items. From real estate, employment, and even great services, you can find everything you need on our site.
Register now to find the latest deals we have to offer.