Does Insurance Cover Invisalign? How it Works | 2023

Invisalign aligners are currently the most sought-after aligners. This set of aligners has proven effective, easy to care for, and barely noticeable. 

Does insurance cover Invisalign? This question pops up due to how expensive this form of dental care is. Before going for Invisalign teeth care, get to know your insurance policy.  

You may not know about Invisalign, or this might be your first time hearing about this option from your dentist, but no worries!

We’ll explain everything you might need to know about Invisalign and, most importantly, the part which answers the question; does insurance cover Invisalign.

Tighten your seat belt as you get to gain more knowledge on this.

What Is Invisalign?

You might be wondering what Invisalign is? Invisalign is orthodontic treatment. It straightens your teeth and doesn’t involve using metal braces. 

They are custom-made, clear braces; they cover your teeth properly while gently pulling them back into their proper position with time. Invisalign is less noticeable than other braces, and you can easily take them off and put them on. 

Nowadays, metal braces are not the only option to improve your teeth; Invisalign is also an option. With Invisalign, you don’t need metal braces or brackets which can affect your smile. 

Invisalign makes your teeth more comfortable and pretty. It also secures your confidence as it’s not very noticeable. Invisalign is made up of BFA- free plastic and is much more comfortable than traditional metal braces. 

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How Does Wearing Invisalign Work?

Before you make a purchase of your first Invisalign, you will need to go to the hospital and check if it fits your teeth. If it doesn’t fit, make your adjustments so it can be more comfortable for you.  

Your Invisalign aligners are to be worn all day except when you eat, brush or floss. These aligners are removable, so don’t be scared to put them off when necessary to prevent damage.

Invisalign aligners come in a set; you will wear the first set for two weeks then switch over to the next set. 

At first, you will notice the tightness of the aligners on your teeth, but with time, as your teeth begin to adjust, the Invisalign aligners become loose.

When you notice the looseness in your aligners, don’t switch them early; make sure you use them for up to two weeks before switching.

Switching too early or a date apart from the prescribed one can affect your treatment plan, and you won’t want that.

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Can Invisalign Ruin Your Teeth?

Yes, Invisalign is helpful, but it can also cause damage. It can lead to root damage by killing some teeth nerves. How does this happen? 

There’s a cellular response that happens between your gum and the tissues surrounding your roots. The trays around your roots may hinder your root’s end.

This damage that occurs in your root can also lead to loss of sufficient gum and root canal problems. 

You should know that root damage is one of the possible side effects of Invisalign; there might be other side effects.

You can minimize this effect of Invisalign by taking good care of your aligners, seeing your dentist for routine check-ups, and making oral hygiene one of your top priorities.

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What Can Invisalign Not Fix?

I guess you also want to know what Invisalign can’t fix; I’m here to also put you through that. Invisalign can fix lots of dental issues such as:

• Crooked teeth
• Small gaps between teeth
• Crowded teeth (it allows better spacing between teeth)
• Normal overbite and underbite
• Open bite (when the bottom and top teeth don’t meet)

While Invisalign can fix many dental issues, there are also issues it can’t fix. They include:

• Rotated teeth: your teeth can turn in their sockets if there’s overcrowding. Although Invisalign can fix rotated teeth, when the rotation of a tooth is more than 20 degrees, Invisalign will not work.
• Large gaps: Invisalign corrects small gaps between your teeth, but there’s no correction when the opening is large.
• Overbite and underbite: when your top teeth stick out over your bottom teeth, that’s called overbite, while underbite occurs when your bottom teeth stick out past your top teeth. In severe cases of both, Invisalign may not work. The use of metal braces is needed to fix this issue.
• Intrusion and extrusion: just like the overbite and underbite cases, Invisalign can’t fix this issue. The use of traditional braces is once more required to fix this.

Apart from all these cases, if you have very short teeth, you will find it difficult to use Invisalign as aligners will not grip well.

Who Is Not Eligible For Invisalign?

Before going to have your aligners, are you suited for it? Not everyone is eligible for this, you know. When you have cavities or gum issues, get those treated before coming for Invisalign treatment. 

Again, if you have oral conditions requiring surgery, you can’t be a candidate for Invisalign.

Patients with TMJ disorder, bridges, and even dental implants are unsuitable for Invisalign treatment. If you have smaller teeth or are misshapen or eroded, this treatment is a no-no for you. 

You have to fix these little or big problems before settling for Invisalign treatment.

Age is not a hindrance for candidates that need Invisalign, technology has improved, and people of all ages can have Invisalign aligners. That sounds just wonderful for teens, adults, and all.

How Much Does Invisalign Usually Cost?

There are lots of factors to consider before you pay for Invisalign. Factors like:

• Your location: consider where you live and the average prices for Invisalign in your city.
• Your dentist: consider your dentist’s time for labor.
• Insurance plan: you should also consider how much your insurance plan will and can help cover.
• Your oral health: consider what your oral health needs and how much work needs to be done to correct it.

Invisalign treatment can cost about $3,000-$7,000. CGD (Consumer Guide for Dentistry) states that the national average for Invisalign is about $3,000- $5,000. 

Does Insurance Cover Invisalign?

You might ask whether insurance covers Invisalign. Well, Yes. Insurance covers Invisalign but not every insurance plan covers it, some do, and some don’t.

Some companies that cover Invisalign comes with limitation and restrictions. You don’t have full coverage on Invisalign from your insurance. Insurance plans that cover Invisalign costs can only pay up to a certain amount or percentage. Either way, it doesn’t cover Invisalign cost totally. 

For Invisalign insurance, the Invisalign cost is covered when the insurance plan is expensive or more comprehensive. A simple or basic insurance plan can’t cover the Invisalign cost. Although the whole Invisalign cost is covered in some cases, such cases are very rare yet expensive. 

When you look for dental insurance at Invisalign, you should be aware of the following factors to help you get the right plans. They include:

• Age limits: most dental insurance Invisalign, has age limits for covering part of the Invisalign cost. Some plans with an age limit can cover Invisalign costs for people up to 19 but not for an adult. Be aware of these age-limit plans before making your dental insurance.
• Lifetime maximum: many plans have the maximum amount of the Invisalign cost they can cover over your lifetime. Their limits are often between $1000 and $3000; depending on the plan, the limit could be less or more. For instance, $2500 of an Invisalign cost of $5,000 can be covered by your Invisalign insurance plan, and the rest amount will have to be paid by you.
• Waiting period: some plans have periods before you can use the dental insurance Invisalign benefits. These waiting periods can be as long as a few months or a year. You must be aware of this waiting period to avoid extending your treatment.
• In-network and out-of out-of-network: most dental plans have a dentist that ensures you go through the plan as stated; they are the in-network dentist. They make sure you receive coverage for the dental plans as stated in the insurance plan. If you don’t want to use the in-network dentist, you can always go for the out-of-network dentist. The out-of-network dentist has limited dental insurance Invisalign plans. Choosing them means finding other ways to manage your dental Invisalign cost.

What Insurance Plans Cover Invisalign?

You can’t just jump into any plan and expect it to cover Invisalign. The question: does insurance cover Invisalign? Has been answered. Now, you have to look for insurance plans that cover Invisalign costs.

The insurance plan that covers Invisalign is orthodontics and dental coverage. The Invisalign insurance depends on the companies involved.

Some companies that cover Invisalign cost includes:

• Cigna
• Delta Dental 
• Humana
• Aetna
• USAA Dental

Advantages of Invisalign Over Traditional Braces

Apart from Invisalign, another form of dental treatment I didn’t mention is the traditional braces. Just like Invisalign, they are aligners with slight advantages and disadvantages when compared to Invisalign.

Below are the advantages of Invisalign over traditional braces:

• Invisalign are clear braces; most people won’t notice it when you wear them, unlike the traditional braces that can be noticed.
• Your teeth movement is more clear and more precise with Invisalign than with traditional braces.
• With Invisalign, you can easily maintain good oral health. You can easily remove the aligners when you want to eat, brush, and floss.
• The Invisalign aligners don’t irritate your teeth or gums, unlike traditional braces. They are considered much more comfortable than traditional braces.
• Traditional braces require frequent dentist visits in order to change the archwire and make the adjustment, but with Invisalign, check-ups are fewer and treatment time is often shorter. It saves you time.

Ways to Save On Invisalign

Invisalign cost is quite expensive though it brings about confidence in your smile. There are ways you can minimize this cost or spread it out. These include:

Health Savings Account (HSA):

Having an HSA lets you take out a small amount of money from your salary and keep them apart to be used only on healthcare costs.

An HSA is different from an FSA, money in an HSA can roll over into a new year, but an HSA requires a high-deductible insurance plan before use. 

As of the year 2018, the maximum amount to deposit into an HSA account for an individual is $3,450 but for a family is $6,850.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Like HSA, FSA also allows you to set aside a small amount of money to be spent solely on healthcare costs.

An employer can only offer FSA as part of an employee’s benefits package. 

In 2018, an individual can have up to $2,659 in an FSA per employer. Unlike the HSA, funds in FSA don’t roll over to the next year, so you have to use them up before the year ends.

Dental Schools

You can check out dental or orthodontic schools around your area that offer discounts for their services.

Signing up for dental school treatment means you are letting students from there learn by carrying out your dental work. 

Any good dental school will mostly ensure that the board-certified dentist strictly supervises these dental procedures to avoid errors.

Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

The government provides insurance for kids and teens. This insurance may cover their Invisalign cost.

If your kid is about to undergo or requires the Invisalign aligners and you don’t have enough funds, apply for the government support programs to help pay part or full payment.

Payment Plan

Nowadays, many dentists can offer you monthly payments or installment plans so that you don’t necessarily need to pay the whole amount at once.

After finding out how much your Invisalign costs, you can also ask your dentist if they offer any payment plans or accept installment payments.

Care Credit

This is a great way to take care of Invisalign costs for people who find it difficult to cover the actual cost.

Even for those with an Invisalign insurance plan, this may save you a lot of money. 

Care credit is a credit card for dental and medical expenses. It is accepted by most dental practices and may help reduce the delay in dental treatment.

FAQs On Does Insurance Cover Invisalign

Conclusion

Invisalign aligners are very expensive and can’t be afforded by most people. This set of aligners is invisible easy to take off and put on. 

Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign doesn’t mostly send you back to your dentist for check-ups or re-fixing. Does insurance cover Invisalign? Yes, insurance covers Invisalign’s cost because it’s very expensive. 

Reference

• greensboro-dentist.com – What are Invisalign braces?
• gladwellorthodontics.com – Can Invisalign cause root damage?
• mettlergriego.com – What Invisalign can’t fix
• newmouth.com – Everything to know about dental insurance
• smileprep.com – Does dental insurance cover Invisalign for an adult?
• healthline.com – Invisalign: cost, alternative, and insurance

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