For the longest time, clear aligners have a reputation – they can be prohibitively expensive.
Many patients that I speak to are resigned to forking out large sums for their treatment. Others simply accept that if they wish to seek more affordable clear aligner treatment, they would have to opt for lower-cost clear aligner brands, pray that clinics can offer a slight grace by reducing their treatment rates, head to another country for treatment, take up alternative treatment like braces or simply wait.
This article has been written to help you navigate through the often confusing mish-mash of information online.
It is my hope that it will give you a greater perspective on how much you can expect your clear aligner treatment to cost, the possible hidden fees that you should be aware of and the real math behind clear aligner treatment.
Do clear aligners treatment cost $2,000 or $20,000?
Window shopping for clear aligners can easily be one of the most laborious and confusing tasks. If you have seen advertisements for clear aligners below $2,000 and asked for the actual quotation based on your orthodontic condition, you might have been surprised with a cost quote that is double, triple or even quadruple what the ad says.
Some patients have even gone for paid consultations only to find out after paying a non-refundable deposit for X-rays and treatment planning, that their final bill adds up to a cost that is far more than what they have seen online.
Naturally, it can be depressingly shocking to find out that the journey to obtain your best smile means forking out close to 5-figures for treatment.
If your first thought was: Scam! False advertising! Dentists are trying to rip me off! I would not blame you. The thing about clear aligners is that there is indeed a huge price range based largely on the condition of your teeth. The more complicated your teeth movement is, the higher the cost of your clear aligner treatment.
The final cost will then be reliant on multiple key factors such as:
- Brand of clear aligners that you prefer or have been recommended which affects the lab costs that you are being charged for;
- The number of trays of clear aligners you require based on the complexity of your condition;
- The duration of your treatment based on your orthodontic condition;
- Whether you prefer the expertise of a general dentist or an orthodontist;
- Whether the clear aligner treatment is directed by a dental professional or self-directed.
So, how much do the clear aligners actually cost to be produced?
The lab cost of clear aligners are based on the brand of clear aligners you prefer as well as the amount of lab discounts a particular clinic has been offered by the clear aligner brand.
Certain clear aligner brands offer subsidised lab fees to dental clinics based on the volume of clear aligner treatments rendered. The higher the volume of clear aligner treatments rendered, the higher the discount a clinic has on their lab costs.
Most dental clinics usually charge a 2 to 3 times mark up on the lab costs to cover the cost of rendering treatment by the dentist or orthodontist.
Naturally, the more clear aligner trays you require, the higher the cost of your treatment because of the higher lab costs and the increased amount of time needed by the dentist or orthodontist to treat your orthodontic concerns.
To help you have a better picture of how much clear aligner lab costs actually are, I will use 3 clear aligner brands that I am familiar with as a reference:
| Clear Aligner Brand | Lab Costs to Clinic (Not Inclusive of 9% GST) | What Most Dental Clinics Charge Patients |
|---|---|---|
| Invisalign | $2,100 – $3,620 | $4,200 – $10,860 |
| Angel Aligner | $1,000 – $3,000 | $2,000 – $9,000 |
| Smartee | $941 – $4,265 | $1,880 – $12,795 |
If the lab fees are so costly, why don’t dental clinics simply use the cheapest brand of clear aligners?
Most dental professionals want to use brands that are reliable and predictable for their patients. Unfortunately in this instance, there is a higher price tag on reliability.
Popular brands like Invisalign, Angel Aligner and Smartee have decades of experience perfecting the entire clear aligner supply chain.
This includes refining the technology to accurately capture information from 3D intraoral scans, designing the treatment plan based on your unique orthodontic condition, producing precise clear aligners that mimic the biomechanics of your teeth movement with time, ensuring the timely delivery of aligners to the dental clinic for your dental appointment, reacting on feedback by the clinician to adjust your treatment plan if your clear aligners do not track, amongst other logistical and clinical concerns.
Knowing this gives dental professionals like myself the reassurance to treat the patient. We do not have to worry about whether the clear aligner system will work. We simply focus on helping you get from Point A to Point Z.
There are some dental clinics that choose to produce their own in-house clear aligners (OEM clear aligners) which effectively reduces the cost of clear aligner treatment. However, this also means that the dental clinic is usually in-charge of the clinical planning, designing, QC and production of the clear aligners.
What exactly am I paying for when I take up clear aligner treatment?
Now that you have a better understanding how much certain clear aligner lab costs are, you might be wondering: What exactly warrants the 2-3 times mark up on my lab fees?
The quick answer to this question is the duration that you are expected to put on the clear aligners and the amount of time a dentist or orthodontist will be spending with you across the length of your treatment.
The following table is a quick overview of the average amount of time your dentist will be spending with you for the entirety of your treatment:
| Orthodontic Condition | Average Treatment Cost | Average Lab Fee | Clinician Fee (After Lab Fee Deduction) | Average Treatment Duration | Average Number of Visits | Average Fee per Visit |
| Mild | $2,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | 9 months | 5 visits | $200 |
| Moderate | $4,500 | $2,500 | $2,000 | 15 months | 10 visits | $200 |
| Severe | $5,500 | $2,800 | $2,700 | 24 months | 15 visits | $180 |
| Complex | $6,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | 30 months | 20 visits | $150 |
Of course, besides the treatment duration, some clinics also charge based on the following factors:
- Whether you are seeking treatment with a dentist or orthodontist;
- Qualifications of the dentist or orthodontist;
- Experience of the dentist or orthodontist; and
- The location of the clinic and the types of amenities or resources they have.
Depending on the dental clinic, the total fee of your clear aligner treatment might or might not include the following:
- Consultation
- X-rays (OPG and Lat-ceph)
- 3D scans
- Treatment planning
- Scaling and polishing
- Bonding and debonding
- IPR (if necessary)
- Extractions (if necessary)
- Refinements (post-treatment)
- Retainers (post-treatment)
- Reviews and follow up visits.
Should you require further treatment of existing oral conditions such as dental caries before your clear aligner treatment, you should also be mindful that this might add on to the total cost.
How much should I expect to pay for my clear aligner treatment?
Without seeing your current orthodontic condition – whether it be through photos or an actual in-person consultation – it would be hard to place a definite number on how much your clear aligner treatment would cost.
However, to help you create a better estimate, you can refer to the following guide. The following two brands were used as they are most commonly requested:
| Cost of Invisalign in Singapore | Cost of Angel Aligner in Singapore | |
| Mild Conditions (1 – 2 teeth alignment) | $3,000 – $4,500 | $2,000 – $3,500 |
| Moderate Conditions (Less than 6 teeth) | $4,500 – $5,500 | $3500 – $4,500 |
| Severe Conditions (Less than 10 teeth) | $5,500 – $6,500 | $4,500 – $5,500 |
| Complex Conditions (Requires alignment of both arches) | $6,500 – $9,500 | $5,500 – $6,500 |
Please take note that these prices are not reflective of all dental clinics in Singapore, and should simply be used as a fair pricing guide.
Clear aligners can cost more than most orthodontic treatments based on tangible factors such as the number of clear aligner trays you need based on your orthodontic complexity, amongst other factors.
The final cost of your clear aligners are based on the number of clear aligner trays you require based on your orthodontic condition, the lab cost of production based on the number of trays you require, and the professional expertise you are getting.
If you are looking to seek clear aligner treatment, do understand that in most cases, the advertised prices are merely starting points and not your final treatment costs. It would not be possible to determine your final treatment cost without first taking a look at your teeth, whether through a virtual consultation or an in-person consultation.
When you pay for clear aligners treatment, you are not just paying for the lab costs of the physical aligners. You are also paying for the service rendered by the dentist or orthodontist which includes diagnosing and suggesting an initial treatment plan in the first consultation, detailed scans, treatment planning, rendering potential dental procedures to prep you for your clear aligners and treatment reviews and follow-ups.
While finding out about the cost may seem daunting at first, clear aligner treatment is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a personalised dental service that incorporates knowledge of dental and facial aesthetics into your treatment.
Dr Amanda Koh
https://kohedental.comDr Amanda Koh is the Founder and Managing Director of kohe™ Dental. She is also known as The Invisalign Dentist.She has a special interest in helping patients achieve their ideal smile outcomes with clear aligners like Invisalign and Angel Aligner and braces.