“What are invisible braces? Are they very expensive?”

Invisible braces are typically one of three different types of appliances used to move the teeth (Clear plastic or ceramic braces, braces place on the backs of the teeth rather than on the fronts, and Invisalign). With all of my years of experience in orthodontics, I get the best results for my patients by engineering a smile using Invisalign.

There are two types of invisible braces: Clear aligners and braces that are affixed to the tongue side portion of the teeth. The cost of these braces can range widely depending upon where you are treated.   

Hello, invisible braces usually refer to clear aligners such as Invisalign or the more recent clear aligners that have come along. They are a series of trays designed to move teeth using almost invisible bonded attachments on the teeth. A doctor will meet with you and design your smile digitally and then fabricate a series of trays to move the teeth. The trays are usually worn 2 weeks at a time for 20-22 hours per day. A typical treatment can have anywhere from 10-40 aligners. There are clear braces available as well which are very close to typical metal braces but made out of tooth colored ceramic braces. This type of braces offers excellent control of individual teeth but is more noticeable than clear aligners. I highly suggest you meet with an orthodontist to learn more about what might work best for you. The costs can vary based on your individual treatment needs and difficulty of your case. Longer and more difficult cases generally cost more. Be aware that most orthodontists fees will include all of your treatment as well as all of your retainers which will be important to maintain the results. Most orthodontists do not charge a fee for an initial consult so search for local orthodontists and reach out for a consultation appointment. Best of luck with your smile!

There are two sides to the question. Some might think that clear tray aligners are invisible,In fact, one manufacture has a trade name Invisalign, another Clear Correct, another Clear Choice as well as other brand names for clear tray aligners. A growing number of orthodontists make their own aligners with 3D scans and 3D printers or use local dental labs to fabricate clear trays. All of these are more or less invisible from a social distance and are a consideration for your choice of treatment. The other side of "invisible" are lingual braces which are brackets attached to the inside of teeth which have come in and out of favor with orthodontists due to constant improvements in design and technique. They truly cannot be seen unless open mouth close inspection of the patient showing them off to friends. The learning curve for lingual (tongue side) braces is somewhat difficult due to the restricted space for wire activation, different instruments and wire bending. The required training, more difficult technique, and more expensive instrumentation result in higher well deserved fees. Both efforts at hiding the hardware of braces result in higher fees than conventional traditional braces. A third option is clear conventional. a tooth colored bracket on the outside of teeth replacing the
metal look which is aesthetic, not so noticeable or as costly. Listen. Learn, then decide what is best for you. Not all orthodontists do lingual braces, so you need to find someone experienced in that technique and who can show you results of cases similar to yours.

The are two types of orthodontic appliances that may be referred to as invisible braces. One is like traditional metal braces but instead are made of ceramic or composite. The other is clear removable aligners like Invisalign or Sure Smile.

Invisible braces are clear brackets that can be made of clear plastic or ceramic. There is not a huge price difference between clear and metal brackets.

The term "invisible braces" alludes to braces that are less noticeable because they are made of a clear material. Usually, they are made of a ceramic or glass, but they can also be made of plastic. They typically are not priced any differently than a metal bracket or are only minimally more costly.

If you are referring to Invisalign, Invisalign is an alternative to wire braces that uses transparent, incremental aligners to adjust teeth. They are removable and easy to wear. The price depends on what movement your teeth require. However, an ideal bite and a beautiful smile are priceless!

Invisible braces are braces that are tooth colored or clear and blend in with the color of your teeth. These tooth colored/clear braces are made of either porcelain or plastic. Another type invisible braces are lingual braces, which are placed on the back side of the teeth and can't be seen when you smile. Tooth colored/clear braces and lingual braces are typically more expensive than traditional metal braces because they cost the orthodontist more to purchase from suppliers. Also, special instruments and wires are needed to work with lingual braces, which add to the cost of lingual braces. Cost will vary from office to office, but typically, the fee for Invisible braces will be more than metal braces. 

Daniel A. Flores, DDS, MS