Health insurance for Invisalign

There are other options to help move or realign teeth into the desired position and many of these treatments can be covered by health insurance.¹ Some other options include:

• Traditional metal braces: Made with metal brackets connected by a wire, these are the most common braces.¹ They have a lower overall cost than clear aligners.
• Ceramic braces (modern braces): Similar to traditional braces but made from ceramic and less visible.¹
• Retainers: A retainer is usually used after braces to help keep your teeth in alignment.¹ However, if your teeth are only slightly crooked, a retainer may be able to straighten them.

Some advantages Invisalign and clear aligners have over traditional braces include: ²

• Less visible (although they’re not entirely invisible)
• Removable, meaning less restrictions on what you can eat
• Can provide quicker treatment in some cases.

There are some potential cons to Invisalign aligners including:³

• More expensive
• Requires multiple aligners/replacements
• Traditional braces can be more effective in some cases.

Whether a set of aligners is the correct dental treatment for you will depend on how much correction your teeth require and the specifics of your condition.

Typically, Invisalign treatment time will be around 6-18 months.¹ However, if your case is more complicated, the length of treatment could increase to two years or more.² Your orthodontist or dentist can make an estimate based on an examination and diagnosis.

Invisalign and similar treatments can cause temporary discomfort and pain in your teeth and jaw for a couple of days after being fitted or adjusted.¹ This is usually mild and should go away after a few days once your mouth adjusts. Any severe pain should be discussed with your dentist or orthodontist.

Private health insurance can cover some of the cost of Invisalign treatment, providing you have the right inclusions as part of your extras cover. For clear braces (including Invisalign), most policies require you to have the ‘orthodontics’ inclusion for you to make a claim. How much you can claim will depend on your policy limits. Information regarding your health insurance for Invisalign and your limits will be included in your policy documents.

There may be a waiting period before you’re able to make a claim. For orthodontics, this waiting period can be a year or longer. Insurance providers that offer no-waiting policies usually only make this offer for general dental, not major dental or orthodontics.

Medicare typically doesn’t cover dental procedures, including products such as Invisalign. This means that if you undergo the procedure and don’t have private health insurance, you’ll have to cover the total costs out-of-pocket. While public dental services are available for eligible people, Invisalign treatment isn’t available through the public health system.