Every year, more and more UK adults are seeking orthodontic treatment to achieve a perfectly straight smile. However, braces do much more than improving your smile. Having straighter teeth reduces the risk of cavities, gum disease, and tooth decay.

Although you know the benefits that braces can have on your confidence and dental health in the long run, you may feel embarrassed to have a mouth full of metal. One alternative to fixed metal braces is Invisalign, although it can be much more costly. To save some money, you may wish to know if it is possible to get cheap Invisalign aligners.

What to Know Before Getting Invisalign

Before you decide between Invisalign and metal braces, it’s essential to know the key differences. Of course, one noticeable difference is that Invisalign aligners are clear and go practically unnoticed by others.

Keep in mind, though, that some Invisalign patients need attachments on their teeth, which may be visible. Although orthodontists make these attachments of composite that matches the colour of your teeth, they may be visible depending on their location in the mouth.

An additional benefit of Invisalign is that it requires fewer surgery visits. Your orthodontist will explain to you in the first visit how to use Invisalign and give you several sets of clear aligners, which you will change yourself on specific dates. Although this is a benefit, it does mean that you will need to be proactive and make sure that you are doing everything required for your treatment to be successful.

You will also need to make sure that you are wearing your Invisalign 20-22 hours a day. That means that you won’t be able to sip your tea for hours, have a long lunch with friends, and later enjoy your favourite bottle of wine while watching the telly. Doing all of these activities in one day would surely mean wearing your aligners for less than 20 hours, and in turn, interfere with your treatment.

Invisalign Braces Price

The price of Invisalign varies from patient to patient and depends on factors such as the length and the complexity of the treatment. Invisalign patients must have many plastic aligners, one for each stage of the treatment, which gradually shifts the position of the teeth. If your treatment is complicated, you will surely need quite a few aligners to get your teeth to their desired position.

In order to plan your Invisalign treatment from start to finish, x-rays and scans of your mouth must be taken. These scans are then sent to a laboratory, where custom aligners are made using 3D printing. Of course, laboratory fees raise the price of the treatment, all the more so if you need a large number of aligners.

For this reason, it’s hard to get an exact estimate of what your treatment will cost. However, in the UK, Invisalign treatment costs go anywhere from £1995 (for express treatment) to £4,800 (complex treatment). Remember, though, that it is crucial to get a consultation from an orthodontist to know precisely how much your treatment will cost.

Cheap Invisalign Alternative

If the price of Invisalign is too steep for your budget, there are plenty of alternatives to Invisalign. One of these alternatives is metal braces, which tend to be cheaper than invisible aligners.

If you dread metal braces simply because of their appearance, keep in mind that now is a better time than ever before to have braces. Due to Covid, most of us are covering our mouths with face masks, making it impossible to know if someone has braces or not. If you wear your mask in public, it may not be worth it to spend all that extra money for Invisalign, as no one would notice your metal braces.

If having self-discipline is not your strong suit, metal braces may be a better option for you regardless of the price, as they are worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You won’t have to calculate the number of hours you’ve worn them each day, nor will you need to worry about losing them. Moreover, your orthodontist will see you about once a month to make the necessary adjustments to your wires.

Metal Braces Cost

As you can imagine, metal braces can be made cheaper than Invisalign. This price difference makes them more accessible to those who have less disposable income or who don’t mind the appearance of fixed metal braces.

As with Invisalign, the price of metal braces varies greatly depending on the duration that you will need to wear them, as well as the orthodontic issues you have. However, you can expect to pay significantly less for metal braces than for Invisalign. On average, the cost of metal braces in the UK is about £3,100.

Cheapest Way to Get Braces in the UK

Although Invisalign has many esthetic benefits, metal braces are the cheapest way to straighten your teeth in the UK at the moment. Moreover, during Covid, it may not be worth it to spend all the extra money on invisible orthodontic treatment. That said, it is up to you as the patient to decide the orthodontic treatment with which you are most comfortable.

The best way to choose the orthodontic treatment that you will get is by visiting a specialist orthodontist. They can provide you with treatment options according to your preferences and budget.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

If you are interested in orthodontic treatment, visit us at Ewell Orthodontics! We offer free consultations that include 3D digital outcome simulation, so you can envision how your smile will look after treatment. We discuss your concerns and the overall cost of your treatment, as well as help you decide between clear aligners or cheaper Invisalign alternatives, such as metal braces.

Download the voucher for your free consultation now!