InvisalignFAQ

At Smile Pop, comprehensive Invisalign or clear aligner treatment is $3,500–$8,800 depending on the complexity and length of your case. Touch-up treatment (for minor relapse or limited alignment concerns) is $3,200–$4,200. Single-arch treatment (upper or lower teeth only) is slightly less than dual-arch treatment.

These are our actual prices. We don’t publish a vague “starting at” number and then reveal a higher price at the consultation.

Your fee includes the iTero digital scans, complete treatment planning, your full aligner series, all progress check appointments, attachments and IPR as needed, two rounds of refinements if clinically indicated, and your retainers at the end of treatment. There are no hidden fees for standard office visits during your treatment.

It depends on your plan. Smile Pop is an out-of-network provider, which means we don’t bill your insurance directly, but we will help you file a claim. Most patients with orthodontic insurance benefits can submit for reimbursement and many receive a meaningful benefit — often $1,000–$2,500 depending on their lifetime orthodontic maximum and plan structure.

The important thing: we run a full orthodontic benefits check for you before your consultation. Once you fill out your new patient paperwork, we look up your coverage and tell you exactly what your plan includes before you come in. Common plans we see: Aetna, Cigna, MetLife, Delta Dental, Guardian, and many others.

Yes. We offer in-house monthly payment plans — you don’t need to go through a third-party lender. Ask about payment plan options at your consultation.

Yes. Orthodontic treatment, including Invisalign, is an FSA and HSA-eligible expense. Pre-tax dollars from either type of account can be applied toward your treatment fee. If you have FSA funds that need to be used before your plan year ends, Invisalign orthodontic treatment is a legitimate and valuable way to use them.

Yes. We offer a payment-in-full discount for patients who pay their entire treatment fee upfront. Ask us about the current discount at your consultation.

Smile Pop is a clear aligner practice, so we do not take on full braces cases and we do not price them. Nationally the two land in a similar range, so cost is rarely the thing that decides it. What decides it is which tool actually fits your teeth, and Dr. Courtney will tell you that plainly at your consultation. We do sometimes bond a bracket as a helper inside aligner treatment, but that is part of the aligner plan, not braces.

We’ll review your concerns, examine your teeth and bite, and discuss your goals. If Invisalign looks like a good fit, we’ll take digital scans of your teeth (no impressions) to get a clearer picture. You’ll leave with a specific recommendation, an estimated timeline, and fee information.

The iTero is a digital intraoral scanner — a wand that moves around inside your mouth and builds a precise 3D model of your teeth in a few minutes. It replaces the traditional approach of biting into trays filled with impression material. It’s faster, more comfortable, and produces a more accurate model. It’s also the technology that feeds directly into the Invisalign ClinCheck software, which is what we use to plan your treatment.

ClinCheck is Invisalign’s treatment planning software. Your orthodontist uses it to design the movement of each individual tooth throughout your treatment — from where your teeth are now to where they’ll end up. The software generates a simulation showing this progression, which we review with you before your aligners are manufactured. You’ll see the projected outcome before treatment begins.

Once your treatment plan is finalized and you’ve approved the ClinCheck simulation, the files are sent to Invisalign for manufacturing. Your entire aligner series is custom-fabricated for your teeth. The process typically takes two to three weeks.

At Smile Pop, progress check appointments are typically scheduled every six to ten weeks. These appointments are short — usually 15 to 30 minutes. We check that your teeth are tracking correctly, make any necessary adjustments, and give you your next sets of aligners.

Attachments are small, tooth-colored bumps bonded onto specific teeth. They give the aligners something to grip — enabling certain movements (rotations, extrusions, torquing) that would be difficult for the aligner alone to achieve. Whether you need attachments depends on what your treatment plan requires. They are made to match your tooth color and are much less visible than braces, but they are visible up close.

IPR stands for interproximal reduction — essentially, very slight reshaping of the contact points between teeth. This is sometimes done to create a small amount of space needed to align crowded teeth without extractions. The amount of reduction is tiny (fractions of a millimeter) and is generally not noticeable. Not every case requires IPR.

Refinements are a second (or modified) aligner series, ordered partway through or at the end of treatment, to address final adjustments. Teeth don’t always move precisely according to the plan, and refinements allow us to correct the course and finish the job. One round of refinements is included in your treatment fee at Smile Pop.

No food restrictions. You remove your aligners to eat and drink (anything other than plain water), which means nothing is off-limits. Steak, popcorn, hard candy, bagels — if you want it, eat it. The discipline is making sure you put your aligners back in after meals and that you’re hitting 20–22 hours of daily wear.

You should not drink anything other than plain water with aligners in, as trapped liquid can cause staining of the aligners and increase the risk of tooth decay.

Not while your aligners are in. Coffee can stain both your aligners and your teeth if trapped against them. The practical approach most patients use: remove your aligners, enjoy your coffee, brush your teeth (or at minimum rinse), then put your aligners back in. Many patients with morning coffee habits find it easiest to leave aligners out during their morning routine and then start wearing them once they’re out the door.

Same principle as other drinks — you should remove your aligners while drinking alcohol and rinse before reinserting. Wine in particular can stain aligners, and sugary cocktails increase decay risk if trapped against teeth.

Most patients experience a very brief adjustment period — a few days to a week — where certain sounds feel slightly different to produce. A mild, temporary lisp is the most common report. The vast majority of patients adapt quickly and notice no ongoing effect on their speech. If you have professional speaking or recording obligations, it’s worth knowing this adjustment period exists, but it passes.

Yes, but you should wear a mouthguard for contact sports — not your aligners. Aligners are not designed to absorb impact and should not be used as a substitute for a mouthguard. We can discuss mouthguard options at your consultation if sports are a regular part of your life.

Absolutely. Many Smile Pop patients travel for work or pleasure regularly during treatment. You just need to bring your current aligners, your next set, and a travel toothbrush. We typically give you a few sets of aligners in advance, so you don’t need to plan appointments around travel. If you’re going to be away for an extended period, let us know and we’ll plan accordingly.

Contact us as soon as possible. In most cases, we’ll either have you move forward to the next aligner in the sequence (if you’re close to switching anyway) or order a replacement aligner. Try not to lose them — the most common place patients lose aligners is in restaurants, wrapped in napkins. A protective case is included with your aligners; use it every time you take them out.

The simplest approach is to rinse them with water every time you take them out and brush them gently with a soft toothbrush (without toothpaste, which can be abrasive) before reinserting. Invisalign also makes a cleaning system you can use periodically. Avoid leaving them soaking in mouthwash for long periods — some mouthwashes can discolor them.

You should brush (and ideally floss) before reinserting your aligners after eating. This is non-negotiable — trapping food particles or sugars under your aligners against your teeth is a recipe for cavities. Most Invisalign patients find that their oral hygiene actually improves during treatment because they’re brushing more consistently throughout the day.

Not while wearing aligners — gum sticks to them. If you’re a gum chewer, you’ll need to remove your aligners first. Sugar-free gum is fine.