Price comparison - How to choose the optimal cost of treatment with aligners

Malocclusion is one of the most common pathologies, occurring in almost every second person.

Not in all cases a person needs to correct a defect, especially if the pathology is not significant. A popular method for correcting uneven rows – aligners – allows you to achieve effective and safe results in a relatively short time. To choose the right type of treatment for yourself, you need to find out which companies make aligners and compare them.

Modern therapy with aligners is represented in the Russian Federation by several companies. The price varies and depends on many factors. First of all, this is the country of the manufacturer, then a consultation with a doctor from the company or a Russian orthodontist at the place of treatment. Also, different clinics offer promotions. Let's compare all the aligner options presented in our country. Let's look at five manufacturers of aligners that are very popular in Russia: Orthosnap (USA), Invisalign (USA), 3D Smile (3DSmile, Russia), Star Smile (Russia), Avantis 3D (Russia) ).

The most popular and widespread corporation in the world that produces aligners is Invisalign.

, occupy a leading position, covering a large geography.
The manufacturing plant is based in Mexico. Orthosnap
is another American manufacturer with its own laboratory located in the United States.

Invisalign and Orthosnap have proven to be the best. Each of them has its own clinical laboratories and professional doctors, whom they specially train in the methods of studying pathologies and how to create a virtual treatment model.

Russian company 3D Smile

in Skolkovo talks about its product as having absorbed all the positive aspects of the technologies of the past and present. The design of the 3D Smile device is as durable as braces. The aligners have absorbed the experience of previous generations. All this allows us to use new technologies to create a high-tech and effective product.

Star Smile Company

(Russia) creates aligners using its own technology, achieving a high level of accuracy using computer programs. It supplies its products not only to the domestic market, but also to countries such as the USA, Germany, Brazil, Australia, and the Netherlands. Production is located in Russia.

Avantis 3D

are made on a three-dimensional model with the development of an individual treatment plan. Analogue of American aligners. The doctor first determines the bite and models the process of correcting it on a computer. Then invisible, comfortable structures are created that must be worn constantly to achieve the predicted result. The company sets a minimum treatment period of six months.

Before we talk about prices, let's look at the manufacturers themselves

The first two companies - Invisalign and Orthosnap - are American companies, and 3D Smile and Star Smile are Russian manufacturers of aligners.

Invisalign is an American trendsetter in aligners.

Invisalign is the #1 company

in the world in terms of volume of aligners produced, with production in Mexico. Developed technologies, they position themselves in no other way than with the words “highest” professionalism of doctors and quality of aligners. They use Align Technology in their work. Actually, it was in their depths that the word “aligner” was born.

But when we talk about the price of Invisalign, we understand that it is quite expensive. We will show the cost of Invisalign aligners below.

Now let's move on to the second manufacturer - OrthoSnap

OrthoSnap is the No. 2 American manufacturer of aligners in the USA

Having studied a sufficient amount of information on Orthosnap

, we also encountered advertising slogans about the highest quality, super doctors, etc. For now, we note that, as in Invisalign, all data after examining the patient’s bite is sent to the OrthoSnap laboratory. She is located in the USA. And aligners are also produced there, which are then supplied to Russia. Apparently, logistics costs, like Invisalign, are included in the cost of OrthoSnap aligners.

But there is something special about Orthosnap aligners - they are hand-made. Whether this is good or bad, we’ll tell you below.

Now the first of the Russian companies we named is 3D Smile

3D Smile

— participant of the Skolkovo innovation center

Having begun to develop several years ago and even received #3 in the startup ranking according to Forbes, the company is now positioning its 3D Smile aligners as a system that combines the effectiveness of braces, the experience of previous generations of orthodontic trays (teeth straightening trays, aligners) and ultra-precise 3D modeling technologies and 3D printing.

The cost of 3D Smile is close to that of American manufacturers, this is very strange, given the reviews. But let's also introduce the fourth manufacturer - the Star Smile company

Star Smile has been developing the production of aligners in Russia since 2010

And independently. No startup money. Positions itself as an innovative company that designs and produces transparent mouth guards using the latest unique computer software using modern technology, which ensures products with maximum precision in manufacturing. Today it produces mouthguards for the following countries: Russia, USA, Canada, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Estonia, Belarus, Israel.

It even produces 3D visualization technology for aligners not only in Russia, but also supplies it to other countries. The price of Star Smile aligners is lower due to the localization of production in Russia. Star Smile works with orthodontists and dentists in more than 100 cities of Russia

.

A short summary. In fact, an aligner from any manufacturer is

• computer technologies that work in a similar way,
• Production. 3D printing and polymer consumables are a common point for all manufacturers,
• logistics costs (delivery of aligners from the manufacturer to the doctor),
• and most importantly, the work of a doctor.

Now let's understand the price of aligners.

Is the cost of aligners determined by technology?

If we say that the price of aligners for straightening teeth takes into account the influence of technology, then this is not entirely true. Since the technology is practically the same, it came to us from the American continent thanks to Invisalign.

Undoubtedly, digital technologies are constantly moving forward and improving. And at least 3 companies out of the 4 mentioned are developing their software and collaborating with orthodontists - these are Invisalign, 3D Smile and Star Smile.

The result of cooperation is the opportunity for the patient to see the result of treatment BEFORE it begins. That is, get a 3D computer model of how your teeth will move from their current, crooked state to a normal, healthy smile.

Virtual 3D setup

- this is undoubtedly an intellectual product; each manufacturer calls it differently (virtual model, scenario, etc.). It is clear that since this is intellectual work, it must cost something, affecting the cost of dental aligners. But at least one company out of 4 has reduced the cost of this part of the aligners to zero - this is the Star Smile company. The American Orthosnap also has a zero cost for the virtual model, but everything is much simpler there - the manufacturer DOES NOT MAKE it.

How much can a patient save on 3D modeling? A lot - from 5 to 55 thousand rubles

from various manufacturers. We'll see the numbers below in more detail.

Is aligner production better than American quality?

It’s not for nothing that we put the phrase “American quality is better” in the section title. And that means we should instinctively think that “and therefore the cost is higher”? But aligners are innovative digital technologies based on 3D printing, which breaks stereotypes. The technologies for producing aligners - both in Russia and in the USA - are almost the same. Only the software and programs are different.

But the same Russian manufacturer of Star Smile

ranks second (according to the Star Smile company) after the Invisalign company in terms of the quality of software for orthodontics and exports its technologies to the same USA - as of October 2018, more than 500 (!) US clinics work with Star Smile. Therefore, the argument “American means better” does not work here. And our President’s call to buy Russian works 100%.

They promised to talk a little higher about the features of the production of OrthoSnap

. So, OrthoSnap aligners are printed manually using an articulator, a model is made from super plaster, then sawed along the teeth and moved, each stage (step) is crimped with an aligner. It turns out that the human factor plays a big role in production. Therefore, in addition to the fact that the cost of production includes a large share of the worker’s salary, the error in manufacturing can also be large due to the fact that everything is done by hand

The price of aligners includes the cost of consumables and the salary of technicians. Apparently it’s not in vain that Invisalign

, having localized production in Mexico, also aimed to reduce the cost of production.

And accordingly, do not forget about the dollar-ruble exchange rate - in Russia production is much cheaper, which should affect the final cost of the aligners. But is it?

Aligner prices include logistics costs

For American companies - Invisalign and Orthosnap - yes, of course, delivery is included in the price. Since production is located in Mexico and the USA. For Russian companies, logistics (in theory) should not have a significant impact on the cost of aligners.

The work of a doctor is gold!

The bulk of the costs are incurred by doctors. For example, in Invisalign the price for an initial consultation with an orthodontist is determined by the clinic, in Orthosnap they will charge a minimum 500

rubles, if you undergo a consultation but refuse their treatment, 3D Smile also charges a fee..Only at partner clinics of the Star Smile company, the initial appointment is
free
. But here, according to Star Smile, a reservation must be made: if you are undergoing a consultation on their aligners not in partner clinics, then with a greater degree of probability the consultation will also be paid.

Next, in terms of the cost of treatment, a dark forest begins for the patient. No matter how many times a patient asks for price information, clinics stubbornly call for a doctor’s consultation. We understand that this is marketing, this makes it more convenient for clinics to make money from patients. Therefore, in this article we will try to lift the curtain of secrecy on the cost of treatment with aligners from various manufacturers.

In clinics, not only do they not immediately tell you how much dental aligners cost, but they also do not warn the patient about possible additional consultations, additional services (teeth separation, replacement of broken aligners, etc.).

Aligner price information is current as of October 2021

In fact, prices do not change much over time, so we think that the listed price for dental aligners will remain unchanged at least until the beginning of 2021.

Comments

Is it possible to drink drinks in mouth guards?

Julia (02/29/2020 at 08:35 pm) Reply to comment

Dear Yulia! You can only drink plain water. If you are going to drink coffee, tea, juices and other drinks, you must first remove the aligners.

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (03/04/2020 at 08:17) Reply to comment

If I forget to put on my mouth guards a couple of times, what will happen?

question (03/10/2020 at 10:55 pm) Reply to comment

Aligners require a high level of self-control from the patient, because otherwise the treatment will move much slower than originally planned.

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (03/16/2020 at 09:04) Reply to comment

If the bite is incorrect and quite severe, is there a chance to correct it at 30 years old?

Oleg (03/20/2020 at 12:08 pm) Reply to comment

My daughter has very uneven teeth and this causes an incorrect bite. They wanted to get braces, but she is shy, she is still a teenage girl. And the mouthguards look somehow more aesthetically pleasing, but I am afraid that the desired result will not be achieved. How long will it take if you wear mouth guards instead of braces?

Olga Kapustina (03/20/2020 at 12:13 pm) Reply to comment

Is it still more effective to put on braces than mouth guards?? Are there any contraindications for mouth guards, maybe there have been cases of allergies?? And won't they cause discomfort when worn??

Irina (03/20/2020 at 12:27 pm) Reply to comment

It looks more convenient and practical than wearing braces, but the price is more expensive. Is it necessary to change them so often, or when purchasing them are they calculated for a full course of teeth straightening? And how easy are they to take off and put on? Doesn’t this cause discomfort?

Dmitry Ch. (03.20.2020 at 12:55) Reply to comment

As I understand it, domestic manufacturers make mouthguards of equal quality to foreign ones? Of course it’s not cheap, but in my opinion, the beauty of the teeth is one of the first things that catches your eye! The opinion of a specialist is important.

Maria (03/20/2020 at 14:18) Reply to comment

Hello! I have a few questions: What are these wonderful products made of? How much do beautiful products cost? Are they safe for health? Where can I buy them?

Margarita (03/20/2020 at 14:24) Reply to comment

Please tell me, is the Russian brand Star Smile not inferior in quality to other well-known foreign brands? I see the cost is almost the same, but the wait is less.

Irina (03/20/2020 at 15:49) Reply to comment

How much time do you estimate the difference between alignment with braces and aligners? And how much more expensive is the second than the first? Are there any contraindications or additional inconveniences?

Alexey (04/23/2020 at 08:28) Reply to comment

Please tell me, will there be any results from wearing mouth guards at the age of 37-38 and will this result last for a long time? Or will some kind of correction be needed over time and will I need to wear mouth guards again?

Daria (04/23/2020 at 10:11 am) Reply to comment

Please share your experience of using mouth guards from well-known brands described in the article? What is the best choice? Are there any nuances regarding installation, wearing, quality of material?

Vitaly (04/23/2020 at 10:16 am) Reply to comment

At what age are corrections possible and effective with the help of mouthguards, because with age, all tissues in a person lose their elasticity. Is it worth doing such an upgrade after fifty years?

Vyacheslav (04/23/2020 at 11:16 am) Reply to comment

Write your comment Cancel reply

As a first approximation, the price for aligners from manufacturers in Russia is

"Invisalign" price

treatment with aligners from
270,000
rubles to
350,000
rubles

"Orthosnap" prices

for aligners a maximum of
260,000
rubles for the full course + hidden fees (the cost of consultations and doctors’ appointments is at the discretion of the clinics)

" 3D Smile" has a price

aligners during treatment
250,000
rubles for the full course + hidden fees (the cost of consultations and doctor appointments is at the discretion of the clinics)

Star Smile offers two price options for aligners:

• in partner clinics from 60,000
  rubles to
  167,900
  rubles (examples) (no more hidden fees)
• In clinics working with Star Smile aligners - from 80,000
  to
  250,000
  rubles + the cost of consultations and the work of doctors is determined by the clinic
• the price of aligners both in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia is within these price limits

Well, what are the advantages of this or that manufacturer?

If we take away the bravado about “super-duper” doctors, what else can be highlighted?

Well, of course - features of modeling and production technologies

1. American Orthosnap
   makes aligners by hand.
2. One could highlight 3D Smile
   with their innovative feature: now the 3D Smile company is being actively promoted, highlighting the advantage that their program accurately shows the movement of tooth roots and this is their main feature: they show doctors that on OPTG the roots of teeth move exactly as their program predicts. But this is also a conventionally beautiful feature for patients. If you turn to the company’s main resource on the Internet, you can see that the last time they reported this news to doctors was in early spring: the last certification and training of doctors dates back to March 2021.

By the way, let's talk about the number of specialists trained by aligner manufacturers in Russia.

Number of certified aligner doctors

Where can I get treatment?

• The first unconditional place is occupied by Star Smile - as of October 2021, there are already more than 1,700 doctors in more than 100 cities of the Russian Federation. These are good indicators for the company, and they regularly train orthodontists not only in our country but also abroad.
• Invisalign holds second place in terms of trained specialists. The company has been operating in Russia for a long time, and has a medically trained resource of approximately a little more than 1,600 doctors throughout Russia.
• Orthosnap takes third place - more than 500 doctors, more than 30 cities
• But 3D Smile is not doing so well - there are more than 300 doctors in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia. Certification of doctors is very rare.

Invisible Aligner, or All-In (“Invisible Aligner”, or “Aline”)

These systems are not as popular as the previous ones, but they also deserve attention. This is an Italian brand that is used to treat malocclusion pathologies in more than 90 countries around the world.

At the treatment planning stage, 3D technologies are traditionally used here, which make it possible to assess what the patient’s smile will look like even before correction. The forecast accuracy is about 75%. The manufacturer claims that due to high technology, it is largely possible to reduce the treatment time for standard clinical cases to 6–12 months. For the entire period, you will need from 10 to 40 aligners, which will need to be changed once every 2–4 weeks.

The disadvantages that can be identified in this model, as well as in most of its competitors, are the long lead times for the production and delivery of mouth guards to Russia, because The production site is located in Italy. On average, you have to wait at least a month for aligners.

These mouth guards are not very popular compared to other brands

Who has the best prices for aligners?

Summarizing all of the above, let us highlight the most important points in the cost of treatment with aligners

• Cost of consultation
  .
  Don’t believe when they say it’s free - only if you stay for treatment is it “included” in the price. Only at Star Smile,
  in partner clinics, consultation on aligners is truly
  free
  .
• Virtual model in 3D
  . Not available from Orthosnap, Invisalign and 3D Smile - pay money, from Star Smile - free (at partner clinics).
• Drawing up a treatment plan for aligners
  . Manufacturers of aligners, of course, delegate this function to clinics, which will definitely charge you money, and not a little. The only ones who do this for free are Star Smile in the clinics of its partners.
• Buying aligners is half the battle; don’t forget about hidden fees
  when undergoing treatment in clinics. And the treatment time is quite long. The Star Smile company openly talks about the cost of treatment with aligners and does not change it during the treatment process. But even then, not all clinics, but only partner ones, have such a convenient price.
• If the aligner breaks
  while wearing it, replacing it may cost money. Find out this point in detail at the clinics.
• The most important point. Guarantee for treatment with aligners
  . It’s somehow not good here - the clinics don’t give a guarantee or, if they do, it’s very minimal. Star Smile provides a 5-year warranty.
• Two companies have the most trained doctors, and this means the most cities covered in Russia - Invisalign and Star Smile.

Alternative solutions

What should you do if aligner treatment is not suitable for you for medical or financial reasons? In this case, it is most rational to use a bracket system. These designs cope with almost any malocclusion pathology. Braces consist of clasps that are fixed on the teeth, a power arch and devices for its fastening. This design causes discomfort when wearing and caring, and most importantly, it does not look very aesthetically pleasing. Even the most fashionable braces will not change the fact that everyone will know about your bite treatment. But if there is no other way out, then you should be patient and correct the situation. The result is worth it.

Veneers can also be an alternative to aligners. They will not correct the defect physically, forever, but they will successfully hide it from others. In addition, your teeth will look not only straight, but also white. But if you have already prepared your teeth for veneers, then there is no turning back. It will no longer be possible to remove them without consequences. They will just need to be changed periodically. True, you won’t have to visit the doctor too often.

Aligners are the most modern, aesthetic and effective way to achieve a naturally beautiful smile. The future of dentistry is his.

The results of the study on the cost and treatment of aligners are as follows:

"As for infrastructure

— in terms of the number and coverage of Russian cities, lovers of Invisalign and Star Smile have a better chance of undergoing treatment with aligners.

Regarding the timing of the start of treatment

— the fastest Star Smile. In just 6 days, your aligners will be ready - and forward to a beautiful smile!

Regarding the price of aligners

— the price for Invisalign is the highest, and the prices for Star Smile aligners are the most affordable, they are unrivaled. You can buy cheap aligners here!

Regarding the quality of service

— Invisalign is the coolest. But the cost of aligners is exorbitant

Regarding quality

— computer technology rules. Invisalign, 3D Smile and Star Smile are great. Orthosnap is a thing of the past.

As for the free “buns and candies”

— Star Smile has no competition: here you have free consultations, a virtual 3D setup, and even a ready-made treatment plan. BUT - only in the company’s partner clinics

Regarding installments

- Star Smile has the best financial service and the most reasonable prices; any citizen of Russia can afford treatment with aligners starting from 4 thousand rubles per month. So, inexpensive aligners and in installments are also here!

Features of mouthguard care

In fact, there are no special features. The aligners must be removed, washed with water, and cleaned from the inside with a regular toothbrush. To avoid deformation of the material, do not use too hot water.

There is no need to store dental aligners in special solutions. They are simply placed in a special box. But they still won’t have to lie there for long. Mouth guards must be worn up to 22 hours a day.

Everything else in terms of hygiene is done as usual, before starting treatment with aligners:

• brush your teeth twice a day;
• floss;
• rinse your mouth with special means.