How Much Does Invisalign Cost in NZ? What To Expect

Written on May 8, 2022.

More than 12 million people across the globe have opted to straighten their teeth with Invisalign. Perhaps you’re considering changing your smile, too, but you have a few questions before choosing this option.

How does Invisalign work? Am I a candidate for Invisalign? How much does Invisalign cost in NZ?

There’s a lot to learn, but there’s good news — with millions of happy Invisalign patients out there, you can find out all of the details before deciding to spring for your own Invisalign treatment. This guide will help you make the best decision for you, your budget and, of course, your smile.

What is Invisalign?

Let’s start at the top, just in case you haven’t heard anything more than the name Invisalign.

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment that provides an alternative to metal braces. These custom BPA-free plastic aligners gently shift your teeth into their correct positions.

As the name suggests, Invisalign is nearly undetectable to the eye. But choosing Invisalign is about more than just cosmetic convenience — there are so many reasons why people select Invisalign vs braces, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

How Does Invisalign Work?

It all starts with a visit to your dentist. At Northmed Dental Centre, we start by taking a three-dimensional scan of your teeth, although some Invisalign pros will take impressions of your teeth in putty as a reference for the aligners.

The benefit of the 3D scan is that we can show you exactly how your treatment plan will work. The digitisations show how your teeth will slowly shift and move into place. If you’re happy with the intended result, then we’ll go ahead with part two: creating the aligners.

Once your aligners are ready, you’ll check in with your dentist again to try the first set on and ensure they fit well. If you and your dentist are happy, then you’ll begin your treatment by wearing your aligners for 22 hours every day, removing them only to eat or brush your teeth.

As an Invisalign patient, you’ll have to check in with your dentist every four to eight weeks to make sure your teeth are on the right track to reach their final, straightened positions. During that time, you will swap out your aligners every two weeks. Each new set will be slightly different from the last, exerting light pressure to push your teeth toward the place where they will be at the end of your treatment.

Am I a Candidate for Invisalign?

Invisalign treatment can fix a number of common orthodontic issues. An Invisalign doctor in NZ will have to confirm whether or not you are a candidate; however, in general, here are the problems that Invisalign can fix:

Underbite: your lower teeth stick out further than your top teeth
Overbite: your top teeth protrude over your bottom teeth
Crossbite: your upper and lower jaws don’t align
Open bite: your top row of teeth doesn’t meet or touch the bottom row
Gap teeth, meaning you have spaces between your teeth
Crowded teeth, meaning there’s not enough space for all of your teeth on your jawline
Un-straight teeth, if your teeth are aligned and all fit on your jaw, but you just want them straighter

On top of that, Invisalign can work as a first-round treatment for children with crooked teeth. Aligners can work with patients who have a mix of baby and adult teeth.

This so-called Phase 1 treatment is great for cases that dentists or orthodontists suspect will worsen as more teeth come in. It can stop bite issues in their tracks, and prevent children from continuing bite-altering habits, such as thumb-sucking. And, of course, Invisalign treatment can give your child confidence with straighter teeth until Phase 2 Invisalign moves their adult teeth into a permanently straight position.

Invisalign vs Braces: Which is Better?

If you’re looking to straighten your teeth, your probably weighing up the pros and cons of Invisalign vs braces. Your dentist can, of course, help you decide on the best option for you. However, here are the general benefits and pitfalls of these options.

Invisalign is Aesthetically Pleasing

Although more and more kids are getting braces in New Zealand, that doesn’t mean you have to get them yourself. For many people — especially adults — the prospect of having a mouthful of metal is enough to turn them off of an orthodontic treatment.

Herein lies one of the major benefits of Invisalign: you can’t see the clear, plastic aligners. The plastic is thin and customised to your teeth, so it sits flush against your smile. It is hard for others to see them or hear them whilst you talk.

Invisalign is More Convenient

When you get metal braces, your orthodontist will give you a laundry list of foods you can’t eat. Everything from popcorn to sweets to nuts to chewing gum could damage or even break your metal wires and brackets.

On the other hand, your Invisalign aligners won’t be attached to your teeth whatsoever. Instead, you can slide them in and out of your mouth with ease. So, you can remove your aligners when you eat — and eat whatever you like.

The same goes for keeping your teeth clean. Brushing and flossing around metal wires and brackets is tough for adults, let alone pre-teens and teenagers. Invisalign makes it easy for you to brush and clean your teeth at the end and start of each day.

As such, this is a major draw for many Invisalign patients: life goes on, even with teeth-straightening treatments happening. The same can’t always be said for metal braces and other orthodontic hardware, especially more complex setups.

Invisalign is More Comfortable

Anyone who has had metal braces can tell you that they aren’t the most comfortable accessory. Your orthodontist will have to tighten the wires often to encourage teeth to move where they need to go. These tightening sessions can cause lots of pain and discomfort.

Invisalign moves your teeth, too, but it does so very slowly and gently. It can cause discomfort, but usually not as much as what you experience with metal braces.

On that note, wires and brackets can and will rub against your gums and the sides of your mouth, which causes further pain and discomfort. Again, Invisalign sits flush against your teeth and is made of smooth plastic, which means your aligners won’t be abrasive.

Invisalign is More Hands-Off

We’ve mentioned that you do have to see your dentist throughout your Invisalign treatment. However, most patients only have to go in for appointments every four to eight weeks throughout the straightening process.

When you have braces, though, you have to go to the dentist or orthodontist much more often for check-ups, tightening, etc. Most patients go in at least once a month, which is much more than an Invisalign patient would.

Invisalign Can’t Treat All Orthodontic Issues

We did touch on this previously, but it’s important to reiterate that Invisalign won’t work for every patient who wants to straighten their teeth. Unfortunately, more complex issues may not be able to be fixed with Invisalign.

In some cases, your dentist can still give you Invisalign, but with a caveat: you may need attachments to help your Invisalign work properly. This addition can take away from the cosmetic draw of Invisalign, as the so-called buttons required for extra grip may be slightly visible.

Invisalign Requires More Discipline

For an adult, it shouldn’t be a big deal to wear Invisalign for most of the day, every day. For younger patients, though, it can be harder to remember to put their Invisalign in every single day.

If a patient fails to wear their Invisalign every day, it can stall their treatment, as each aligner is designed to be worn for two weeks’ time. So, if you don’t think that your child — or even yourself — will be consistent, then you may consider metal braces, which take away that responsibility.

How Much Does Invisalign Cost in NZ?

Whether you’re weighing up Invisalign vs braces or you’ve already decided on the former, you may also want to consider the price tag. How much does Invisalign cost in NZ?

As you can imagine, the cost of Invisalign will vary based on the complexity of the issues that need to be fixed. At Northmed Dental Centre, our Invisalign treatments start at $3,000.

Before starting any treatment, we will go over the itemised cost with you, and you will approve the fees before we start. That way, you won’t be surprised by any hidden costs as the treatment begins — we want you to be happy with your treatment in every regard.

If you want to get your Invisalign treatment at an even more competitive price, we do offer special deals — click here to learn more.

You should also keep in mind that, depending on the issue that needs fixing, the cost of Invisalign can be quite comparable to braces. That’s especially true if you opt for lingual braces, which are hidden beneath the tongue. Both invisible orthodontic options cost about the same in most cases.

How Long Does Invisalign Treatment Take?

Every patient’s results with Invisalign will vary — as we’ve said many times, the complexity of your orthodontic issues will determine how long you have to wear your aligners, too.

The average Invisalign patient will need about six months to complete their treatment, according to figures gathered by Align Technology. This “average” comes from patients with mild to moderate malocclusion, or overbites, crowding, gapping, etc. of up to 6mm.

At Northmed Dental Centre, we have had patients who finish their treatment in six months, while others require two years of treatment to get their teeth straightened and aligned. We’ve also had patients whose treatments defy our expectations — 18-month treatments that have ended up being a quick 12 months instead.

Most of the time, the swiftness of the treatment comes down to the patient. If you wear your aligners diligently and come in for check-ups as required, you’ll get your results on time or early, too.

How Can I Maintain My Invisalign Results?

Many Invisalign patients have had metal braces previously. However, without the metal brackets in place, their teeth shift back into their original positions, thus ruining all the time and energy put into having and maintaining such orthodontics in the first place.

After your Invisalign treatment, the same could happen, but your dentist will be able to tell you whether or not you need to do anything to keep your teeth straight. Many patients will need a retainer to wear occasionally to keep teeth where they belong.

However, much like your Invisalign treatment, the retainer will be easy to wear and invisible to the eye. And you will grow to wear them much less frequently than your original aligners — most patients pop them in at night to keep teeth straight for good.

I’m Ready for My Invisalign Treatment

This guide has provided a full run-down of what it’s like to choose this tooth-straightening treatment. You know how it works, if you may be a candidate, and the average Invisalign cost in NZ.

With all of this information in mind, you may just be convinced that Invisalign is right for you. If you’re ready to come in for a consultation, click here to contact us today. We’re here to help you choose this or any other orthodontic or cosmetic treatment that can help you achieve — and show off — the smile that you’re dreaming of.