Dental Aligners Brisbane Dentist / Orthodontist

knobbs on 22/10/2021 - 23:25
Last edited 23/10/2021 - 04:38 by 1 other user

Have been researching into getting some clear aligners. I have found that most of the PHI companies only cover where you are face to face with a dentist / ortho and are getting treatment. They don't cover things like smile direct / byte and ALL the other companies that do it. I have also heard it isn't as precise and accurate as what you may need. So I am hoping someone else might have a list or recommendations on a Brisbane (possibly wider) medico that will be covered by PHI I can see in person and get some aligners made.

I don't need the best of the best, hoping if possible to get something in the $3k-$4.5k range as I don't believe my teeth is that bad.

I have been making an excel sheet of different covers with their limits and other various factors and am now down to needing a cost to put in so I can see what fund is best to start my 12m waiting period for ortho.

This is one I have found

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  Uprising14 on 23/10/2021 - 08:54

  You don’t want Smile Direct, those trays will make your life miserable. Clear Aligns are slightly better, kind of like a homebrand Invisalign. I highly recommend National Dental Care for Invisalign, they offer payment plans that don’t require third party companies and they let you pay at your own pace.

  I was you once, I wanted my teeth fixed quick and cheap. The reality is that it isn’t cheap because you need someone who will make sure you don’t get thousands of dollars extra in bills after a dodgy job. Happy to answer any other questions.

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    knobbs on 25/10/2021 - 19:29

    +1

    Yeah I am staying away from the mail aligners, heard it is hard to get right from doing your own print/setting/scan. I will have to check out national dental care thanks. Only 2x companies I know of so far that are in person visit (which is required for PHI).

    Mine is to fix crowding on the bottom, is it any cheaper to just do the bottom and not whole mouth?

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      Uprising14 on 26/10/2021 - 06:48

      I actually did ask for just my top teeth to be aligned originally, price was only about 1 grand cheaper (can’t guarantee it will be the same though). Funnily enough after getting the scans back and chatting with the dentist, my bottom teeth were worse than I thought so I did the whole lot. After looking at my before and after pictures, I am so glad that I did it all because the change is huge. There is risk that your bite won’t line up if you only do one row, but again it’s best to get a consult and see what they say :)

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  Fever4shakin on 26/10/2021 - 12:01

  +1

  I am currently on my last tray of Invisalign aligners but will be getting another set of trays at no additional cost as it is within 12 months and classed under 'Invisalign lite'. What I've learnt about aligners is that costs are about the time/ numbers of trays needed, and cost can also depended on the status of your provider - ie. how much invisalign they sell - if they are a regular provider they can do it for cheaper. I found this rough outline of different price tiers on a Sydney dentist page:

  Invisalign have three different products available depending on the length of treatment needed and therefore the number of aligners needed.

  Invisalign I7 has a total of 7 aligners (14 weeks) – cost $3,000- $4000

  Invisalign Lite has a total of 14 aligners (28 weeks maximum) – cost $4,000- $7,000

  Invisalign Full is an unlimited number of aligners – cost $7,000- $10,000
  (source: https://www.shoredental.com.au/cosmetic-dentistry/orthodonti…)

  So in my case I am on my 14th set and can still get another set of 14 for no additional cost.

  Like you I considered my case mild (also overcrowding of bottom teeth). It was tempting to go with lower only but I didn't want to risk throwing my bite out and the cost difference was marginal. If you haven't already, try and find a free consult offer, that way you can find out how long you are likely to need aligners for and can get a realistic idea of cost for your circumstances.

  I would also recommend crunching the numbers to see if extra Ortho PHI is actually worth it. The amount you pay extra in 12 months waiting versus what you would get back, plus any upfront discounts you can swing if your situation allows. Also consider that your teeth may move within those 12 months and require a more extensive treatment that may again cost more.

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    Uprising14 on 28/10/2021 - 08:28

    That’s an interesting payment plan, I had 18 trays plus refinements with NDC and didn’t get near the 7k+ mark

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      Fever4shakin on 28/10/2021 - 09:24

      +1

      Maybe it was classified as Lite? I was told if all trays were ordered within 12 months it is included under Lite. I got 2 quotes and both had different time frames - the one I went with was 8 months, or 12-15 months which was quoted at $7.5k. No idea why they were so vastly different (I suspect $$$) but those price ranges are similar to my experience.

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        Uprising14 on 28/10/2021 - 13:53

        I don’t think so, the packets all said ‘moderate.’ I also got two vastly different time frames quoted, one place was 9 months and the other said 20 months… very strange!