How Much Do Braces Cost? (Private Dentist Guide)
*Updated 2023 prices for UK braces
If you’re researching prices for braces, chances are you or one of your loved ones is unhappy with their smile. So, you’re sold on the benefits, the journey and the final results – but now what about the cost and how long it will take to get your dream smile?
The braces market has options for everyone, from clear aligners to fixed options. But knowing which one will be right for you depends entirely on a consultation, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t know the prices for each to understand better what to expect when going into your first consult.
That said, let’s dive into prices:
Fixed and removable brace options & prices
Lingual braces cost
Price: From £5,000
Lingual braces are the pricier option due to their complex installation requirements. A good option for patients, they’re a strong solution to correct severe misalignment problems, providing similar results to traditional braces. Lingual braces can also be favoured as they don’t sit on the visible side of your smile but rather behind the teeth.
Lingual braces on finance:
- Deposit: £0
- Time: 24 months
- Monthly repayment: £208.33
- APR: 0%
Invisible braces cost (Invisalign)
Price: From £1,500
Every orthodontic patient has heard about Invisalign by now – and since they first launched, their systems have improved dramatically, making them one of the most popular (and convenient) choices in today’s market. Depending on the complexity of your bite, Invisalign can take as little as seven weeks to straighten your smile but can extend to 12-18 months for severe bite problems.
The number of aligners and length of treatment will ultimately affect your final treatment cost, for example, Invisalign Full, which uses up to 30 trays and cost up to £5,000.
Invisalign on finance:
- Deposit: £0
- Time: 24 months
- Monthly repayment: £62.50
- APR: 0%
Ceramic braces cost
Price: From £2,000
Ceramic braces are much more comfortable and less painful than their metal counterparts, as the high-quality materials aren’t abrasive. Similar to metal braces, ceramic smiles use tooth-coloured brackets to straighten teeth in a more aesthetically appealing and faster way.
Ceramic braces on finance:
- Deposit: £0
- Time: 24 months
- Monthly repayment: £83.33
- APR: 0%
What can affect the cost?
Several factors affect how expensive your orthodontic treatment will be – so it can pay to know what these factors are before you decide on your budget or how much you can afford to spend on realignment.
The length and complexity of treatment are major cost aspects. The difference between correcting a minor smile imperfection that could take 3-6 months versus more complicated orthodontic issues that might require treatment of a year or longer means patients will be charged at a higher rate for more extensive issues.
Separate factors exist, like who is doing the work – are they an orthodontic specialist, for example? Location is also an additional factor, as many practices around the UK feature different prices, with more expensive treatments being carried out in London.
As a practice based in Hertfordshire, we have the advantage of offering more competitive prices. However, the experience of our orthodontists, the results they achieve and the amount of treatment planning that goes into cosmetically enhancing your smile mean we can be pricier than other local practices.
Three ways to save money on braces
- Practices like ourselves hold several open days a year, with various deals that save our patients up to a thousand pounds on their orthodontic treatments. Patients can therefore wait for these offers to appear or sign up to our mailing list to be the first to know.
- Dental finance is a great option to spread the cost of your treatment over a set amount of time. Here at The Perfect Smile, we offer our patients up to 24 months of financing with 0% APR. Alternatively, patients can take out finance for 12 months with 0% interest. We do have longer terms for financing with APR. Learn more.
- Part pay – patients can decide to part pay their treatment. For example, you could pay 50% and then finance the other 50% for more affordable monthly payment costs with 0% interest. Finance is available on all treatments costing upwards of £350.