Braces and aligner payment calculator

Braces and clear aligners are usually paid over the course of treatment. This calculator estimates your monthly payment after insurance and a down payment, and shows how much you can save by paying with an HSA or FSA.

How it works

Enter the total treatment fee, the percentage your insurance pays and your orthodontic lifetime maximum. Insurance pays its percentage of the fee, up to that maximum.

Your share is the fee minus what insurance pays. The calculator subtracts your down payment and spreads the rest over the plan length. Most orthodontic offices offer interest-free plans, but you can enter a rate if yours charges one.

If you pay with an HSA or FSA, enter your combined tax rate. Orthodontic treatment is generally an eligible expense, so you save that rate on every dollar you pay.

Example

Treatment costs $6,000. Insurance pays 50% up to a $1,500 lifetime maximum, so it pays $1,500 (not $3,000).

• Your share: $4,500.
• After a $1,000 down payment, $3,500 goes on a 24-month, 0% plan.
• Monthly payment: about $146.

If you pay from an FSA and your combined tax rate is 30%, you'd save about $1,350, bringing your real cost to about $3,150.

Plan your FSA around treatment

Because orthodontic payments are predictable, they're easy to plan into your FSA election. Add the year's expected payments to the health FSA planner when you enroll, so the money is set aside before taxes.

Questions to ask the office

Ask whether the fee includes retainers and follow-up visits, what happens if treatment takes longer than planned, and whether there's a discount for paying in full.