Cost & Treatment Time Comparison of Metal Bracekts, Self Ligating Brackets and Clear Aligners

Cost & Treatment Time Comparison (2025 U.S. Averages)

Treatment Type	Average Cost (full treatment)	Typical Duration	Notes
Traditional Metal Brackets	$3,000 – $7,500 (avg ~$4,800–$5,500)	18 – 30 months (average 24 months)	Cheapest option. More frequent visits (every 4–6 weeks).
Self-Ligating Brackets	$3,500 – $8,000 (avg ~$5,500–$6,500)	14 – 24 months (average 18–20 months)	10–25% more expensive but 20–30% fewer visits (every 6–10 weeks).
Clear Aligners	$3,500 – $8,500 (avg ~$5,000–$6,000)	9 – 24 months (average 12–18 months)	Mild cases: 9–15 mo. Complex cases: 18–24+ mo. Fewer visits.

Summary Table – Cost vs. Speed

Treatment	Relative Cost	Relative Speed	Best For
Traditional Metal Brackets	Cheapest ★★★★☆	Slowest (24 mo)	Complex cases, teens, budget
Self-Ligating Brackets	Slightly higher ★★★☆☆	15–25% faster (18–20 mo)	Best speed + cost balance
Clear Aligners	Similar to self-ligating ★★★☆☆	Fastest for mild–moderate (12–15 mo)	Aesthetics, adults, removable

Key Takeaways (2025)

• Cheapest overall: Traditional metal brackets
• Best combination of speed + cost: Self-ligating brackets (often only $500–$1,000 more than metal but save 4–8 months and several visits)
• Fastest for mild-to-moderate crowding: Invisalign/aligners (can finish in <12 months)
• Most expensive & longest for severe cases: Aligners (sometimes exceed $8,000 and 24+ months with refinements)