Braces and Invisalign both straighten teeth well, and at Sturgill Orthodontics on Sunset Drive in Johnson City, most full cases of either one cost about the same. So the real question isn’t which is better. It’s which one fits your teeth and the way you live.
Maybe you’ve read ten articles and still can’t decide. Maybe your dentist mentioned an orthodontist, or your teen wants aligners and you’re not sure they’ll wear them. Dr. Jeremiah Sturgill, Dr. Allison Williams and Dr. Anne Miller Harper offer both, so they can recommend the one that will actually work for you.
Your first visit is free, you don’t need a referral, and you’ll leave knowing which option fits and what it costs.
Or call our Johnson City office at (423) 282-2333
- Board-certified orthodontists
- Braces and Invisalign under one roof
- 0% interest payment plans
- Rated 5.0 on Google
How Braces and Invisalign Compare
Here’s how the two stack up at our Johnson City office. The prices and times are our own, not national averages.
| Braces | Invisalign | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Small brackets bonded to your teeth, joined by a wire your orthodontist adjusts. | A series of clear, removable aligners. Each set moves your teeth a little. |
| How it looks | Metal, or tooth-colored clear brackets. Lingual braces hide behind your teeth. | Clear plastic most people won’t notice. |
| Typical cost | $3,000 to $7,000 for metal or clear braces. | $3,000 to $7,000 for most full cases. Touch-ups can start near $1,500. |
| Treatment time | 12 to 30 months. The average is about 22 months. | Most cases take 6 to 18 months. |
| Daily effort | Nothing to remember. They work around the clock. | Wear aligners at least 22 hours a day and switch sets each week. |
| Eating | Skip hard and sticky foods like taffy, caramel and nuts. | Take aligners out to eat, so no food rules. Brush before they go back in. |
| Brushing | Takes more time around brackets and wires. | Brush and floss normally with aligners out. |
| Office visits | Adjustments every five to ten weeks. | Quick checkups every five to six weeks. |
| Often a good fit for | Complex bites, younger teens, anyone who’d rather not keep track of anything. | Teens and adults who want treatment hard to notice and will wear aligners all day. |
Either way, you’ll wear a retainer when treatment ends to keep your teeth where they belong.
Braces or Invisalign: Which Fits You?
Answer six quick questions. Only an exam can tell you for sure, but this shows which way you’re leaning.
Which treatment fits your life?
Tap Yes, No or Not sure for each one.
The quickest way to know is a free consultation at our Johnson City office.
Would you rather your treatment be hard to notice at work or school?
Could you wear aligners at least 22 hours a day, taking them out only to eat and brush?
Would you keep track of your aligners and switch to a new set each week?
Would you like to keep eating nuts and chewy candy like caramel during treatment?
Are you a teen or adult, with most of your adult teeth in?
Are your main concerns crowding, gaps or teeth that shifted, rather than a jaw or bite problem a dentist has warned you about?
Cost of Braces vs. Invisalign in Johnson City
At our office, most full braces and Invisalign cases cost $3,000 to $7,000, so price usually isn’t what decides it. Invisalign can run about the same as metal braces or a little higher, depending on your case.
Free
Your first consultation, exam and price breakdown.
Near $1,500
Invisalign touch-ups for a few teeth that shifted.
$3,000–$7,000
Most full cases of metal braces, clear braces or Invisalign.
Up to $8,000
Complex Invisalign cases that need more aligners and time.
$5,000–$10,000
InBrace lingual braces, hidden behind your teeth.
Many dental plans with orthodontic coverage pay $1,500 to $3,000 toward braces or Invisalign. We offer 0% interest in-house payment plans and accept CareCredit, HSA and FSA funds, and major credit cards.
See the full breakdowns for braces costs in Johnson City and Invisalign costs in Johnson City, or how financing and insurance work at our office.
Which Is Faster, Braces or Invisalign?
Invisalign cases often finish in 6 to 18 months. Braces usually take 12 to 30 months, with most patients wearing them about 22 months.
Those ranges overlap because the biggest factor is how much your teeth need to move. A few crowded front teeth finish faster than a deep bite or crossbite, no matter which you pick.
With Invisalign, the second factor is you. Aligners only move teeth while they’re in, so leaving them out adds time. Most of our Invisalign patients switch to a new set every week instead of every two, which helps keep treatment moving.
Daily Life With Braces vs. Invisalign
Eating
With braces, you’ll skip really hard or sticky foods like taffy, caramel and nuts, and go easy on sugary snacks and drinks. With Invisalign, you take your aligners out to eat, then brush and pop them back in.
Brushing and flossing
Brackets and wires trap food, so braces patients brush more often, ideally four times a day. Aligner patients brush and floss normally with their aligners out.
How it feels
Most people feel some soreness for a few days after braces go on or get adjusted. With Invisalign, there’s usually some pressure for a day or two each time you switch to a new set.
Sports
You can play sports with braces or Invisalign. With braces, wear a mouthguard. With Invisalign, ask us what works best for your sport.
Questions first? Call (423) 282-2333
How Our Orthodontists Decide
Most of the patients we treat choose traditional metal braces, and plenty of others do beautifully with Invisalign. Your orthodontist starts with your bite, then weighs your age, your schedule and how you feel about treatment showing.
- Your bite. Dr. Sturgill treats cases from mild to severe with clear aligners, using small tooth-colored attachments, elastics or other add-ons when teeth need extra help. Some bites still move more predictably with braces.
- Your habits. Aligners work when they’re worn. If you’d leave them in a drawer, braces will get you to the finish line faster.
- Your age. Invisalign works well for teens and adults. Younger kids often need early treatment or an expander first, and clear braces are usually best for adults and older teens, who take good care of them.
- Both at once. When it makes sense, Dr. Sturgill can combine the two, such as braces on the bottom teeth and Invisalign on the top.
All three of our Johnson City orthodontists are board-certified Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics, and Sturgill Orthodontics is a Premier Invisalign provider. Dr. Sturgill also teaches clear aligner treatment to orthodontic residents. Meet Dr. Sturgill, Dr. Williams and Dr. Harper.
When One Isn’t the Right Choice
We’ll tell you if Invisalign isn’t a good match. That usually means a bite that braces can move more predictably, a child who still needs early treatment, or someone who knows they won’t keep aligners in all day.
Braces aren’t for everyone either. If having metal on your teeth would keep you from smiling at work or in photos, it’s worth knowing you have choices that are much harder to see.
If another office told you no for Invisalign, a second opinion from an orthodontist is worth getting. Here’s what to do if you were turned down for Invisalign.
What About Clear Braces or Lingual Braces?
If you want the set-it-and-forget-it of braces but not the metal look, there are two options in between.
- Clear braces use tooth-colored ceramic brackets and cost the same as metal braces at our office. They’re a little more fragile, so we usually recommend them for adults and older teens.
- InBrace lingual braces attach to the back of your teeth, so they can’t be seen from the outside. They run $5,000 to $10,000.
Your Free Consultation on Sunset Drive
- An exam with your orthodontist. You’ll see a doctor, not just an assistant.
- Digital records. Our iTero scanner takes a 3D scan with no goopy impressions, along with low-dose digital X-rays and photos.
- Your options, side by side. Your orthodontist explains whether braces, Invisalign or both could work, and how long each would take.
- Your price. Our team walks you through the cost, what insurance may cover and payment plans before anything starts.
There’s no pressure or obligation to start that day.
What Our Patients Say
Sturgill Orthodontics is rated 5.0 on Google and was voted Best Orthodontist in Johnson City in the Johnson City Press Readers’ Choice awards every year from 2021 through 2025.
Visiting Our Johnson City Office
Find us at 801 Sunset Drive, Suite E5, a short drive for families in Boones Creek, Gray, Jonesborough and Elizabethton. Thursday mornings open at 7:30, so you can fit a visit in before work or school.
- Monday to Wednesday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Ready to look closer at one option? Read about Invisalign in Johnson City or getting braces in Johnson City.
Braces vs. Invisalign FAQs
Is Invisalign more expensive than braces in Johnson City?
Most full braces and Invisalign cases at our Johnson City office cost $3,000 to $7,000, so the difference is small, if there is one. Invisalign runs about the same as metal braces or slightly higher, and you’ll get your exact price at your free consultation.
Is $5,000 a lot for Invisalign?
$5,000 sits in the middle of the $3,000 to $7,000 most full Invisalign cases cost at our office. What matters is what’s included, so ask any office for a written quote that covers checkups, attachments and retainers.
Which is faster, braces or Invisalign?
Invisalign cases often take 6 to 18 months, and braces usually take 12 to 30 months. How much your teeth need to move matters more than which one you choose, and aligners only stay on schedule when you wear them at least 22 hours a day.
Does Invisalign work as well as braces?
For many cases, yes. Dr. Sturgill treats mild to severe cases with clear aligners. Some bites still move more predictably with braces, and your orthodontist will tell you at your consultation if that’s true for you.
Am I too old for braces or Invisalign?
No. About one in four orthodontic patients is an adult. As long as your teeth and gums are healthy, you can straighten your teeth at any age.
Should my teen get braces or Invisalign?
It depends on your teen. Invisalign works well for teens who will wear their aligners all day, and braces are a good choice for a teen who might forget. Read more about Invisalign for teens.
Does insurance cover Invisalign the same as braces?
Many dental plans with orthodontic benefits cover Invisalign the same way they cover braces, often $1,500 to $3,000 toward treatment. Orthodontic coverage usually has a lifetime maximum, and your deductible can change what you get, so our team checks your benefits and files claims for you.
What if I don’t have orthodontic insurance?
You can still spread out the cost. We offer 0% interest in-house payment plans and accept CareCredit, HSA and FSA funds, and major credit cards. Your treatment coordinator will go over the options at your free visit.
I had braces as a kid and my teeth moved. Do I need braces again?
Not always. When a few teeth have shifted, a short round of Invisalign can often fix it, and touch-ups at our office can start near $1,500. Your orthodontist will tell you what it would take at your free visit.
Can you combine braces and Invisalign?
Yes. When it fits the case, Dr. Sturgill can use braces on one set of teeth and Invisalign on the other.
Do I need a retainer after braces or Invisalign?
Yes. Teeth naturally try to drift back, so a retainer keeps your new smile in place after either treatment.
Do I need a referral to see an orthodontist?
No. You can book a free consultation with us directly, without a referral from your dentist.
Not sure yet? That’s what the free visit is for
Come see us on Sunset Drive. Your orthodontist will look at your bite, show you which option fits and give you your price before anything starts.
Prefer to talk first? Call our Johnson City office at (423) 282-2333