Clear aligners: Invisalign or an Asian brand, who they suit and who they do not

Clear aligners cost about 40 to 130 million VND for both arches in Vietnam, depending on the brand and how far the teeth are out of line, according to Medpro (updated 8 June 2026). At An Nhiên Dental, Asian-brand aligners start from 45,000,000 VND and Invisalign from 85,000,000 VND for the whole treatment, final after the exam. Aligners only work while they are in your mouth: the sources say about 20 to 22 hours a day. And not everyone can be treated with them.

Prices by brand

Medpro’s table (updated 08/06/2026), reread on 5 October 2026:

And An Nhiên’s starting prices:

Starting prices under the price list updated 4 October 2026. The final price is set in writing after the dentist’s exam.

We do not list each Asian brand separately. The brand of your aligners is named in your quote after the exam.

Why Invisalign costs more

Medpro names three things that move aligner prices:

1. How complex the case is. Mild crowding needs fewer trays; complex cases need more.
2. Brand and technology. Medpro says Invisalign is priced higher because of the company’s own tray material.
3. Equipment and the provider. Intraoral scanners and brand-certified dentists add cost.

We do not claim any brand gives a better result. What is worth comparing: how many trays the plan has, who follows you, and how many refinement rounds the quote covers.

Trays and time

Medpro gives:

• Mild cases: about 14 to 20 trays.
• Complex cases: about 40 to 50 trays, sometimes more.
• Total time: 12 to 24 months depending on complexity.

Those are general ranges. Your own tray count only exists once the dentist has scanned or taken impressions and made the plan. If teeth do not track as planned part way through, more trays may be needed; at An Nhiên these are “extra trays beyond the plan”, in the not-included column.

Hours of wear each day

Medpro says aligners need 20 to 22 hours of wear a day. Cleveland Clinic (USA) says at least 22 hours a day. The official Invisalign page we could open does not give a number of hours; it says only that you swap aligners often as the plan goes on.

Put simply, aligners come out only to eat and to brush. If you know that will be hard for you, because of work, travel or simply forgetting, say so at the consultation. Brackets are fixed in place and do not depend on remembering.

On how it feels: each new tray can feel tight or sore for a few days. Everyone is different.

Who they suit, and who they do not

Cleveland Clinic says clear aligners suit mild to moderate cases. Beyond that, aligners are harder to use when:

• The teeth or bite are far out of line and need movements aligners struggle to produce.
• You cannot keep up the daily hours.
• There is untreated decay or gum inflammation (true of every kind of braces).

Medpro notes that complex cases may need mini-screws or inter-arch elastics (small elastics linking the upper and lower jaw) even with aligners. Whether aligners can work for you is decided by the dentist after the exam, X-rays and a scan. If the answer is no, the dentist shows you why on the X-rays.

Looking after the trays

• Brush before putting the trays back in after a meal, so food is not held against your teeth.
• Clean the trays every day (Cleveland Clinic says the same).
• Put the trays in their case when they are out, rather than wrapping them in a napkin and leaving them on a restaurant table.

After the last tray, you still wear a retainer. The Invisalign page says plainly that a retainer is needed to keep teeth in their new position.

An example

Ms Lương Bảo Châu, 33, has a budget of 40 to 50 million VND and is comparing ceramic brackets with aligners. Asian-brand aligners from 45,000,000 VND fit if nothing extra is needed; Invisalign from 85,000,000 VND does not. Both are final after the exam.

The question she could ask: “For my teeth, can aligners do the job, about how many trays would I need, and how are extra trays charged?”

If you want to spread the cost, braces payment plans has worked examples for 45,000,000 VND.

How we do it at An Nhiên

Dr Võ Thanh Tùng, ThS.BS (a medical doctor who also holds a master’s degree), 14 years in practice, practising licence no. 000063/HCM-GPHN (fictional), examines you, takes X-rays and a scan or impressions, then tells you whether aligners suit your case. He draws the plan on paper and gives you a copy, and can explain in English. The written quote is valid for 30 days.

More on our clear aligners page, and a comparison with other methods in braces cost in Ho Chi Minh City 2026. You can book a 45-minute exam; the first exam and consultation cost nothing.

Sources reread on 5 October 2026, listed at the end of the page. Article updated 5 October 2026.

This article is for information and does not replace an examination and diagnosis by a dentist.