Clear Aligner Treatment

What are clear aligners?

Using a digital model captured with an intraoral scanner, the path each tooth will take from its starting position to its target is mapped out. A separate aligner is made for every stage of that path, each moving the teeth a very small amount, with a new one worn every 7 to 14 days.

Aligners are worn 20 to 22 hours a day and removed for eating and brushing — which is both the treatment's biggest advantage and its biggest risk: an aligner that isn't worn achieves nothing.

Can aligners always replace brackets?

No. Clear aligners work well for mild to moderate crowding, closing spaces, minor bite corrections, and relapse following earlier orthodontic treatment.

For skeletal jaw discrepancies, pronounced rotations, cases requiring an impacted tooth to be brought into the arch, and complex bite problems, brackets or surgically supported treatment tend to be more suitable. Which approach genuinely fits is worked out at the examination alongside the measurements — the claim that "every case can be treated with aligners" simply isn't accurate.

How treatment proceeds

1. Records. Intraoral scan, photographs, and panoramic and cephalometric radiographs.
2. Digital planning. A movement plan is built, with estimated duration and aligner count. This plan is a simulation, not a guarantee of the final result.
3. Production and delivery. The first aligners are handed over and insertion and removal are demonstrated. Small tooth-coloured attachments are bonded where needed.
4. Reviews. Every 6 to 8 weeks, progress is checked against the plan. If it drifts off course, a new scan and updated plan follow.
5. Retention. Once treatment finishes, teeth tend to shift back toward their original position. Without a retainer — worn at night or a bonded lingual wire — the result won't be maintained. This stage isn't optional, it's part of the treatment itself.

Comfort and getting used to it

Pressure and mild tenderness for the first two to three days with each new aligner are normal and signal that the tooth is moving. Any temporary change in speech tends to fade within the first week.

Nothing but water should be consumed while wearing aligners — hot drinks can warp them, and sugary drinks get trapped underneath, raising the risk of decay.

This page is general information and does not replace a dental examination. Whether the treatment suits you, and the method and duration, are decided only after an intraoral examination and radiographic assessment.