Clear aligners are a series of transparent, custom-made trays worn over the teeth. Each set moves the teeth a small amount, and you progress through the series until they reach the planned position. They are removable, so you take them out to eat and to clean your teeth.
They appeal most to adults who want their teeth straightened without visible metal: professionals who present or meet clients, and anyone who did not want braces as a teenager and does not want them now.
The trade-off is discipline. Aligners only work while they are in the mouth, typically 20 to 22 hours a day. Patients who leave them out lose progress, which is the single biggest difference in outcome between aligner cases.
What happens at your appointment
So there are no surprises: this is the sequence clear aligners follows at Care Plus Dental Clinic.
Suitability assessment
Not every case suits aligners. The examination establishes honestly whether aligners will achieve your result or whether fixed braces would do it better.
Digital scan and plan
A scan or impression is used to plan the movement sequence digitally, and you can usually see a simulation of the projected end position.
Receiving your aligners
Your trays are manufactured and fitted, and you are shown how to insert and remove them and how long to wear each set.
Progressing through the sets
You change to the next set on schedule, with periodic reviews at the clinic to confirm the teeth are tracking to plan.
Retention
Retainers hold the finished position once the series is complete.
Aftercare
What you do in the days after treatment affects the result as much as the appointment itself.
- Wear them 20 to 22 hours a day. This is the whole treatment.
- Remove them for everything except water; hot drinks warp the plastic and coloured drinks stain them.
- Rinse and clean the trays daily, and brush before putting them back in after meals.
- Keep them in their case when out; far more aligners are lost wrapped in a napkin than are ever broken.
Clear Aligners: common questions
Are clear aligners really invisible?
They are not completely invisible, but they are far less noticeable than metal braces. In normal conversation most people do not spot them.
Do they hurt?
There is pressure and mild tenderness for a day or two each time you move to a new set. That sensation is the teeth moving, and it settles quickly.
Can aligners fix any case?
No. Severe crowding, significant bite corrections and cases needing large tooth movements are often better treated with fixed braces. You will be told plainly if your case is one of them rather than sold aligners regardless.
Will they affect my speech?
Some patients notice a slight lisp for the first few days while the tongue adapts. It almost always resolves within a week.