Clear aligners

Clear aligners are custom-made moulds that fit over your teeth and help to straighten them. They’re made of a thin, flexible plastic that’s almost invisible. You wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day, but can take them out to eat, drink and clean them.

Uses of clear aligners

Clear aligners can often be used to treat mild or moderate cases of:

• overcrowding
• crooked teeth
• gaps between teeth
• overbite, underbite, crossbite or open bite

But they might not work for more complex cases, like if your teeth are badly crowded and you need to have some removed.

Things to consider

Your Orthodontist can answer any questions you have to help you decide if invisible aligners are right for you. You might want to take into consideration that clear aligners:

• are almost invisible
• can be taken out for eating, drinking, brushing and flossing
• can sometimes be more comfortable compared to metal braces
• don’t require you to avoid certain foods
• make it easy to clean your teeth properly
• are tailored made to fit snugly over your teeth
• must be worn for 20-22 hours per day in order to work
• aren’t suitable if you have a complex orthodontic issue
• need to be changed every 1-2 weeks
• can cause pressure and discomfort when you change to a new set of aligners
• can be lost or broken and need replacing

Preparing for clear aligners

If you’re thinking about straightening your teeth using clear aligners, book a consultation with an Orthodontist. An Orthodontist is a dentist who specialises in straightening teeth and jaws.

Your Orthodontist will start by examining your teeth and let you know if teeth aligners will be able to achieve the smile you’re hoping for.

If you are a suitable candidate for clear aligners, and you decide to go ahead with treatment, they’ll start by taking impressions of your teeth. They’ll also create images of your mouth using a 3D dental scanner. Your Orthodontist will use these images to tailor your treatment plan and custom-make your aligners.

It can take a few weeks for your aligners to be made, so your Orthodontist will invite you back to fit them once they’re ready.

The procedure

When your invisible teeth aligners are ready, your Orthodontist will invite you back to fit them and check they’re comfortable. They might give you several sets of aligners to take home with you, and let you know how often to change them. This is usually every 1-2 weeks. The number of aligners you’ll need will depend on how far your teeth need to be moved.

You might need to have temporary attachments called engagers added to your teeth. These are tiny tooth-coloured bumps used to ensure your aligners are creating pressure on the right area of your tooth.

Your Orthodontist will also give you instructions on how to care for your invisible aligners. It’s essential to wear clear aligners for 20-22 hours every day. If you leave them out for longer, they might not move your teeth the way you’re hoping for.

Your teeth and gums might feel tender each time you change your aligner. This is normal as the aligner puts pressure on your teeth to move them into place. It should ease off within a few days.

Your Orthodontist will ask to see you every few weeks so they can check your teeth are moving in the right direction and give you a new batch of aligners to take home.

Aftercare

When your treatment is complete, your Orthodontist might suggest other treatments like teeth whitening, composite bonding or contouring to help put the finishing touches to your new smile. Teeth whitening lightens the natural colour of your teeth, while composite bonding and contouring can help to smooth any cracks or rough edges on your teeth.

They’ll also give you a retainer to help keep your teeth in position. This might be a fixed retainer, which is a thin wire that permanently attaches to the back of your teeth. Or a removable plastic retainer that you wear at night. Your Orthodontist will let you know which option is the most suitable for you.

Alternatives to clear aligners

If clear aligners aren’t the right choice for you, your Orthodontist will talk you through all the other ways you could straighten your teeth. These might include:

• Traditional metal braces are made up of metal brackets that fix to the front of your teeth and are connected by a wire.
• Clear ceramic braces work similarly to traditional metal braces, but use tooth-coloured or clear ceramic brackets, so they’re more discreet.
• Lingual braces are also made of metal brackets and a wire, but they’re placed on the back of your teeth, making them invisible from the front.
• Removable metal braces are made of metal wires and clasps, with an acrylic plate that fits against the roof or floor of your mouth and can be taken out for eating and cleaning.