Invisalign aligners
- Dr Gurmandeep Sond, former Clinical Development Manager at Bupa Dental Care
- Dr Emma Ajimoko, Head of Clinical Policy and Standards at Bupa Dental Care
Invisalign aligners are a type of removable brace that help to straighten your teeth. Unlike traditional metal braces, they’re made of a flexible plastic that you can hardly see. You wear them for most of the day, and can take them out to eat, clean your teeth or for special occasions.
About Invisalign aligners
An aligner is a clear, plastic device that fits perfectly over your teeth and helps to line them up correctly. It’s almost invisible and looks like a mouth guard or retainer. Invisalign is a popular brand of clear aligners that dentists and orthodontists often work with. Think Invisalign — invisible aligners..
Invisalign aligners come in a series of custom-made trays, each one slightly different from the last. You wear each aligner for around two weeks while it puts pressure on your teeth to move them into place, before moving onto the next..
On average, Invisalign treatment takes 12-18 months to complete, but this varies depending on your specific needs..
The average cost of Invisalign depends on how much your teeth need to be moved and how long your treatment will take, so it varies from person-to-person. Your dentist will explain the full Invisalign cost before you go ahead with any treatment and you might be able to spread your payments out .
Get in touch with your nearest Bupa or Total Orthodontics practice to book an orthodontic consultation and have your questions answered.Invisalign aligners: Your questions answered
What happens when you get Invisalign treatment at Bupa Dental Care? | Watch in 2:06 minutes
Laura, a Bupa Dental Care dentist, answers your frequently asked questions about Invisalign aligners, including how much they cost, their benefits and how long treatment takes. Watch to find out more.
Uses of Invisalign aligners
If you want to straighten your teeth without wearing fixed metal braces, Invisalign might be a good option for you. But Invisalign isn’t suitable for everyone. If you have a more complex dental issue, you might need to have traditional fixed braces . A dentist or orthodontist can let you know if Invisalign might work for you. Invisalign is often used to treat:
- mild or moderately crooked teeth
- gaps between your teeth
- cramped or crowded teeth
- problems with the way your teeth fit together (your bite), such as an overbite, underbite, crossbite or open bite
Things to consider
There’s a lot to think about before deciding if Invisalign is right for you. A dentist or orthodontist can answer any questions you might have. For example, you might find Invisalign:
- Discreet. Clear aligners are barely noticeable, unlike traditional braces with visible wires and brackets.
- Removable. You can take aligners out to eat, drink and clean your teeth, unlike traditional braces which can be tricky to clean around and limit your food choices.
- Comfortable or uncomfortable. Aligners are custom-made to fit your teeth and generally more comfortable than metal braces. But they can also make your teeth feel sore as they move, particularly in the beginning.
- Need maintenance. You’ll need to clean your teeth every time you eat or drink something, before you can put your aligners back in.
- Can get lost or broken. You don’t have to worry about brackets falling off or wires breaking like with traditional braces. But you could lose or damage your aligner when you take it out to clean or change it, leading to additional costs and treatment time.
- Must be adhered to. It’s vital to wear your aligners for 20-22 hours a day for them to work. If you leave them out for too long, it will affect your results.
- Let’s you preview your results. Some dentists can use 3D imaging to show you how your smile will look after treatment, before it even begins.
- Convenient. Treatment doesn’t usually require as many visits to the dentist for adjustments as traditional braces, and takes the same amount of time or less to complete overall.
Spread the cost of your Invisalign treatment
Patient finance is available for orthodontic treatments that cost between £250 and £50,000 at 0% APR** when you choose a repayment term of between 3 months and 36 months (subject to the amount of credit). This means that you can spread the cost of teeth straightening over a term that suits you, and you won;t pay back any more than you would pay otherwise. Once you have agreed your treatment plan with your dentist, you’ll have the option to apply.
Terms and conditions apply.
Preparing for Invisalign aligners
Initial consultationIf you’re thinking about straightening your teeth, the first thing to do is book a consultation with a dentist or orthodontist. An orthodontist is a dentist who specialises in correcting the position of the teeth. During your consultation, they’ll examine your smile and the health of your teeth, to see if you’re a suitable candidate for Invisalign aligners.
3D imagesIf you decide to go ahead with treatment, your dentist or orthodontist will use a machine called an intraoral scanner to create a detailed 3D image of your mouth. They might take impressions (moulds) and x-rays of your mouth too. They’ll use these images to help them design a personalised treatment plan that gently moves your teeth into place.
Make your alignersWhen your treatment plan is ready, your dentist or orthodontist will send it off to the team at Invisalign. This team custom-make your aligners before shipping them back to your dental practice.
The procedure for Invisalign aligners
When your aligners are ready, your dentist or orthodontist will invite you back to fit them. They’ll make sure your aligners are comfortable, let you know how to clean Invisalign aligners and when to change them. This is usually every two weeks. They’ll also ask to see you every few weeks so they can check your teeth are moving as planned.
Sometimes, you might need to have little tooth-coloured attachments called engagers bonded to certain teeth. These help make sure your aligners put pressure on the right place and move your tooth into the desired position.
You’ll need to wear each set of aligners for 20-22 hours a day for them to work, but you can remove them to eat, drink, brush and floss. Your treatment will finish when you’ve worn each set of aligners. The number of aligners you’ll need and how long your treatment will take will depend on how much your teeth need moving.
Aftercare of Invisalign aligners
Once your Invisalign treatment is finished, you’ll need to wear a retainer. A retainer is a plastic device you wear over your teeth that holds them in place and stops your teeth moving back into their old positions. Consistently wearing your retainer is key to keeping your smile straight after Invisalign treatment.
Your dentist or orthodontist will create a custom-made retainer that fits your mouth perfectly. They’ll let you know how often you need to wear it. This might be all the time for a few months at first, and then reducing to wearing them every night.
More options for teeth straightening
Clear, ceramic braces
Learn more about clear fixed braces, including what they’re made of, their benefits, and how they compare to traditional braces.
Clear, removable aligners
Clear, removable aligners are a popular option. They’re thin, flexible and completely transparent, so people won’t notice you’re wearing them.
Orthodontics at Bupa
Teeth straightening treatment is available at most Bupa Dental Care practices, and at all Total Orthodontics practices nationwide.
What to expect
Find out the stages involved in getting braces and what happens during an orthodontic consultation.
Patient stories
Find out what it’s like to have braces or aligners, from some of our orthodontic patients.
Caring for your brace
From eating and drinking with braces, to managing discomfort, find out how to best care for your brace.
Other helpful websites
Did our Invisalign aligners information help you?
We’d love to hear what you think.∧ Our short survey takes just a few minutes to complete and helps us to keep improving our health information.
∧ The health information on this page is intended for informational purposes only. We do not endorse any commercial products, or include Bupa's fees for treatments and/or services. For more information about the different payment options available for treatment: visit our ways to pay page.
This information was published by Bupa's Dental Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals and deemed accurate on the date of review. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition.
Any information about a treatment or procedure is generic, and does not necessarily describe that treatment or procedure as delivered by Bupa or its associated providers.
The information contained on this page and in any third party websites referred to on this page is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment. Third party websites are not owned or controlled by Bupa and any individual may be able to access and post messages on them. Bupa is not responsible for the content or availability of these third party websites. We do not accept advertising on this page.
- Clear aligner therapy: The discreet way to straighten teeth. American Association of Orthodontists. aaoinfo.org, published June 2024.
- Clear aligners. American Association of Orthodontists. aaoinfo.org, accessed September 2024.
- Clear aligners. British Orthodontic Society. bos.org.uk, accessed September 2024.
- Weir T. Clear aligners in orthodontic treatment. Australian Dental Journal 2017; 62(1): 58-62. doi: 10.1111/adj.12480
- Orthodontic treatment. Oral Health Foundation. dentalhealth.org, accessed September 2024.
- Malocclusion. MSD Manuals. msdmanuals.com, last revised January 2024.
- FAQs. Invisalign. invisalign.co.uk, accessed September 2024.
- Your orthodontics journey: Questions uncovered. American Association of Orthodontists. aaoinfo.org, accessed September 2024.
- Cardoso PC, Espinosa DG et al. Pain level between clear aligners and fixed appliances: a systematic review. Prog Orthod 2020; 21(3). doi: 10.1186/s40510-019-0303-z
- What to expect at your appointments. Oral Health Foundation. dentalhealth.org, accessed September 2024.
- Michelle Harrison, Freelance Health Editor
Processing, please wait
Our information has been awarded the PIF tick for trustworthy health information.
*Finance applicant must be aged 18 or over, a UK resident, have a UK bank account and be in permanent employment. All loans are subject to eligibility, status, affordability and a credit check. T&Cs apply. Finance is available on private dental treatments only.
The minimum spend for finance is £250 and the maximum is £50,000. 0% APR representative is available on repayment terms of up to 36 months subject to the amount of credit. Finance taken at repayment terms of 48 or 60 months is subject to 7.9% APR representative.
Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited, Vantage Office Park, Bristol, BS16 1GW, whose company registered number is 00478127. Oasis Dental Care Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA registration number 710559. Oasis Dental Care Limited is a credit broker and not a lender.
Finance is provided by Novuna Personal Finance, a trading style of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register no. 704348. Registered Office: Novuna House, Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, TW18 3HP. Registered in Cardiff under company no. 1630491. The register can be accessed through www.fca.org.uk.
^ We may record or monitor our calls.
Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited. Registered in England and Wales No: 00478127. Registered office: Bupa Dental Care, Vantage Office Park, Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook, Bristol, United Kingdom BS16 1GW.
Oasis Dental Care Limited has a number of trading names including Bupa Dental Care. Please see the list of our different trading names.
