Clear aligners, also called invisible aligners, are a type of orthodontic treatment that corrects misaligned or crooked teeth. They are a virtually invisible and removable alternative to braces designed around convenience and flexibility.
Aligner trays are custom-made for every patient, depending on the severity of teeth misalignment, can treat a variety of different cases, including:
After the teeth impressions are made, your custom treatment plan will be created using 3D technology. Once approved, the digital models are transferred to a production facility and the aligners are made.
From here, you'll accept treatment and begin the process.
You'll change out the aligner trays every 1 to 3 weeks. For effective teeth straightening, you must wear them for about 20 to 22 hours a day.
Multiple aligners are used because a single aligner is only capable of moving teeth slightly (1 mm or less).
Some companies (Byte, NewSmile, ALIGNERCO, and SmileDirectClub) also offer Nighttime Clear Aligners™ that only have to be worn for 10 hours a day.
Each set of aligners will slowly move the teeth into the correct position. Treatment can take anywhere between 3 and 24 months.
After treatment is complete, a custom clear retainer is made from a mold of your newly straightened teeth.
Retainers should be worn every night while sleeping to ensure malocclusion does not recur over time.