If the phrase “straightening your teeth” still calls up an image of metal brackets, aligners are worth a second look. They are not a shortcut and they are not right for every case, but for a lot of adults they are the difference between doing something about crooked teeth and quietly not.
It starts with a scan, not a mould
The first appointment is a 3D scan of your teeth and jaw. There is no impression tray and nothing to gag on. The scan is used to map where your teeth sit now and plan the sequence of small movements that will get them somewhere better, which is also what makes it possible to show you a simulation of the likely end point before you commit to anything.
The wearing is the hard part
Each aligner in the series is worn for a week or two before you move on to the next. They need to be in for around 22 hours a day, which means out for meals and back in straight afterwards. This is the part that decides whether treatment runs to plan or drags on: the aligners do not work in the case on your desk. Most plans run somewhere around twelve months, but that number assumes you wear them.
What they are good at, and what they are not
Aligners handle crowding, gaps, and some bite concerns well. Straighter teeth are also easier to clean, so there is often a gum-health benefit alongside the cosmetic one. More complex bite problems, significant rotations, and some jaw discrepancies are still better handled by traditional braces, and we will tell you if that is your situation rather than stretching aligners to fit.
The reviews in between
You will see us every few weeks so we can check the teeth are tracking to the plan. Sometimes they are not, and the plan gets adjusted: that is normal, not a failure. Because the aligners come out, brushing and flossing carry on exactly as they did before, with no brackets to work around.
Finding out whether it suits your case
The only way to know is an assessment. Our Invisalign page goes into more detail on cost and timing, and our broader orthodontics page covers the alternatives if aligners turn out not to be the right tool.
Book a consultation and we’ll scan your teeth, show you the simulation, and let you take the numbers home. Nothing gets started on the day you ask. Feel better about starting braces or aligners.
