Clear Aligners

Instead of using fixed brackets and wires, clear aligners consist of a series of virtually invisible aligners made from a thin clear plastic material. These fit tightly over your teeth and are made using computerised technology. The treatment provides proven and predictable results and is very easy to use.

Simply wear each set of aligners for two weeks, ideally only removing them whenever you want to clean your teeth or eat and drink anything other than water and for oral care. Once the two weeks is up, you replace your aligners with the next set in the series. Gradually, your teeth will move into predetermined positions until they are fully straightened. You don’t need to change your diet and can brush and floss your teeth normally.

You only need to visit us every so often to check treatment is progressing correctly, and so we can provide more sets of aligners as required. These visits should be relatively quick as we don’t need to adjust braces. Usually, treatment can take between a year and 18 months to complete, but you should begin to see results quite quickly.

Treatment is suitable for adults and some older teenagers. However, good compliance is essential, and if you are likely to forget to wear your aligners, you may be better choosing fixed braces. Clear Aligner treatment can correct a wide range of orthodontic issues and is highly suitable for most cases, although we may suggest fixed braces if you have more complex orthodontic problems.

When you visit Jetty Road Dental Clinic, our dentists can assess your teeth and determine if you are suitable for this treatment. The next stage is to scan your teeth, taking detailed digital images that are analysed by specialised clear aligner software. The software allows us to plan your treatment step-by-step, gradually straightening your teeth. One advantage of choosing clear aligners is that you can preview your virtual treatment plan, viewing images of how your teeth will look once you complete treatment, allowing you to become more involved with the process. Once you are happy with the treatment plan, we create your custom clear aligners, and show you how to insert and remove them and keep them clean. It may take a little while to get used to wearing your aligners, but they should soon feel relatively natural.