Clear Aligners

Clear aligners are clear, custom-made plastic devices that fix crowded or crooked teeth. They’re also a treatment for some types of mild to moderate malocclusion, which is when your upper and lower teeth don’t line up when you close your mouth. This treatment isn’t an option for everyone. Your orthodontist will determine if clear aligners are right for you.

Clear aligners look like trays that fit over your teeth. These devices are a type of teeth braces. Orthodontists may call them invisible braces or aligners. Invisalign® and ClearCorrect® are examples of clear aligners. They’re different from traditional braces, which move your teeth with metal or ceramic brackets and an orthodontic wire.

Like traditional metal or ceramic braces, clear aligners work by gently moving your teeth. With traditional braces, the device stays in your mouth throughout your treatment. With clear aligners, you get a new custom-made device approximately every two weeks, based on your specific needs. Each new device keeps your teeth moving in the right direction.

Benefits and risks

Clear aligners generally require fewer restrictions or additional oral hygiene routines compared to traditional braces.

For example, with traditional braces, you may need to avoid certain foods and use new tools or routines to take care of your teeth. With clear aligners, you take out the device to eat or drink. You also take it out when you brush and floss your teeth.

On the other hand, traditional braces may fix dental issues more quickly than clear aligners. None of these treatments are a quick fix. However, it may take more time and device updates to get the same results with clear aligners.

Clear aligner treatment requires some discipline. The aligners only work if you wear them as directed and store them in a safe place when you remove them to eat or brush your teeth.

How do orthodontists make and place clear aligners?

Your orthodontist starts the process by taking digital pictures of your mouth. They’ll also use an optical scanner or impression material to make molds of your teeth. Then, they’ll:

1. Use the pictures and dental molds to map how each tooth will move during treatment
2. Give this information to lab technicians, who use it to create each of the devices
3. Fit your first clear aligner
4. Put tiny dental attachments on your teeth to help the aligners move the teeth
5. Place the device on your teeth

How often will I need to use the device?

You’ll wear your aligners for 22 to 23 hours every day, except for meals and when you brush and floss your teeth.

Your orthodontist will schedule a follow-up appointment to check that the device fits well and is working. Generally, they’ll replace the clear aligner with a new one every two weeks.

Is this treatment painful?

It can be uncomfortable, especially when you first start wearing each new clear aligner. You may notice pressure or soreness when you chew or when you remove the device to eat or brush your teeth. The pressure or soreness typically eases within a few days.

How long will I need to wear the device?

That depends on your situation. If you have a few slightly crooked teeth, you may need to wear clear aligners for up to nine months. You may need to wear them for several more months to treat more serious issues. Your orthodontist will discuss an expected timeline for your specific situation.

Is there anything I can do to make wearing a clear aligner easier on me?

Here are a few suggestions that may help:

• Eat soup and soft foods, like scrambled eggs, if chewing puts uncomfortable pressure on your teeth during the first few days of wearing a new aligner.
• Place an ice pack on your jaw. The cold may help with pain and any minor swelling.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers as needed.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Contact your orthodontist if you have:

• Sharp pain
• Pain that lasts more than a few days
• Gums that bleed or swell
• A feeling that the tray is loose or doesn’t fit