Invisalign is a commercial name for a group of orthodontic appliances called “aligners”. They were the first company, which is based in the US, that brought aligners to the mass market about 20 odd years ago. Aligners are made of a special type of plastic, which are custom made to the individual shape of the teeth. Imagine a very thin, transparent and flexible mouth guard. They are very had to notice once are worn over the teeth.

You get a number of these aligners, which are changed by yourself usually once every 1-4 weeks. Let’s call the aligner no 1 stage A, which is the current shape of your teeth and the final aligner stage B, which is the shape of your teeth that your orthodontist has planned at the end of your treatment. Your teeth transform gradually between sage A to B. Imagine the Morph Software that gradually transforms one’s facial photo to the other person’s facial photo. If you are as old of me you may recall that Michael Jackson famously used this software in its early days in one of his music videos (Black or White 1991)!

Some may find the aligner when they change to a new one a little uncomfortable, but nothing major. I do not recall anyone having to take pain killers for this.

You have some tiny tooth-coloured buttons bonded to some of your teeth at the fit appointment. They are called attachments. They are hard to notice and feel. They facilitate tooth movement by allowing the aligner grasp the teeth better. Imaging rock climbing and small handles on the rocks to assist the climb.

Majority, but not every one need what we call interproximal reduction (IPR). It is using something like a rough dental floss in between your teeth that creates tiny spaces (like 0.1 to 0.5mm) to allow the teeth, which are locked against each other to move. The spaces close during the treatment. It is done at a specific stage or stages of your treatment. Also, some may need to wear rubber bands between the top and bottom aligners to help tilting the teeth in the right direction. It is usually on the sides and hard to notice.

1. They are more comfortable than fixed braces being custom made to the shape of your teeth. They do not affect the speech.
2. The aligners are often faster.
3. They often do not require removal of the teeth.
4. They are more aesthetic and harder to notice.
5. Being removable, you can put them in your pocket when you have a special event one night!
6. You can eat what you like (because you take them out for eating and drinking anything other than plain water) and you can use your normal toothbrush (because you take them out for brushing as opposed to fixed braces when you have to use special toothbrushes to clean around the braces).
7. No need for adjustment every 4-8 weeks like fixed braces. You have your own control and change the aligners yourself at the comfort of your home.

Yes!

1. They require your compliance wearing them. If you put them in your pocket most of the time they are not going to work!
2. Being modern, custom made and smart technology compared to 100 odd year old traditional fixed braces, they are relatively more expensive. However, for their advantages, I consider them a very good value for your money.
3. Those whose orthodontic problems are sever enough to qualify to have treatment on the NHS, cannot get them. They can only get fixed metal braces.

One last thing to pay attention to. Orthodontic treatment is a specialised type of dental treatment. It is often a once in a life time experience as opposed to getting a dental filling for example. A specialist orthodontist is a general dentist who has carried out a number of years of specific training to be able to enter a teaching hospital/university specialist orthodontic program for 3 years and has to sit rigorous exams and case presentation to be able to go on the UK Specialist List Register. You may find Invisalign orthodontic treatments at a general dental practice cheaper, but you won’t be treated by a specialist orthodontist. We only do orthodontic treatment and nothing else. Imagine you want to change your house boiler. Do you go to a heating plumber who only does boilers or go to a handy man who does everything?!