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How does Invisalign work? A complete guide

Most people who ask about have already spent time about their teeth. Maybe it’s been years. Maybe it was a comment at a family dinner that stuck with you, or a photo where your smile wasn’t quite what you hoped. Whatever brought you here, the question is always the same: does this actually work, and what does it involve?

This guide answers both.

What is Invisalign?

is a system that uses a series of clear, rather than fixed metal brackets and wires. Each aligner is custom-made to fit your teeth precisely, and over the course of your treatment, you work a sequence of aligners that gradually shift your teeth into their new position.

The plastic is smooth, tight-fitting, and nearly invisible when worn. Most people in front of you would have no idea you were them.

It was in the late 1990s and has since been used to treat millions of patients worldwide, from mild and spacing issues to more complex bite . The technology behind it has improved over the years, Acne & Oily Skin and today’s aligners are considerably more precise and than the earliest .

How does Invisalign actually move teeth?

This is the part most people are curious about. Teeth move when consistent, gentle pressure is applied to them over time. Traditional metal braces do this using wires and . Invisalign does it using a sequence of custom-shaped aligners, each one designed to hold your teeth in a position that’s slightly ahead of where they currently are.

You wear each aligner for about one to two weeks before moving on to the next in the . Each change is small on its own, a fraction of a in some cases, but the cumulative effect across your full treatment is what the result.

Small tooth-coloured called “buttons” are sometimes bonded to certain teeth during treatment. These are tiny raised dots made from composite (the same white filling material used in dentistry) that give the something to push or rotate . They blend in well, and they’re removed completely at the end of treatment.

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The whole process is mapped out before a single aligner is made. Your dentist uses a 3D scan of your teeth and to plan every from start to finish, which means you can see a of your predicted result before you even begin.

What happens at your first appointment?

At Love Teeth, all are dentist-led. That matters, because is a clinical treatment, not a you can without someone who tooth movement, bite function, and dental health.

Your first consultation a full 3D scan of your teeth. There’s no messy impression material involved; a small wand passes over your teeth and produces a precise model in seconds. From that scan, your a smile simulation showing you a projected outcome, which forms the basis of your custom treatment plan. A coordinator then talks you the costs and next steps.

The consultation costs £25 as a deposit, which is redeemable against your treatment if you go ahead.

How long does Invisalign treatment take?

It on what your teeth need. Some complete in as little as six months; others with more complex movement may take 18 months or longer. The average for a case sits somewhere around 12 to 18 months, but your will give you a estimate based on your scan and treatment plan.

The speed of your is also, to a extent, in your hands. only works when you wear the aligners. The minimum is 20 to 22 hours per day, which means they come out to eat, drink anything other than water, and to clean your teeth. That’s it. who wear their aligners consistently tend to finish on time or ahead of schedule; those who don’t can find their .

What can Invisalign treat?

is effective for a wide range of tooth alignment issues, including:

Crowding, where teeth overlap because there isn’t quite enough

Spacing, where gaps exist between teeth

Overbite, where the upper front teeth sit too far forward over the lower ones

Underbite, where the lower teeth protrude in front of the upper

Crossbite, where some upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth when biting down

Open bite, where the upper and lower front teeth don’t meet when the back teeth are closed

Not every case is suited to alone. More bite corrections, particularly those involving significant jaw movement, may need a approach. Your dentist will be honest with you about whether Invisalign is the right fit for what you’re trying to .

Is Invisalign as effective as traditional braces?

For the cases it’s designed to treat, yes. The clinical evidence supporting Invisalign has grown considerably over the past decade, and in the hands of an provider, outcomes are to fixed braces for most tooth alignment issues.

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The matters enormously here. Invisalign providers a tier based on the number of cases they treat each year. Love Teeth holds Apex status, the practice among the top 1% of across Europe. Dr Kunal Patel, the principal dentist, is an Invisalign global ambassador and lecturer, which means he trains other dentists in the system. That level of experience with the makes a genuine to the complexity of cases that can be handled and the precision of the results.

What’s included at Love Teeth?

Love Teeth offers the Invisalign ABC package, which the core with teeth whitening, retainers, and finishing touches and where needed. It’s so that the end result is a complete outcome, not just straight teeth.

Finance is available with 0% over 12 months, and longer-term options at 16.9% over 24 to 60 months, with no deposit required on treatment costs above £1,000.

What happens when treatment ends?

. This is the part people sometimes overlook. Once your aligners have moved your teeth into position, are what keep them there. Teeth have a tendency to drift back towards their original position, particularly in the months immediately after treatment.

Love Teeth includes as part of the ABC package. Wearing them as directed, typically every night long-term, is what protects the result you’ve worked for.

Ready to see what’s possible?

The best way to know whether Invisalign is right for you is to have your teeth scanned and your mapped out properly. At Love Teeth, that means a dentist-led consultation with a 3D scan and smile simulation included, so you can see a projected result before you commit to anything.

Book your at any of our six Surrey locations, or call to find out more.

Frequently asked questions

It’s common to feel some pressure or mild discomfort for a day or two when you move to a new . This is a sign the aligners are working. Most describe it as more noticeable than painful, and it tends to settle quickly. It’s quite different from the that can follow a tightening appointment with traditional braces.

Yes, because you remove your aligners to eat and drink. You can eat whatever you like during treatment. The key is making sure the go back in immediately after, and that you clean your teeth before doing so.

Some people notice a slight lisp in the first few days as their tongue adjusts to the aligners. It almost always within a week or so as you adapt. Most find there’s little noticeable impact on speech once they’re past the initial adjustment.

Typically every six to eight weeks, though this varies by and treatment stage. These appointments are shorter than brace adjustments, usually around 20 to 30 minutes.

No. treats adults of all ages. The aligner system is particularly popular with adults who want to their smile without the of traditional braces.

Book your free cosmetic consultation

today

If you’re considering cosmetic treatments like , , , , , or , we’d love to welcome you to our clinic for a free consultation.

Love Teeth #locations

Our across Surrey. We welcome patients from Stonecot, Worcester Park, New Malden, Chessington, Cheam, Sutton and beyond.

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Love Teeth Dental is a group of dental in Surrey local patients from Sutton, Chessington, Weybridge, Cheam, Epsom, Kingston, Richmond, Esher and beyond. Love Teeth is authorised and registered by the Financial . Love Teeth Worcester Park Limited, Love Teeth Limited, Love Teeth Sutton Limited, Love Teeth Hook Limited, Love Teeth New Malden are of Finance Limited, which is authorised and by the Financial Conduct . Love Teeth Limited, Love Teeth Worcester Park Limited, Love Teeth Limited, Love Teeth Sutton Limited, Love Teeth Hook Limited, Love Teeth New Malden Limited are credit brokers, not lenders. The of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Finance Limited may not be so and . All companies named above are credit brokers, not lenders. The of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Finance Limited may not be so authorised and .

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