Clear Aligners Explained: How Invisalign-Style Treatment Straightens Teeth
Most people hear about clear aligners through a brand name and only later wonder what the treatment itself involves. This article sets out the basics: what clear aligners are, how the trays are worn, who oversees the treatment, and what follows it.
What clear aligners are
Clear aligners, sometimes called 'invisible braces', are a braces alternative: instead of brackets and wires, they use a series of custom-made trays to straighten your teeth over time. Invisalign and ClearCorrect are popular brands (Cleveland Clinic).
How the trays are worn
With these systems, you wear each set of aligner trays for approximately two weeks, then swap those trays out for the next set in the series. Unlike metal braces, clear aligners are removable, but you have to wear them for at least 22 hours every day, and should only take them out to eat, drink and brush your teeth (Cleveland Clinic).
Who oversees the treatment
Removable aligners are another option for treating orthodontic problems, under the direct supervision of a dentist or orthodontist. Orthodontic treatment may be provided by your dentist or an orthodontist, a dentist who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities, and it will depend on the orthodontic experience of your dentist and the severity of your case (American Dental Association (MouthHealthy)).
After the trays: the retainer
A retainer prevents your teeth from shifting back into their old positions (Cleveland Clinic). If you wear braces or clear aligners, you will need a retainer once your orthodontic treatment ends, and if you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth could drift back into their old positions over time (Cleveland Clinic).
What this article leaves to other pages
How treatment gets started, and whether aligners suit a particular case, are separate questions. For the first of those, see how to get Invisalign, step by step; for the second, whether clear aligners are right for you. There is also our Invisalign page on this site.
Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. New patients can begin at our first-visit page.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Teeth Braces." Updated 2023-01-13. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24601-teeth-braces
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy). "Braces." https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/braces
- Cleveland Clinic. "Orthodontics." Updated 2022-10-12. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24285-orthodontics
