Invisalign clear aligners
Invisalign straightens teeth with a series of clear, removable aligners instead of fixed brackets and wires. Each aligner is made to fit your teeth at one stage of the plan, and you move through the series in order — every one shifting your teeth a small amount closer to where they need to be.
Invisalign treatment here is provided by Petros Paramythas, who owns and leads the practice and has over fifteen years of experience in dentistry. Smile makeovers are the heart of his work, and aligner treatment is often part of getting there: straightening first means any cosmetic work afterwards has less to correct.
The aligners come out. You take them out to eat, and to brush and floss as normal, then put them back in — which is the practical difference between aligners and a fixed brace, and the reason most people find them easy to live with. They work while they are being worn, so the plan assumes they are in for 20 to 22 hours a day, and treatment slows if they are not.
Nothing is guessed at. We take a digital scan or impressions of your teeth and use them to build a three-dimensional plan of the whole treatment, so you can see the intended movement — and the intended result — before any aligner is made. Small tooth-coloured attachments are sometimes bonded to a few teeth to give the aligners something to push against; they come off at the end.
Aligners suit a great many cases but not every case. Where teeth need more movement than an aligner can reasonably deliver, a fixed system is the better answer, and we will say so rather than start a treatment that will disappoint you — see short term orthodontics for the ClearCorrect and Six Month Smiles options we also offer.
Teeth do not simply stay where they are put. Once treatment finishes you will need a retainer to hold the result, and we will talk that through as part of your plan rather than leaving it as a surprise at the end.
Clear, honest pricing
- Initial orthodontic consultation (inc. exam)£60
The consultation includes an examination. Invisalign treatment pricing depends on how much movement your teeth need, and is confirmed for you after your consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Will people be able to tell I'm wearing them?
The aligners are clear and fit closely over the teeth, so they are far less noticeable than a fixed brace. They are not completely invisible — someone looking closely, or the edge catching the light, can give them away — but in ordinary conversation most people will not spot them.
How long will my treatment take?
It depends entirely on how far your teeth have to move, so there is no single answer we can give honestly before we have looked. You will be given an estimated length as part of your 3D plan, before you commit to treatment.
How many hours a day do I have to wear them?
20 to 22 hours a day — in effect, all the time except when you are eating, drinking anything other than water, or cleaning your teeth. Aligners only work while they are in, so wearing them less than this makes treatment take longer.
Can I eat and drink with them in?
Take them out to eat, and for anything other than plain water. Food gets trapped against the teeth under an aligner, and hot drinks can distort the plastic. Brush before you put them back in.
Will I need a retainer afterwards?
Yes. Teeth drift back towards their old position if nothing holds them, whatever system moved them in the first place. Retention is part of the treatment rather than an optional extra, and we will discuss what yours involves before you finish.
Is Invisalign suitable for everyone?
No, and we would rather tell you at the consultation than part way through. Aligners handle a wide range of crowding, spacing and alignment problems, but some bites and some larger movements are better treated with a fixed brace. If that is your case we will explain why and what the alternatives are.
Care you can trust
