Find the Best Invisible Braces

Invisible braces are a series of clear retainers that straighten and align your smile over time. Sometimes called clear aligners or dental aligners, invisible braces are an excellent option for those with:

• Crooked teeth
• Gapped teeth
• Crowding
• Overlapping
• Overbite
• Underbite

Clear-alignment treatments aren’t easily noticed by others because they are made of clear plastic (e.g., clear polypropylene) or acrylic material instead of metal wires. Some people consider ceramic braces, which are wired to the teeth like traditional metal braces, to be invisible braces, but ceramic braces are quite visible and require extensive in-office orthodontic care. Truly invisible braces don’t require hardwiring attached to the teeth.

How do clear aligners work?

Clear aligners work by using a series of clear plastic retainer sets, sometimes called trays. The trays are tight-fitting retainer sets that put low-pressure force on teeth to gradually shift them into place over time.

The first clear aligner tray fits easily because the plastic has been vacuum-formed or thermoformed over a model of your teeth. Each new retainer set presses your teeth into slightly straighter positions than the one before it.

Invisible braces companies use advanced imaging technology to create a unique treatment plan for every customer’s smile. Some people experience a minimal amount of discomfort each time they put in a new set of aligners, which is required every couple of weeks.

It’s essential to keep clear aligners on your teeth at least 20 to 22 hours per day for them to work best. You can take them out to eat, brush and floss, but that’s about it. It’s fine to drink water with the aligner in, but avoid soda, coffee, tea and other dark liquids that might stain the retainer. Hard candy, crunchy breads and gum should also be avoided to prevent plaque buildup.

Some clear-aligner wearers experience unintentional weight loss due to the hassle of removing the retainer for snacks, which many people refer to as the "Invisalign diet."

Clear aligners vs. braces

Much like traditional metal braces, clear aligners correct crooked teeth and misaligned bites. Busy professionals and young adults with mild to moderate dental misalignments typically prefer clear aligners or invisible braces. They are cheaper, easier and more discreet than traditional metal braces.

Instead of wires and brackets like traditional or lingual braces, invisible braces use clear retainers. Traditional braces require more frequent office visits for regular tightenings and checkups, whereas most clear aligner companies mail you all your required trays at one time. Braces must often be worn for years, while dental aligner treatment typically takes months. Clear aligners are also more hygienic and allow you to eat all types of food throughout treatment.

Invisible braces are not always the best fit for extensive teeth straightening or severe alignment issues, however. Clear aligners are best for making small adjustments, and traditional metal or ceramic braces are usually required to complete severe corrections.

Straightening teeth at home with invisible braces is simple. After your initial consultation, an orthodontic specialist creates a treatment plan and fits you for retainers. Depending on your plan, the treatment duration can be as short as a few months or more than a year. After your teeth are straight, there are a few post-care boxes to check. The typical steps in the process are:

1. Consultation: The first step to straightening teeth at home is to determine if you’re a candidate for invisible braces. Many invisible braces companies start the process with an online questionnaire that asks about the severity of crowding, spacing and bite issues, whether you’ve had previous dental work and what kind of insurance you have.
2. Fitting: Some companies require an office visit and X-rays to create dental impressions, but many of the best invisible braces companies provide at-home impression kits so you can do this at home and mail it to the business.
3. Evaluation: Dental impressions are usually scanned and 3D-printed. An orthodontist then evaluates the impression of your mouth and creates a treatment plan for you to review. If you like what you see, a series of clear aligners (called trays) are mailed to you in a few weeks.
4. Treatment: You wear each clear aligner for approximately two weeks before moving on to the next tray in the series. Clear aligners must be worn around 22 hours each day, so you need to keep the tray in your mouth as much as possible. Most invisible braces treatments take between 12 and 18 months, but you could start seeing improvements within a month. You can clean the aligners with a little water and soap or peroxide.
5. Post care: Once your alignment treatment is complete, the company sends you a post-care retainer to ensure your teeth don’t shift back to how they were before. Removable retainers are available to wear while you sleep at night, or you might opt for a permanent retainer, which is a small strip of metal fastened to the back surface of your teeth.

Invisible braces typically cost between $2,000 and $8,500. Depending on your treatment plan and your insurance provider, invisible aligners may be covered in part or in full by dental insurance. Most HSA and FSA plans can be used to cover the cost of invisible braces as well. Additionally, all the best dental alignment companies offer financing options to help you reduce the upfront costs.

Your invisible braces’ cost ultimately depends upon the severity of your case. Some invisible braces companies let you mail in your dental impressions without seeing a doctor, dentist or orthodontist. If your situation requires in-office fittings and approval, you should expect to pay a higher invisible braces price.

Overall, clear aligners are usually more affordable than traditional braces. The cost of traditional braces can be anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000. The cheapest invisible braces start around $1,800 and have financing options available.