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How does Invisalign work? A complete guide

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

This guide answers both.

What is Invisalign?

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

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

It was developed in the late 1990s and has since been used to treat millions of patients worldwide, ranging from mild crowding and spacing issues to more complex bite . The technology behind it has over the years, and today’s aligners are more precise and effective than the earliest versions.

How does Invisalign actually move teeth?

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

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

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

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

What happens at your first appointment?

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

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

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

How long does Invisalign treatment take?

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

The speed of your is also, to a meaningful extent, in your hands. only works when you wear the . 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 tend to finish on time or ahead of schedule; those who don’t can find their treatment drifting.

What can Invisalign treat?

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

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

Spacing, where gaps exist between
Overbite, where the upper front teeth sit too far over the lower
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 aligners alone. More complex bite corrections, particularly those significant jaw movement, may need a combined . Your dentist will be honest with you about whether is the right fit for what you’re trying to achieve.

Is Invisalign as effective as traditional braces?

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

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The provider matters here. Invisalign assigns a tier based on the number of cases they treat each year. Love Teeth holds Diamond Apex status, placing the practice among the top 1% of Invisalign providers across Europe. Dr Kunal Patel, the dentist, is an Invisalign global ambassador and lecturer, which means he trains other dentists in the system. That level of with the makes a genuine to the complexity of cases that can be 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 including and where needed. It’s designed so that the end result is a complete outcome, not just teeth.

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

What happens when treatment ends?

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

Love Teeth includes retainers as part of the ABC package. them as directed, 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 is right for you is to have your teeth and your options mapped out properly. At Love Teeth, that means a consultation with a 3D scan and smile simulation included, so you can see a 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 for a day or two when you move to a new . This is a sign the are working. Most patients describe it as more noticeable than painful, and it tends to settle quickly. It’s quite different from the soreness that can follow a appointment with traditional braces.

Yes, because you remove your to eat and drink. You can eat whatever you like during treatment. The key discipline is making sure the aligners 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 . It almost always resolves within a week or so as you adapt. Most patients find there’s little impact on speech once they’re past the adjustment.

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

No. treats adults of all ages. The system is particularly popular with adults who want to their OnabotulinumtoxinAAbobotulinumtoxinAIncobotulinumtoxinAPrabotulinumtoxinALetibotulinumtoxinARimabotulinumtoxinBHyaluronic Acid FillersCalcium Hydroxylapatite FillersPoly-L-lactic Acid FillersPolymethylmethacrylate FillersAutologous Fat GraftingForehead Lines TreatmentGlabellar Frown Lines TreatmentCrow's Feet TreatmentBunny Lines TreatmentChemical Brow LiftLip FlipGummy Smile CorrectionMasseter ReductionJaw SlimmingDimpled Chin SmoothingCobblestone Chin SmoothingNefertiti Neck LiftMicro-BotoxMesotoxHyperhidrosis TreatmentChronic Migraine ReliefBruxism TreatmentTMJ TreatmentCervical Dystonia TreatmentNeck Spasm TreatmentBlepharospasm TreatmentLip AugmentationLip ContouringCheekbone EnhancementTear Trough FillersNasolabial Fold SofteningMarionette Line FillersLiquid RhinoplastyNon-Surgical Nose JobJawline ContouringJawline DefinitionChin AugmentationTemple VolumisingHand RejuvenationAcne Scar Subcision Filling without the visibility of traditional braces.

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

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©Love Teeth Dental Surrey.

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

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