Are aligners visible?

They are clear and discreet from a distance. Close up, the edge of the tray and the attachments bonded to some teeth can be seen.

How long must they be worn?

Twenty to twenty-two hours a day, out only to eat and brush. The total length of treatment runs into months and depends on how far the teeth have to travel.

Are they more expensive than braces?

Not necessarily. At the clinic aligners start at €700 and braces at €800, but the gap reverses on complex cases, where the number of trays needed pushes the price up.

Each new tray feels tight for a day or two, then the sensation goes. It is pressure rather than pain, and it means the tooth is moving.

Clear Aligners

A dental surgeon in a white coat, arms folded, in a bright room

How a tray moves a tooth

A series of trays, each slightly different from the last.

Each tray is made slightly offset from where the teeth currently are. Worn, it applies gentle continuous pressure that moves the tooth a few tenths of a millimetre; then you move to the next one.

Small composite attachments, bonded to certain teeth, give the tray something to push against for movements pressure alone will not produce — a rotation, an upright correction. They are tooth-coloured and removed at the end of treatment.

A treatment room at Estoria clinic, with the chair and the operating lamp

Twenty-two hours a day

That is the condition, not a recommendation.

Trays come out to eat and to drink anything other than water, then go straight back in. Below twenty to twenty-two hours of daily wear, the teeth stop following the plan: the next tray does not fit, and treatment either lengthens or has to be restarted from a new impression.

That is the real difference from braces, and it matters more than appearance. A brace works without asking anything of anyone; an aligner only works if you wear it.

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A fixed orthodontic appliance during treatment

What they treat, and what they do not

Very good on moderate crowding; limited beyond it.

Aligners work well on light to moderate crowding, on gaps to close, on relapse after previous treatment. They suit large rotations, root movements and discrepancies between the jaws less well, and those belong elsewhere.

An examination says which of the two cases is yours. Treatment started with aligners on a case that did not suit them finishes with teeth that look aligned from the front and a bite that no longer meets at the back.

A dental surgeon in a treatment room at the clinic, arms folded

Retention, which is not optional

Teeth move back. Always.

A tooth that has been moved remembers where it came from and goes back if nothing stops it. Relapse is the rule, not an accident, and it is the leading reason people repeat treatment.

At the end, a wire bonded behind the front teeth, a night-time retainer, or both, hold the result — over years, not months. Retention is quoted separately from treatment, and it belongs in the budget from the start.

Aligners — Frequently Asked Questions

Are aligners visible?: They are clear and discreet from a distance. Close up, the edge of the tray and the attachments bonded to some teeth can be seen.
How long must they be worn?: Twenty to twenty-two hours a day, out only to eat and brush. The total length of treatment runs into months and depends on how far the teeth have to travel.
Are they more expensive than braces?: Not necessarily. At the clinic aligners start at €700 and braces at €800, but the gap reverses on complex cases, where the number of trays needed pushes the price up.
Do they hurt?: Each new tray feels tight for a day or two, then the sensation goes. It is pressure rather than pain, and it means the tooth is moving.