Invisible Orthodontic Aligners

Written by Allison Torres Burtka, Suzanne Marta
Medically Reviewed by Robert Brennan, DDS on March 04, 2025
7 min read

Invisible aligners are plastic shells that fit over your top and bottom teeth. As you wear them, they apply gentle pressure that gradually moves your teeth, making them better aligned.

Everybody wants a great smile, but a lot of us need help getting there. Invisible aligners are a less noticeable option for straightening teeth than traditional braces.

Invisible aligners are thin, clear, and custom-fitted to your teeth, making them almost invisible when worn.

Invisalign is the largest maker of clear aligners, but it’s not the only brand. Others include Spark, Reveal, and Clear Correct.

Braces vs. invisible aligners

Braces use brackets connected by wires to move teeth into place. Invisible aligners are a series of tight-fitting, custom-made mouthpieces that slip over your teeth and move them little by little. Both braces and aligners move your teeth into a better alignment, but they differ in appearance and in what they can do.

Avoiding “metal mouth” isn’t the only reason to choose a clear aligner. Unlike braces, aligners can be removed, making it easier to brush and floss well. That helps maintain better overall oral health.

But invisible aligners aren’t for everyone. If your teeth are more severely misaligned or rotated or if you have large gaps in between your teeth, braces may be a better option than aligners.

When comparing braces and aligners, one isn’t necessarily superior to the other, says Padma Mukherjee, BDS, DMD, PhD, a board-certified orthodontist, professor, and Predoctoral Program Director at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics. Regardless of the tool used (braces or aligners), “each tool serves as a means of applying force to the tooth, and teeth only respond to that force,” she says. 

Your orthodontist or dentist will help you decide what’s best for you. Ask them if they have experience treating people with aligners. Get references or before-and-after images of their patients.

Invisible aligners are used to treat conditions such as:

  • Crooked teeth 
  • Crowded teeth
  • Gaps in between teeth
  • Overbite or underbite
  • Crossbite (when your top teeth fit inside your bottom teeth)
  • Open bite (when your top teeth don’t fully meet your bottom teeth)

With more severe cases involving skeletal or jaw issues, surgery is sometimes needed along with orthodontic treatment. Earlier, only fixed appliances, such as braces, were used in these cases, but now aligners are becoming more common, Mukherjee says. “A well-trained professional can manage surgical cases with aligners, and we are seeing excellent results with this approach.”

Once a dentist or orthodontist decides how to fix your bite, they’ll make a plan for moving your teeth. If you get clear aligners, you’ll be fitted for several versions, each making slight adjustments to move your teeth slowly over the treatment time.

They’re made from a clear plastic or acrylic material and fit tightly over the teeth but can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing. You’ll get a new aligner every few weeks to continue moving the teeth into the desired position.

The fact that aligners are nearly invisible is the main benefit. Others include:

  • Comfort. Aligners fit tightly over your teeth and don’t include brackets or wires that can irritate your mouth.
  • Improved oral hygiene. You can remove your aligners to brush and floss normally, unlike braces.
  • No food limits. Because you remove aligners before you eat, you don’t have to worry about eating hard or sticky foods — which could break wires or brackets if you have braces.
  • Fewer office visits. Unlike braces, invisible aligners don’t need to be adjusted, so you don’t need to go to your orthodontist’s office as often.

“For clinicians, the ease of maintaining oral hygiene with aligners is a significant advantage, and from the patient’s perspective, the aesthetics are often a major factor,” Mukherjee says.

Improving your smile may boost your self-esteem and confidence. But fixing crooked or misaligned teeth isn’t just about creating a picture-perfect smile. It can help protect the long-term health of your teeth. If your teeth are crooked, it’s harder to keep them clean. If plaque builds up in hard-to-reach places, it can cause cavities and gum disease.

Also, if your teeth and jaws aren’t well aligned, that can cause extra wear on your teeth, teeth grinding, and jawbone and joint problems. Getting your teeth and jaws well aligned can improve chewing, speaking, and other functions.

Invisible aligners are custom-made for a tight fit, making them ideal for adults or teens. Straightening a child’s teeth is more complicated, as their mouths are still growing and developing; the doctor must think about this when planning treatment.

Clear orthodontic aligners are typically used for patients with mild or moderately crowded teeth or minor spacing issues. Patients with severe crowding, spacing, or bite issues (such as underbites, overbites, or crossbites) may need more complex treatment. Find more information on buying teeth aligners online.

The cost for aligners is normally set by the individual dentist or orthodontist but can be higher than that of braces. In most cases, treatment using invisible aligners costs between $5,000 and $6,000. The average cost of orthodontic treatment in general, including traditional braces or other devices, is about $5,300 for adolescents and $5,600 for adults.

Invisible aligners usually need to be worn 20-22 hours per day. If you don’t wear them enough, they may not work well.

Keeping aligners in for about 22 hours a day leaves you just enough time for brushing and eating meals, Mukherjee points out. If you tend to snack frequently in between meals, “the aligners won’t be in place long enough to work effectively,” she says.

Although you can remove aligners to eat food and brush your teeth, they can also trap food particles and liquids against your teeth. This can increase your risk of getting cavities and gum disease. For this reason, you should avoid drinking anything other than water when wearing aligners.

The cost of invisible aligners can vary, but sometimes, aligners are costlier than braces. Some dental insurance plans provide coverage for orthodontic treatment, including invisible aligners. But some plans don’t cover aligners or only cover part of the cost. 

Most insurance companies pay a base fee for orthodontic treatment, which usually covers metal braces. But braces with ceramic brackets and invisible aligners are considered aesthetic upgrades and are usually not covered, Mukherjee says. So, depending on your insurance coverage, you may need to pay out of pocket for aligners.

When you first start wearing invisible aligners, it might be difficult for you to speak normally. You may have a slight lisp and have trouble pronouncing certain sounds until you get used to wearing the aligners. 

Some brands of invisible aligners offer “direct-to-consumer” options, meaning you can order them and use them without seeing an orthodontist or dentist in person. But, because moving teeth is a complex process, using aligners on your own can be risky, and if at-home treatment goes wrong, you may need follow-up treatment afterward.

“If you attempt DIY treatment, it can be detrimental,” Mukherjee says. “We’ve seen patients encounter various problems because they weren’t supervised, and no radiographs were taken to assess whether the bone and roots were healthy before moving the teeth.”

Mukherjee adds, “Ultimately, it’s your body that will be affected, so it’s crucial to seek treatment from an orthodontist who is specifically trained and specializes in this area.”

Invisible aligners are a more discreet option than braces if you’re looking to straighten your teeth. They work by using a series of plastic shells that fit over your teeth and move them gradually. You can remove aligners when you eat and when you clean your teeth, but you have to make sure you maintain good oral hygiene and wear your aligners as much as your provider directs you to. Your orthodontist or dentist can help you decide whether invisible aligners are a good option for you.

Do invisible aligners really work?

Yes, invisible aligners do work. They gradually move your teeth into alignment. 

Are clear aligners good for your teeth?

Depending on your teeth's position and alignment issues, clear aligners may be a good option for getting your teeth into a healthy alignment.

If you wear invisible aligners, it’s important to brush your teeth after eating and drinking and before putting your aligners back in. Otherwise, liquid and food particles can get trapped inside the aligners, which isn’t good for your teeth.

How long does it take to straighten teeth using invisible aligners?

Treatment time with invisible teeth aligners depends on how much the teeth need to be moved or rotated. The more your bite is off or the more crooked your teeth, the longer it will take. Treatment usually takes between 10 and 24 months. But if you’re an adult who had braces as a child and your teeth shifted slightly over the years, you may need invisible teeth aligners for as little as 10 weeks.

Because invisible aligners are not as precise as traditional braces, some patients may require a “refinement” of their teeth using braces for a few months to make other, smaller adjustments after the treatment.

Do invisible aligners discolor?

Invisible aligners can become discolored. This might happen usually due to staining from food, drinks, tobacco use, or poor oral hygiene, which can cause buildup on the aligners.