Invisalign The clear, comfortable, and modern alternative to braces!

Invisalign straightens teeth with clear, removable aligners rather than fixed braces, so treatment is nearly invisible and you take the aligners out to eat and clean your teeth. We find Invisalign treatment comfortable, convenient and nearly invisible — most people will not even know you are wearing them. Each aligner is custom-made to fit snugly over your teeth, you see a virtual preview of your planned smile before starting, and you finish with retainers to hold the result. Whether Invisalign suits your case is assessed at a consultation.

Invisalign moves teeth gradually with a series of custom aligners, and how well it works depends on your case and on wearing the aligners as directed. Most of our treatments take 6–18 months, depending on the case, and the aligners are worn 22 hours a day — removed only to eat, to drink anything other than water, and to brush and floss. Each aligner is changed every two weeks, and progress is checked at regular visits. Whether Invisalign can achieve what you want, or whether another approach suits your case better, is decided at a consultation.

Most of our Invisalign treatments take 6–18 months, depending on your case. The aligners are worn 22 hours a day and changed every two weeks, and your progress is checked at regular visits where you receive your next aligners. Because the teeth move gradually with each aligner, how long treatment runs depends on how much movement your case needs and on wearing the aligners as directed. Your own estimate comes from the consultation and 3D scan.

Invisalign aligners are worn 22 hours a day, taken out only to eat, to drink anything other than water, and to brush and floss. Invisalign works because the aligners are in place moving the teeth; time out of the aligner is time the teeth are not being moved as planned. Each aligner is changed every two weeks, so keeping to the wear time is what keeps treatment on schedule. We check your progress at regular visits and provide your next aligners.

You may feel mild pressure for the first few days of each new aligner; we find treatment generally very comfortable. That pressure is the aligner doing its work — moving the teeth gradually into their planned position — and it usually settles as you get used to each new set. Because the aligners are removable, you take them out to eat and to clean your teeth. Tell us if anything rubs or does not settle, so the fit can be checked.

The cost of Invisalign is worked out for your case after a consultation rather than read off a list. What moves it: how many aligners your case needs and how long treatment runs, whether refinements along the way and your retainers afterward are included, and what your dental insurance or an FSA or HSA may cover. See Insurance and Financing for coverage and payment options, or the DTLC Healthy Smile Plan, our in-house membership plan for patients without dental insurance.