You may have noticed the term ‘clear aligners’ or ‘clear braces’ appearing in the news a lot recently. But what exactly are they?

Clear aligners are series of preformed plastic braces that, during a course of treatment, will help to align or straighten your teeth.

Each course of treatment will give the patient a number of plastic aligners that they will wear in order over a period of time.

The aligners are moulded so that they apply gentle pressure and slowly move teeth into the desired position.

There are a number of benefits to using clear aligners over metal ‘fixed’ braces, such as:

• More discreet

• May offer reduced treatment times depending on how much movement and work is required

• Can be removed when eating, helping to avoid staining of teeth.

Despite this, it is not an option available to everyone due to various reasons. And that is why it is important to consult a dentist prior to having treatment.

Invisalign is a brand of clear aligner that is only available through dental practices.

There are, however, a variety of different brands on the market.

This is where the confusion comes in.

How can you tell which clear aligner brand is right for you?

Invisalign is one of the leading brands of clear aligners.

Launched in the late 90s, the brand has gone on to straighten the smiles of over 10 million patients worldwide.

This means it has become one of the most trusted brands in the dental industry and also gives it decades of experience to lean on and help provide the right treatment.

Not only this, Invisalign is only offered through dental practices, patients cannot get treatment directly.

This ensures a dentist will always oversee and approve any treatment, as well as be accountable.

And Invisalign continues to innovate, launching cutting-edge technology and ensuring dental practices that invest can stay right up to date.