Clear aligners: straightening teeth with invisible trays

Clear aligners are transparent removable trays that move teeth into the right position step by step. Each tray is slightly different from the previous one, so the teeth follow a plan calculated in advance. The trays are almost invisible and are taken out for eating and brushing. Dental aligners suit adults and teenagers who want treatment that goes unnoticed. At UKRMED Dentistry, aligner treatment is planned by orthodontists after a full assessment.

Photo: ClearCorrect, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

What aligners can correct

Teeth aligners help with:

• crowding - teeth standing too close or overlapping;
• gaps between teeth;
• rotated or tilted teeth;
• mild bite problems;
• relapse after braces, when teeth have started to move back.

Straight teeth are easier to clean, so aligner treatment also helps prevent decay and gum inflammation. A correct bite spreads the load evenly and reduces enamel wear.

Aligners or braces

Invisible aligners are hardly noticeable, do not rub the cheeks and lips and do not restrict what you eat, because you take them out. They have one requirement: they only work if worn 20-22 hours a day.

A systematic review found that clear aligners straighten the arch well and control the tilt of back teeth, but some complex movements, such as extruding front teeth (moving them slightly out of the socket) or rotating rounded teeth, are harder for them. In such cases the orthodontist may suggest braces or combine aligners with attachments (small tooth-coloured bumps the trays grip) and elastics (small rubber bands between the jaws).

How treatment works

1. Orthodontist consultation. The orthodontist examines your teeth, assesses the bite and explains whether the goal can be reached with aligners.
2. Diagnostics. A scan of the teeth and a photo record (a series of face and teeth photos) are taken, plus a 3D CT scan and panoramic X-ray (3D and flat images of the jaws) if needed. They are used to create a 3D smile plan: you see how the teeth will move and what the result will be.
3. Preparation. Decay is treated and a professional cleaning is done before you start, because aligners fit tightly and there must be no infection underneath.
4. Making and issuing the trays. You receive a set of aligners and instructions on when to switch to the next one.
5. Check-ups. The orthodontist checks that the teeth are moving as planned.
6. Retention. At the end, the result is held with a retainer (a thin wire behind the teeth or a clear tray) so the teeth do not move back.

Treatment packages

The number of aligners depends on how complex the case is. UKRMED offers packages for mild cases: up to 20, 40 or 60 aligners. For small corrections, such as rotating one tooth, Easy Align trays are used. The number of trays you need becomes clear after diagnostics and 3D planning.

Who leads treatment

Aligner treatment at UKRMED is carried out by orthodontists. Olena Fedoriv has 12 years of experience, treats adults and children and works with braces, orthodontic appliances and aligners. Karyna Skliarenko specialises in comprehensive orthodontic treatment for children and adults.

How to wear aligners

• wear the trays 20-22 hours a day and take them out only for eating and brushing;
• brush your teeth after meals before putting the trays back;
• drink only plain water with the trays in: sweet and coloured drinks get trapped underneath;
• keep the trays in their case, not in a napkin;
• do not miss check-ups.

After treatment, teeth whitening is a good next step: straight teeth whiten more evenly.

Aligner prices at UKRMED

The cost of clear aligners depends on the number of trays, so mild corrections cost less than full alignment.

Sources

1. Rossini G., Parrini S., Castroflorio T. et al. Efficacy of clear aligners in controlling orthodontic tooth movement: a systematic review. Angle Orthod, 2015. https://doi.org/10.2319/061614-436.1
2. Zheng M., Liu R., Ni Z., Yu Z. Efficiency, effectiveness and treatment stability of clear aligners: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Orthod Craniofac Res, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1111/ocr.12177