During your initial consultation, your orthodontist will listen to your concerns and inform you of the options available to you. They will then assess your oral health and advise on any treatments that need to be carried out before you start your invisible aligners. Once you have had time to think through your options and completed any outstanding treatment, you will be ready for your first appointment.

During your first appointment, your orthodontist will take a record of your current alignment; they will do this by taking clinical photographs and x-rays. This will assist with the ongoing monitoring and planning of your orthodontic treatment. You will also have a digital scan of your teeth, which is used to plan your treatment and produce your aligners.

Invisible aligners often require some slight adjustments being made to your teeth before they are placed. These adjustments are called interproximal reduction (referred to as IPR). This is the procedure of shaving down some of the tooth material to create gaps between the teeth. These gaps will then be closed once the treatment has been completed. You are also likely to have some small attachments glued onto the teeth to ‘pull’ the teeth into the desired position. These attachments are made of composite, which is the tooth-coloured filling that is often used for front teeth. These attachments will be removed once the treatment has been completed.

Once you have had the necessary preparation for your teeth, you will be given a series of these aligners and instructions on when they should be changed. It is crucial to follow the instructions given to you by your orthodontist to ensure that you stay on track with your treatment; otherwise, your treatment may need to be extended.

Follow-up appointments are usually relatively short and consist of your orthodontist recording your progress and providing you with your next set of aligners. Occasionally you may require further interproximal reduction throughout treatment, and if this is needed, you will be informed during the treatment planning stage. You may also require additional attachments placed throughout or attachments removed before the treatment continues.

You may also be provided with ‘chewies’; these are small pieces of flexible plastic which you will be asked to chew on when you move on to your next aligner. These chewies help push the aligners into the correct place, ensuring that they fit snug on the teeth.

Once the aligners given to you have been completed and worn for the required time, your treatment will be complete. Your orthodontist will discuss the results with you, and if you are happy, they will remove the attachments, and you will be provided with either a fixed retainer or a plastic retainer. Sometimes patients require tweaks to their results, either further aligners, composite bonding or whitening; this is dependent on the individual case and desired outcomes.

You may also be offered a removable plastic retainer which should be worn overnight. Both types of retainer should be worn for the rest of your life to ensure the teeth stay in the desired position.