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Want braces that are hard to notice? What clear aligners are, and who they suit.

Clear aligners are thin trays made to fit your teeth and swapped in stages, each moving them a small step; they come out to eat and brush, and they are usually hard to notice. They suit many cases, such as teeth that overlap a little, gaps, some bite problems, and teeth that drifted back after old braces, but not every case, and the examination decides.

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A thin terracotta line drawing on handmade paper: clear aligner trays shaped like the arch, one under the other, with olive sprigs around.

What clear aligners are, and who they suit

The trays fit over your teeth and press on them gently, and each one is made to move them a small step on from the one before. When one stage is done you move to the next, little by little, until the teeth reach their place and meet each other properly. The principle is the same as any braces: when a tooth is pushed gently in one direction, bone dissolves on one side and rebuilds on the other.

The trays are worn for most of the hours of the day, and the doctor explains the detail for your case. After the last tray comes a retainer, because teeth keep wanting to drift back after any braces. Many people call aligners “removable braces”, but “removable” is also used for a plate with wires that does a different job; the difference is explained under Fixed, clear or removable? in the article on braces as an adult.

You may have searched for “invisible braces”. That is what many people call them, but they are not invisible: they are usually hard to notice, which is not the same thing.

Who they usually suit

Your teeth overlap a little. A tooth that leans, or one sitting slightly out of line. That is mild to moderate crowding, and much of it can be corrected with trays. Heavy crowding is a different story, covered below.
There are gaps between your teeth. A gap between the front teeth, or gaps that trap food. What caused the gap changes the plan, and the examination shows it.
Some bite problems. Some cases of protruding teeth or a bite that is off to one side can be treated with trays, some need fixed braces, and sometimes the problem is in the jaw itself rather than the teeth. This is where the examination matters most.
Your teeth drifted back after braces years ago. Stopped wearing the retainer and your teeth moved a little? That is one of the cases aligners often suit, when there is little to move. The examination shows whether that is your case.

Whichever of these is yours, the examination decides whether you need braces at all, and which type will get your teeth where they should be. The cost is discussed after the examination, and what decides it is explained on What decides the cost of your treatment.

Aligners or fixed braces?

Aligners are not a hidden version of fixed braces. They are two different ways of moving teeth, and each has cases where it is the better fit. Point by point:

How they look. Aligners are usually hard to notice, but they are not hidden: up close, or when the light catches them, they can be seen, and sometimes small tooth-coloured bumps, often called attachments, are bonded to some teeth so the tray can grip and move them properly. Fixed braces are brackets and a wire, and they show. Brackets exist in metal and in a shade close to the tooth, and you learn at the examination which kind is available.
Eating and brushing. Aligners come out for meals, so you eat, brush and floss as usual, but you brush or rinse before they go back in. Fixed braces stay in your mouth: hard and sticky food breaks the brackets, and cleaning around the metal is harder.
Commitment. Aligners work only while they are in your mouth. A tray sitting in its case moves no teeth, so if you do not wear them for most of the hours of the day, they will not work for you. Fixed braces work all the time because they do not come out; the commitment there is appointments, cleaning and what you eat, and elastics, if you are asked to wear them.
The cases. Fixed braces are the option that can do every kind of movement, from a simple tilt to moving a whole tooth with its root, which is why they remain the foundation for moderate and difficult cases. Aligners suit many cases, not all: heavy crowding, or teeth that need to rotate a long way, usually need fixed braces, or start with them.

So which one is right for you?

Not the one that shows least, and not the one a friend had. The one that gets your teeth where they should be and leaves them meeting properly when treatment ends. Sometimes that is aligners, sometimes fixed braces, sometimes one after the other. At the examination you find out why this and not that, and then the choice is yours. All the types, with the retainer and the early check for children, are on Braces.

How it happens, step by step

Aligners are not one tray; they are a series of trays in stages, with check-ups along the way. Here are the steps as they are, with no number of months and no number of trays, because the figure for your case comes after the examination as an expectation, not here as a promise.

1
The examination, and an x-ray if neededYour teeth, gums and bite are examined: how much crowding or spacing there is, how your teeth meet from the front and from both sides, and whether the problem is in the teeth or in the jaw itself. An x-ray if it is needed, and measurements of your teeth. This is where the first question is settled: whether aligners suit your case at all, or fixed braces suit better. No trays are handed over at this visit.
2
The planThe plan becomes clear at the examination: how far the teeth need to move, one jaw or both (Braces on one jaw only?), whether the case needs space made first (light filing between the teeth or an extraction), how your teeth will meet when treatment ends, and what to expect in your own case. You will also be told if your case does not need braces at all. You go home and think it over before you decide.
3
The first trays: wearing them and cleaning themYou collect your first trays and learn how to put them in and take them out: press the tray onto your teeth with your fingers, not by biting it into place, and ease it off from the sides. To clean it, rinse it in cold or lukewarm water, never hot, brush it gently with a soft brush, and put it back in its case every time it comes out, never in a napkin. Sometimes the small tooth-coloured bumps are bonded to some teeth at the same visit so the tray can grip. Expect some pressure in the first days; the detail is under “Does it hurt?” below.
4
Check-ups in stagesEach tray has its stage. At the check-ups your progress is looked at: whether the teeth are moving to plan, whether the tray fits properly, and whether the gums and cleaning are in order, and you hear when and how you collect the next trays. Sometimes the plan is adjusted midway, or extra trays are needed if a tooth has not kept up. If something happens between check-ups, you call; you do not wait for the appointment.
5
The last trayWhen the teeth have reached their place and meet properly, the trays come to an end, any bonded bumps are removed, and the tooth is polished clean where they were. Finishing the last tray does not mean the treatment is over; there is one more step.
6
The retainer, and why it is not optionalTeeth keep wanting to drift back after any braces, and aligners are no exception. The retainer is what holds the result, which is why it is part of the plan from day one, not an add-on at the end. The two most common kinds: a thin wire fixed behind the front teeth that does not show from the front, or a clear tray you take out, which looks much like the treatment trays but whose job is to hold the teeth, not move them. Which kind, how many hours a day you wear it, how long it stays with you, and why for many people the night-time retainer stays for a long time: all of that is explained for your own case before you begin.

Drag and see: each tray is one small step

An illustration. You hear the number of trays and the time for your case after the exam, as an estimate, not a promise.

The downsides and the commitment, before the advantages

Aligners have downsides you should know before you decide, so those come first:

The commitment is yours. With fixed braces the metal stays in your mouth and works all the time; your part there is appointments, cleaning and what you eat, and elastics, if you are asked to wear them. With aligners you are the one who puts them in, takes them out and puts them back, every day. The trays are worn for most of the hours of the day, and the doctor explains the detail. Every hour they spend out of your mouth slows the movement, and if those hours add up, the next tray may not fit properly.
Pressure in the first days of each tray. Each new tray presses on the teeth to move them, so for the first days you will usually feel some tightness and tenderness, and it usually eases on its own within days. The detail is under “Does it hurt?” below.
They come out for food and for any drink other than water. They go straight back in afterwards, and that changes the rhythm of your day. The detail is under “Can I eat with them in?” below.
Trays get lost or broken. The easiest way to lose one: wrapped in a napkin on the dinner table and thrown away. Keep its case with you at all times. If one is lost or breaks, call; do not wait for the check-up.
Not for every case. There are cases where fixed braces suit better, set out under Aligners or fixed braces?, and the examination says so plainly before you begin.
The retainer afterwards. Aligners do not spare you one. The retainer stays with you for a period you will hear about for your case, and once people stop wearing it, drifting back is common.

The advantages

Usually hard to notice. That is what many people come for, and it is a fair reason.
Easier cleaning. You take them out, brush and floss as usual, with no metal to clean around, so the gums are easier to look after.
No list of forbidden foods. Because they come out for meals, there is no bracket to break on an apple or a carrot. All of that depends on putting them back in afterwards.

When it is not right for now, or should wait

In these cases the answer is usually not “no”. It is “not yet”, or “something else suits better”, and you find out what has to happen first:

Decay or gum inflammation. A tray covers the teeth for long hours, so any decay or inflamed gum underneath carries on. They are treated first, and braces go onto a healthy mouth.
Pregnancy. Pregnancy on its own is not a barrier, but timing matters: some steps wait until after the birth, some do not. The full detail, aligners in pregnancy included: Braces during pregnancy: what waits and what doesn’t.
A child with a mix of baby and adult teeth. The jaw is still growing, and at this stage the question is usually not aligners or fixed braces; it is whether anything needs doing now, or whether it is better to keep watching. That is the early orthodontic check: Children’s dentistry.
Cases that need fixed braces. It is not always one or the other: sometimes you start with fixed braces and finish with aligners, if that suits. The examination decides.
You cannot keep up the commitment right now. A long trip, a job that does not let you take them out and put them back, or you know you tend to forget. That is no failing, but aligners do not work without that commitment, and being honest about it from the start saves you trouble later.

What to do from here, and when to call

1
Book an examination, not a decisionThe examination tells you which type suits you, or what has to happen first. You leave knowing, or you are given the plan at a second visit once any x-rays and measurements have been studied. There is no pressure to decide in the same visit.
2
Be honest with yourself about the commitmentCan you wear the trays for most of the hours of the day, take them out for meals and put them straight back, day after day? If the answer is “not sure”, say so at the examination, because it goes into the choice of type as much as the shape of your teeth does.
3
Health before traysIf there is tartar, gum inflammation or decay, it is dealt with first.
4
Say if you have had braces beforeIf you had them as a teenager and your teeth drifted back, say so from the start. Drifting back is common once people stop wearing the retainer, and a second course can be shorter than the first when there is less to move, and that comes out of the examination.
5
If you are in Amman for a whileIf you are only in Amman for a stretch, a posting, a contract, a semester, or you come and go, say so before anything starts. Here is the honest part: aligners are a series of trays in stages with regular check-ups, not a single session, and every stage has to be followed. So the check-ups and your travel are worked out together, and how that works for your case is discussed at the examination. If your dates do not allow the treatment to be followed properly, it is fairer to hear that before you begin than midway through. If you started aligners in another country, say so and bring your records; what can be done here is decided after an examination.
6
Ask about the retainer from day oneIts type, and what happens if it breaks or gets lost. Before you begin, not on the day of the last tray.

When to call

Most of what happens with aligners can be sorted out at the next check-up. But some things do not wait for the appointment:

A tray lost or broken, so your teeth are not left without one for days.
A new tray that will not seat on your teeth, or leaves a clear gap over a tooth, after the first days.
Pain that gets worse after a few days instead of easing, or pain in one particular tooth.
The edge of a tray has cut your tongue or cheek, and the sore is not healing.
One of the bonded bumps has come off a tooth.
Swelling in the gum or cheek, or heavy gum bleeding that does not stop with gentle brushing.
A retainer broken or lost, because without it the teeth can start drifting back quickly.
A fever with any of the above.

Call and we will find you the earliest slot, and tell you what to do until you arrive. Before any painkiller, ask the doctor first, so it suits your case. If a large swelling reaches your eye, or swallowing or breathing becomes difficult, that does not wait for an orthodontic appointment: it is a hospital emergency, and you let us know afterwards. If you have a fever with swelling and the clinic is closed, do not wait for opening hours: go to the nearest hospital emergency department, and let us know afterwards. If a tooth is hurting right now and it has nothing to do with the aligners, here is what to do until you arrive: Toothache: what to do right now.

And who treats you?

The clinic has a team of dentists, Dr. Adnan Alakhras among them. At the first visit you find out the state of your teeth, gums and bite, and whether aligners suit your case at all, before any plan is put to you. His qualifications are on his page: Read about the doctor and the clinic.

Questions people ask

Does it hurt?

The usual feeling is pressure and tightness on the teeth for the first days of each new tray, because the tray is pressing on them to move them, and it usually eases on its own within days. The edge of a tray can rub your tongue or cheek at first, until your mouth gets used to it. Pressure in the first days is normal, but it is not a gauge: you may feel nothing and the teeth still move, and what matters is that it eases rather than builds. Pain that gets worse instead of easing, or in one particular tooth, is a reason to call. Before any painkiller, ask the doctor first, so it suits your case. If it hurts badly now and the clinic is closed: what to do until morning. If the fear of pain itself is what is putting you off, say so at the first visit: When the visit is hard.

How long does it take?

No number fits everyone, and any number you have heard belongs to a case that is not yours. It depends on your case (how far the teeth have to move, crowding or gaps or the bite, one jaw or both) and on how consistently you wear the trays. What keeps it short: trays worn as asked, check-ups on time, and gums that were healthy before the start. What makes it longer: long hours with the trays out, a lost tray you did not call about, or a tray that did not fit. If you are only in Amman for a stretch, say so before anything starts, because the check-ups and your dates are worked out together. The timing for your own case is discussed at the examination, as an expectation, not a promise. After the aligners comes the retainer, which has its own time.

Are there payment plans?

Not at the moment. The doctor is looking into it, and wants a trustworthy partner before he commits to anything; the details are under Payment and insurance on What decides the cost of your treatment. What you can do now: book the examination, and the decision after it is yours. You will find out exactly what your case needs, and what has to happen first (gums, decay). The cost itself is discussed after the examination, not over the phone.

Aligners or fixed braces?

There is no type that suits everyone; there is a type that suits your case. Fixed braces can do every kind of movement and remain the foundation for moderate and difficult cases; clear aligners suit many cases, not all, and need the trays worn every day as asked. The comparison is set out point by point on this page, under Aligners or fixed braces?, and all the types are on Braces.

Can people see them?

They are usually hard to notice, but not completely hidden. Up close, or when the light catches them, they can be seen, and if small tooth-coloured bumps are bonded to some teeth, those show a little too. If how they look matters a lot for your work or for an occasion, say so at the examination, because it goes into the choice of type.

Can I eat with them in?

No, they come out before you eat. The trays come out for eating and for any drink other than water, and go straight back in afterwards. The good side is that there is no list of forbidden foods, because there are no brackets to break. Your day goes like this: out, eat, brush or rinse, back in. Plain water, not hot, is fine with them in. Food, or a sweet or coloured drink, taken with them in stays trapped under the tray against the tooth, which stains the tray and raises the chance of decay.

Do aligners work for adults?

Yes. Age is not a barrier. Teeth move at any age, as long as the bone and gum around them are healthy, and many of the people who ask about aligners are adults who do not want visible metal at work. What changes in an adult is not whether they work but how the plan is built: growth has finished, your mouth has a history of fillings and crowns, and the gums matter more. All of it is in Braces as an adult: age is not the barrier.

We suggest only the treatment you need, we tell you why, and we protect your tooth before we think about extraction.

Your next step

The examination. You find out whether aligners suit your case or fixed braces suit better. Whether you live around the corner or are only in Amman for a while, you then decide in your own time, with no pressure.

Book the examination Call

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Written by: RyanMedical review: Dr. Adnan Alakhras · pending approval

This page explains the procedure in general; it is not a diagnosis of your case. The decision is made at the examination, and the cost is discussed after the examination.