Clear Aligners & Invisalign in Spalding

Treatment duration depends on your individual orthodontic needs and case complexity. Simple cases involving minor tooth movements or small gaps might be completed in just 3-6 months. Average cases with moderate crowding or spacing typically require 9-12 months. Complex cases needing substantial tooth movement, rotation correction, or bite adjustment may take 12-18 months or occasionally longer. During your free consultation at St Mary's Dental, we'll examine your teeth and provide an accurate, personalised timeline estimate.

Clear aligners don't cause pain, but you'll experience some pressure and tightness when you start each new set - this is actually a positive sign that they're actively working to move your teeth! This sensation is typically strongest for the first 24-48 hours, then diminishes as your teeth begin adjusting. Most Spalding patients find aligners far more comfortable than traditional metal braces, which often have sharp brackets and protruding wires that can irritate the soft tissues of your mouth.

For optimal results and to stay on track with your personalised treatment timeline, you must wear your clear aligners for 20-22 hours each day. Remove them only for eating meals, drinking anything except water, and your oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing. Patient compliance is absolutely critical to treatment success - wearing aligners less than recommended will significantly slow your progress and may compromise the quality of your final results.

Yes! This is one of the biggest advantages over fixed braces. Simply remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything except water. This means absolutely no dietary restrictions - you can enjoy sticky foods, hard foods, crunchy vegetables, popcorn, all the foods that are problematic or forbidden with traditional braces. Just remember to brush your teeth before reinserting aligners to maintain good oral hygiene and prevent staining.

Modern clear aligner systems like Invisalign can effectively treat a remarkably wide range of orthodontic problems including crowding, gaps between teeth, overbites, underbites, crossbites, rotated teeth, and general misalignment. However, extremely severe or highly complex cases may still require traditional fixed braces for optimal correction. We'll honestly assess your specific situation during your free consultation and advise whether clear aligners are suitable for your needs or if an alternative treatment approach would be better.

Contact our Spalding practice immediately if you lose or damage an aligner. Depending on where you are in your treatment sequence, we may advise moving forward to your next aligner, reverting to the previous set temporarily, or ordering a replacement from the laboratory. It's crucial not to go for extended periods without wearing aligners as teeth can shift back toward their original positions, potentially undoing weeks of orthodontic progress and delaying your treatment completion.

Clear aligner treatment at St Mary's Dental typically ranges from £2,500 for straightforward cases to £5,500 for complex treatments requiring extensive tooth movement or bite correction. Most Spalding patients invest £3,500-£4,500 depending on their individual orthodontic needs. We offer flexible payment plans from £99 per month, including interest-free finance options, to make treatment affordable and accessible. Your free consultation includes a detailed personalised quote with complete transparency about all costs involved.

Yes, retainers are absolutely essential for maintaining your beautiful straight smile long-term. After your teeth reach their ideal positions, they need to be held there while the surrounding bone, periodontal ligaments, and gum tissues adapt and stabilise in the new arrangement. We include custom retainers as part of your treatment package at St Mary's Dental. Most patients wear them full-time initially (typically 3-6 months), then transition to nighttime-only wear indefinitely to ensure teeth remain perfectly straight for life.