Who is Eligible for Clear Aligners and What Conditions Can They Treat?

Clear aligners are a smart method of straightening teeth without the drawbacks associated with other types of teeth straightening treatments. With each clear aligner tray in place, orthodontic patients can smile readily from the outset. Unlike traditional fixed metal braces, this innovative treatment aligns teeth quickly and effectively without causing further complications to a patient’s self-confidence. Convenience and health benefits make clear aligners a great choice for those who meet candidacy requirements.

Who is eligible for clear aligners?

To qualify for clear aligners or clear braces as they’re also known, prospective patients need to be assessed. Typically, this involves an examination of the mouth and teeth together with scans and x-rays to get a clear picture of the alignment of the jaws.

As much as we’d love for our clear aligners to work for everyone unfortunately, they don’t. So to find out if our invisible aligners are right for you, here are two factors that may point you in the right direction.

The problem you need to fix and its severity

In essence, this is the main determiner when deciding whether or not you’re a good candidate for invisible braces. Clear aligners struggle to fix cases that are highly complex, particularly those that involve one or a combination of malocclusions. In these instances, more advanced orthodontic procedures may be necessary.

Provided your dental problem isn’t overly severe, clear braces can treat a variety of situations including:

• Crowded teeth
• Gapped teeth
• Overbites
• Underbites
• Overjet
• Crossbites

If your case is too complex, other options such as fixed metal braces may be a better solution.

Your age 

Straight My Teeth clear aligners are a good choice for adults and teens from the age of 13 and upwards. They’re not suitable for younger children because their teeth are still growing and a better option for them is fixed metal braces.

Adults and teens particularly like clear aligners because they’re virtually invisible to other people. Teens often have enough to contend with at this stage of their lives without having to feel self-conscious sporting a mouth full of metal.

Adults also prefer clear braces but for different reasons. For example, they don’t want to feel like a kid amongst their work colleagues and besides, can you imagine carrying out an important business presentation wearing metal braces?

What issues can’t be treated with clear aligners?

We’ve already mentioned that aligners are not suited to handling complicated malocclusions but there are a few other dental issues that can affect candidacy as well as the functionality of clear removable braces.

Poor oral health 

Clear aligners are only intended to straighten teeth and can’t resolve other dental problems. These need to be resolved prior to starting clear aligner treatment. Your mouth needs to be free from gum disease and cavities. Receding gums can lead to other problems such as tooth loss which may mean that you aren’t a suitable candidate for clear braces.

Shape of your teeth

Some people are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth not just because of their alignment but because of their shape. Aligners find it difficult to grip to teeth that are pegged or have pointy ends and unfortunately, they’re unable to move the teeth into their correct position.

Severe overcrowding

While clear aligners can work for some cases of crowded teeth there are instances where they struggle. For instance, teeth may not rotate if there isn’t sufficient room in the mouth for them. Aligners will struggle to rotate a tooth that requires over 20% rotation. They are more proficient at rotating incisors, canines and premolars.

Often teeth tilt forwards or backwards to fit into a crowded mouth.  In these cases, should the tilt be more than 45 degrees, then clear aligners will find struggle to pull them into place.

Are you eligible for clear braces?

Clear braces for adults are a convenient choice in many instances although they do require commitment. If you lead a busy lifestyle, however, it can be a struggle remembering to remove your aligners and place them back in your mouth several times a day. Not wearing your aligners for sufficient hours can impact the treatment and it may take longer than first anticipated.

That said, at Straight My Teeth we want as many people as possible to benefit from clear braces in the UK which is why we also provide NightOnly clear aligners. These are designed to be worn … you’ve guessed …. only at night. Wear time is between 8 and 10 hours and treatment takes between 6-8 months.

What do braces cost?

While all types of braces can straighten teeth, prices vary from £1,500 to £6,000 depending on the type of braces chosen.

The good news is that at Straight My Teeth we’ve positioned our clear braces to be affordable for everyone without compromise. Check out the prices below.

• Invisible Aligners £1499
• NightOnly Aligners £1599

We also offer flexible payments and are currently running promotions on both types of aligners.

Achieve your perfect smile 

Want to know if you’re a suitable candidate for Straight My Teeth clear aligners?

Take a few minutes to fill in the assessment form and a member of our experienced team will get back to you to discuss your oral needs.

Treatment is supervised by UK dentists and orthodontists so you can trust your smile is in safe hands.