Powerful. Versatile. Practically invisible. Clear aligners like Invisalign and Linea are attractive orthodontic options for many Australians. But how do you know if they’re the best treatment for you? These customized plastic trays can treat a wide range of dental misalignments, so they’re often a viable option, although that depends on the brand you choose and your specific condition.

Key Takeaways

• Clear aligner treatments like Invisalign or Linea work well for a wide range of misalignments—but some people still aren’t ideal candidates. Learn more
• Clear aligners can correct crowding, spacing, and various bite issues, but may have trouble with severe overbite/underbite or rotated teeth. Learn more
• Treatment may or may not work for people with exceptionally complex misalignments, immovable dental implements, underlying conditions, and TMJ disorder. Learn more
• The only way to know for sure whether you’re a good candidate is to visit a dentist for an examination.

How to know if clear aligners will work

The most surefire way to determine your candidacy for Invisalign or similar treatments is to visit a dentist. They’ll examine your teeth to assess whether aligners can work for your specific misalignment—and if your teeth are even healthy enough for orthodontic treatment. Issues like cavities and gum disease can affect the process, so you’ll need to fix them first.

Originally, clear aligners weren’t quite as versatile as traditional braces, restricted in what they could treat. But a couple decades of technological advances have given manufacturers and dentists new materials, attachments, and tools to enhance their aligners. Now, experienced dentists and orthodontists can use clear aligners to treat almost all the misalignments braces can, including bite issues.

What can clear aligners treat?

No matter which brand of clear aligners you choose, you’ll get a series of plastic trays based on molds or scans of your teeth. You’ll wear each tray for around two weeks (20–22 hours per day), and each one will shift your teeth just a little more, until they’re perfectly straight. Dentists and orthodontists can outfit these clear aligners with elastics and other attachments that can improve their performance and help them tackle a wide range of misalignments. Plus, they can incorporate interproximal reduction (IPR)—removing small amounts of enamel between the teeth—to help teeth shift more easily. Here’s what Linea, Invisalign, and other clear aligners can usually treat:

• Mild-to-severe crowding
• Mild-to-severe spacing
• Mild to moderate rotated teeth
• Some cases of overbite, underbite, and crossbite
• Overjet
• Open bite
• Buck teeth

The sturdiness and consistency of braces might be a better fit for certain severe bite issues or tooth rotations, but the dentist or orthodontist can let you know where your case falls.

What about at-home aligners?

These are clear aligner brands that create treatment plans and aligners without requiring any trips to the dentist. It might sound convenient, but these companies can’t treat the same range of misalignments. Because there’s no in-person oversight, they can’t use attachments, IPR, intraoral scanners, and other technological advances that help facilitate precise dental shifts and correct complex misalignments. In fact, some at-home aligners brands say they only focus on mild-to-moderate misalignments front six teeth (“the social six”) instead of moving the entire dental arch—which is often necessary to ensure safe and effective dental shifts.

Who might not be a good candidate for clear aligners?

Chances are, clear aligners will work just fine for you. But here are some reasons you might consider looking into other options:

You have very complex misalignments

Clear aligners can go toe to toe with braces in most cases, but they’re not quite as effective for a few conditions—specifically severe overbites and underbites, rotated teeth, and small or misshapen teeth. If you have any of these, your orthodontist may recommend braces, crowns, or other treatments instead.

You have dental implants or bridges

You technically can get clear aligner treatment if you have them. However, these implements won’t move, and they might interfere with certain dental shifts. Let your orthodontist know if you have implants, bridges, crowns, or veneers during your initial consultation.

You have underlying conditions

As we mentioned earlier, you need healthy teeth and gums for effective aligner treatment. So you’ll have to address any existing tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, or other conditions before you begin.

You’re pregnant

Let’s be clear: It’s perfectly safe for the mother and baby to wear aligners during pregnancy. However, some hormones released during pregnancy can loosen the teeth. They may also cause gingivitis and other periodontal diseases. Plus, morning sickness can increase the risk of vomiting, which may also damage the teeth.

You have temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder

The temporomandibular joint connects your jaw to your skull, and TMJ disorder causes pain in the joint itself and the muscles that surround it. Clear aligners might alleviate this pain for some people. But for others, the treatment may aggravate it.

Other factors to consider

Just because someone can get aligners doesn’t mean they necessarily should. Linea or Invisalign might be able to correct your misalignment, but there are a few other things to consider, including:

Compliance

Moving teeth requires consistent pressure, so it’s crucial that you wear your aligners for 20–22 hours per day, every day. Otherwise, it could prolong treatment or derail it entirely. If you don’t think you’d be more likely to forget them on your dresser than wear them all day, an affixed appliance like braces might work better for you.

Budget

Linea is pretty affordable compared to many other orthodontic treatments, and payment plans can help break that cost into manageable chunks. Invisalign and braces can be more expensive, but it depends on your condition, orthodontist, location, and other factors. Regardless, teeth-straightening treatment is an investment, and you’ll want to make sure it works for your budget before diving in.

Timeline

Clear aligner treatment can take anywhere from 4–18+ months. While this primarily depends on the complexity of your misalignment, certain timelines might not work for everyone. There’s not a reliable way to speed up your treatment, but you could always wait until a more convenient time in your life to start.

Oral hygiene

Whether it’s clear aligners or braces, orthodontic treatment requires a little extra effort to keep your teeth clean, since you have to work around your appliances. Make sure you’re ready to adjust your oral hygiene routine before starting treatment.

How to get started with clear aligners

By now, you’ve probably got a good idea of whether you’re a good fit for clear aligner treatment. If so, your first step is to visit a dentist or orthodontist. But you need to make sure they offer the aligners you want. For example, if you choose Linea, their customer support team can help you find a dentist near you. This dentist will assess your teeth in person, and if they determine you’re a good fit, take scans of your teeth to help create your aligners.