How Do Clear Aligners Work?

How Do Clear Aligners Work?

5 January 2026

Aligners have revolutionised orthodontic treatment, offering a discreet and comfortable alternative to traditional braces. These clear, removable trays gradually shift your teeth into proper alignment through a series of precisely calculated movements. At The Briars Dental Centre, we specialise in using advanced aligner technology to create beautiful smiles for our patients throughout West Berkshire.

Unlike metal braces with their brackets and wires, aligners use custom-fitted, nearly invisible trays that apply gentle, consistent pressure to move teeth in a predetermined sequence. This innovative approach to orthodontic treatment offers both aesthetic advantages and impressive clinical results when properly planned and executed.

The Science Behind Tooth Movement

Aligners work by harnessing your body’s natural adaptive response to pressure. Here’s how this remarkable process unfolds:

1. Controlled Pressure: Each aligner applies precise pressure to specific teeth, targeting exactly which teeth need to move and in what direction.
2. Bone Remodelling: When sustained pressure is applied to a tooth, the surrounding bone tissue begins a process called remodelling. On the pressure side, bone cells called osteoclasts break down bone tissue.
3. New Bone Formation: On the opposite side, where tension is created, bone-building cells called osteoblasts form new bone tissue.
4. Gradual Movement: This coordinated breakdown and rebuilding of bone allows teeth to gradually shift position while remaining firmly anchored.
5. Sequential Changes: Each new aligner in your series continues this process, moving teeth incrementally until they reach their final, desired positions.

This biological process typically requires about 22 hours of wear time daily to maintain consistent pressure and achieve predictable results. Each aligner is usually worn for 1-2 weeks before progressing to the next in the series.

Key Components in Aligner Treatment

While the transparent trays are the most visible aspect of aligner therapy, several other components play crucial roles in achieving successful outcomes. Understanding these elements helps patients appreciate the sophistication behind their seemingly simple treatment.

Attachments: The Invisible Helpers

Attachments are small, tooth-coloured bumps that are temporarily bonded to specific teeth during aligner treatment. These unobtrusive features serve essential functions:

• Enhanced Grip: Attachments give aligners additional points of contact, allowing them to exert more precise force on teeth.
• Complex Movements: They enable more challenging tooth movements that wouldn’t be possible with aligners alone, such as rotation of round teeth or significant shifting of stubborn teeth.
• Strategic Placement: The number, shape, and position of attachments are carefully planned based on your specific treatment needs.

Typically made of composite resin (the same material used for tooth-coloured fillings), attachments are customised for each patient’s treatment plan. While slightly more visible than the aligners themselves, they remain far less noticeable than traditional braces.

IPR: Creating Essential Space

Interproximal Reduction (IPR), sometimes called tooth slenderising, is a technique that creates small amounts of space between teeth. This process is vital for several reasons:

• Resolving Crowding: By creating minimal space between select teeth, IPR helps resolve crowding without requiring tooth extraction.
• Precise Technique: Using special measuring tools and polishing instruments, your dentist removes tiny amounts of enamel (typically 0.1-0.5mm) from the sides of specific teeth.
• Enamel Preservation: The procedure is conservative, removing only a fraction of your enamel thickness, which naturally ranges from 1.5-2.5mm.
• Improved Stability: Research suggests that minor reduction between teeth can improve long-term stability of results.

Many patients wonder if IPR damages teeth. Rest assured that when performed correctly by experienced practitioners like our team at The Briars, the procedure is safe, painless, and doesn’t increase susceptibility to decay or sensitivity.

TADs: Advanced Anchoring

Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs) are small, screw-like implants that provide additional anchorage during orthodontic treatment. While not needed for every aligner case, they offer significant advantages for certain complex movements:

• Strategic Anchoring: TADs are temporarily placed in the jawbone to provide a fixed point against which teeth can move.
• Complex Corrections: They allow for tooth movements that would be difficult or impossible with aligners alone, such as significant intrusion (pushing teeth upward into the gums) or moving multiple teeth as a unit.
• Minimally Invasive: Despite sounding intimidating, the placement procedure is quick, performed under local anaesthesia, and typically causes minimal discomfort.
• Temporary Solution: TADs are removed once they’ve served their purpose, with the small insertion sites healing quickly.

At The Briars, our specialist orthodontists determine whether TADs would benefit your specific treatment plan during your comprehensive consultation.

The Aligner Treatment Journey

Understanding the complete aligner journey helps patients know what to expect from start to finish:

1. Consultation & Planning: Your journey begins with a thorough examination and digital scanning, replacing the traditional messy impressions of the past. Our specialists use advanced iTero scanning technology to create precise 3D models of your teeth.
2. Digital Treatment Design: Your scan is analysed to create a customised treatment plan, showing a virtual simulation of how your teeth will move throughout treatment.
3. Aligner Fabrication: Once approved, your custom aligners are manufactured using medical-grade, BPA-free plastic, precisely trimmed to fit your gum contours for comfort.
4. Initial Fitting & Instructions: You’ll receive your first set of aligners along with detailed care instructions. We’ll also place any necessary attachments at this appointment.
5. Regular Progress Checks: Throughout your treatment, you’ll have check-up appointments approximately every 8-12 weeks to monitor progress and receive new aligners.
6. Refinement (If Needed): After your initial series, additional aligners may be needed for fine-tuning your results.
7. Retention: Once treatment is complete, you’ll receive retainers to maintain your new smile, typically worn nightly.

Most patients complete their aligner treatment within 6-18 months, depending on the complexity of their case.

Common Questions About Aligners

How often must I wear my aligners?
For optimal results, aligners should be worn for 20-22 hours daily, removing them only for eating, drinking anything besides water, and oral hygiene.

Are aligners painful?
Most patients experience mild discomfort for 1-3 days when starting a new aligner, typically described as pressure rather than pain. This is actually a sign that your aligners are working effectively!

Can I eat and drink with aligners in?
You should remove aligners for eating and for drinking anything other than cool water. Hot beverages can warp the plastic, while sugary drinks can become trapped between the aligner and teeth, increasing decay risk.

How do I clean my aligners?
Clean aligners daily with a soft toothbrush and lukewarm water. Specialised aligner cleaning crystals or tablets can be used periodically for deeper cleaning. Avoid hot water, toothpaste, and coloured soaps, which can damage or discolour aligners.

Why Choose The Briars for Your Aligner Treatment

At The Briars Dental Centre, we bring together advanced technology and expertise to deliver exceptional aligner treatment results:

• Digital Precision: Our iTero scanning technology creates highly accurate digital impressions for better-fitting aligners and more predictable outcomes.
• Specialist Care: Our multidisciplinary team includes specialists with advanced training in orthodontics and complex cases.
• Personalised Approach: We take time to understand your specific concerns and goals, creating truly customised treatment plans.
• Comprehensive Support: From your first consultation through to retention, our friendly team provides guidance and support throughout your journey.

Whether you’re considering aligners for the first time or looking to refine previous orthodontic work, we invite you to book a free TCO consultation to discover how aligners could transform your smile.

For more information about clear aligner technology, check out the British Orthodontic Society here!

If you’re interested in learning about other treatment options at The Briars, contact our team with any questions.