How do clear aligners work?

The science in one paragraph

Teeth sit in bone that remodels under steady, gentle pressure. Each aligner is shaped slightly differently from your current tooth position, so it presses teeth a small distance in a planned direction. When the teeth reach that position, you move to the next aligner. Alignova aligners use a three-layer material designed to keep that pressure gentle and consistent through each stage.

Step 1: Consultation

A dentist examines your teeth, gums and bite, and discusses what you want to change. This is where suitability is decided.

Step 2: 3D scan

Your dentist takes a digital scan of your teeth with an intraoral scanner, or traditional impressions. The scan is uploaded securely to our doctor portal.

Step 3: Digital treatment planning

Our planning team designs your movement stage by stage in 3D, including any attachments or IPR. Your dentist reviews the plan, requests changes if needed, and approves it. You can see how your teeth are planned to move before anything is made.

Step 4: Manufacturing

Your aligners are 3D-printed models, thermoformed, trimmed along the gum line, checked and packaged in order, then sent to your dentist.

Step 5: Wearing your aligners

• Wear them about 20 to 22 hours a day.
• Remove them to eat and drink anything except water.
• Brush before putting them back in.
• Change to the next aligner when your dentist says.

Step 6: Check-ins and monitoring

Your dentist checks progress at visits, and with the Alignova patient app you can log wear and send progress photos at each aligner change for your dentist to review. See aligner monitoring.

Step 7: Retainers

When the active treatment ends, retainers hold your teeth in their new position. Wearing them as advised is what keeps your result.