Is Invisalign right for you?

What aligners can treat

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, the problems most commonly treated with aligners include gaps between teeth, crowding, overbite, underbite, open bite, crooked teeth and crossbite.¹ The Canadian Association of Orthodontists notes that clear aligners are useful for some types of orthodontic problems, but not all.²

What the research says

Researchers have compared aligners and traditional braces in several systematic reviews (studies that pool the results of many trials). Their findings, in plain terms:

• Mild to moderate cases: for people who have stopped growing and have mild to moderate problems that don't require pulling teeth, a 2018 review found Invisalign a workable alternative to braces, though the studies it pooled varied a lot.³ A 2025 review found no significant difference in treatment quality or length between aligners and braces in cases without extractions, though the authors noted the studies varied and follow-up was short.⁴
• Not every review agrees: a 2020 review of studies in adults found braces gave better overall results than aligners.¹³
• Cases that need extractions: the same 2025 review found braces gave better results when teeth had to be removed to make space.⁴
• Harder movements: some tooth movements are less predictable with aligners, especially lengthening front teeth (extrusion) and turning rounded teeth, according to a 2015 review.⁵
• Extra aligners are common: most tooth movements may not be fully achieved with the first set of aligners alone,⁶ so extra sets (refinements) are often part of treatment.

The 2025 review's bottom line is a sensible one: how complex your case is, and how consistently you'll wear the aligners, should guide the choice.⁴

When aligners may not be the right fit

• You have active gum disease. It needs to be treated first.⁷
• You need a dental implant moved. Orthodontic treatment, including aligners, can't move implants.⁷
• You have a bridge joining two or more teeth, which may limit what aligners can do.⁸
• Your tooth roots are short or unhealthy.⁹
• You take certain medications or have medical conditions that affect how teeth move.⁷
• You don't think you can wear aligners 20 to 22 hours a day.⁷

Several of these limit braces and other orthodontic treatment too.^7,9

What aligners ask of you each day

Aligners only work while they're in your mouth. They come out to eat, to drink anything other than cool or lukewarm plain water, and to clean your teeth, and you brush before putting them back in.⁷ Expect your teeth to feel sore for a few days with each new set, and possibly a slight lisp for the first week or two.⁷ When treatment ends, you'll need a retainer to keep your teeth from drifting back, just as you would after braces.^8,14

Teens and adults

Orthodontic treatment can work at any age.¹⁰ The Canadian Association of Orthodontists says more than one in four Canadians in orthodontic treatment are over 21.¹¹ For teens, a parent or another responsible adult should help them follow the wear and care instructions.⁷ One thing to know: the 2018 review's conclusion applied only to people who have stopped growing.³ At Kreher Dental Clinic, we offer Invisalign to adults.

Questions to ask before you start

• What exactly is my bite problem, and how complex is it?
• Would braces be more predictable for my case?
• Will I need attachments, filing between teeth, or extractions?
• About how many aligners will I need?
• What does the fee include: refinements, replacement aligners, retainers?
• Does my dental plan cover orthodontics? It's often a separate benefit.¹²
• Will a general dentist or an orthodontist be treating me?

On that last question: a general dentist may provide basic orthodontic treatment or refer you to an orthodontist, a dentist who has completed a university post-graduate specialty program in orthodontics.¹⁰ Our dentists are general dentists, and we offer Invisalign for adults. See how Invisalign treatment works.