Clear Aligners and Braces

Clear aligners straighten teeth using a series of custom-moulded transparent trays instead of fixed brackets and wires. You wear each set for a couple of weeks before moving to the next, and each one shifts your teeth slightly closer to the target position.

The appeal is obvious: they're barely visible, and you take them out to eat and to brush. That makes them considerably easier to live with than fixed braces, particularly for adults who'd rather not spend a year or two in metal. It also makes keeping your teeth clean much simpler throughout treatment, which matters because crowded teeth are harder to floss and more prone to gum problems.

The catch is that they only work if you wear them. Aligners need around 20 to 22 hours a day to stay on schedule, and treatment stalls if they spend too long sitting in a drawer. They also aren't suitable for every case: more complex bite problems still respond better to fixed appliances.

Finding out whether they'd work for you

We'll assess your bite and tell you honestly whether aligners can achieve what you're after, or whether you'd be better served by another approach or a referral. Orthodontic treatment is included in the Canadian Dental Care Plan on paper, but that portion of the programme hasn't been implemented yet, so for now, we'll give you clear pricing upfront.