Invisalign, Balsall Common
Clear aligners that straighten your teeth without a fixed brace
Invisalign straightens teeth with a series of clear, removable plastic aligners instead of a fixed brace. Each aligner moves your teeth a small amount; you wear it for 20 to 22 hours a day, then move on to the next in the series. At The Dental Barn the consultation is free, and your dentist gives you the price for your own case at it.
This page explains what Invisalign can and cannot fix, how the treatment runs from the first scan to the retainers at the end, what wearing aligners is like day to day, what it costs here, and the questions people ask us before they book.
Is it right for your teeth?
What Invisalign can fix, and what it cannot
Invisalign works well for the problems most adults come in with:
- Crowded teeth, where there is not enough room and teeth overlap or twist.
- Gaps between teeth.
- Crooked or drifted front teeth, including teeth that have moved since braces as a teenager.
- Many bite problems, such as an overbite or crossbite, within limits.
It is not the best tool for everything. Teeth that need very large rotations, teeth that need to move a long way up or down, and problems in how the jaws themselves meet are usually better treated with fixed braces, which grip each tooth and can apply forces a plastic aligner cannot. If that is your case, your dentist says so at the consultation and explains the alternative.
The other thing that decides whether Invisalign is right for you is wear time. The aligners only move teeth while they are in. If you know you will not keep them in for 20 hours a day, a fixed brace does the work without asking you to remember anything.
Start to finish
How the treatment works
- Free consultation and 3D scan. Your dentist examines your teeth and bite and scans them in 3D with the practice's intraoral scanner. X-rays are taken if they are needed to plan safely.
- Your plan and your price. The scan is used to plan how each tooth will move and how many aligners that will take. You are told what your treatment involves, roughly how long it should take, and what it costs, before you decide anything.
- Your aligners are made. The whole series is manufactured to your plan. Some teeth may need small tooth-coloured attachments bonded to them so the aligners can grip and move them properly; these come off at the end.
- Wearing them. You wear each aligner 20 to 22 hours a day, taking it out to eat, to drink anything other than water, and to brush. You change to the next aligner in the series when your dentist tells you to, usually every one to two weeks.
- Check-ups during treatment. You come in at intervals so your dentist can check the teeth are moving as planned and hand over the next aligners.
- Retainers. When the teeth are where they should be, you wear retainers to hold them there, because teeth drift back over the years after any straightening. Removable retainers are £150 per arch.
Living with aligners
What it is like day to day
Comfort. Each new aligner feels tight for a day or two, because it is moving your teeth. That settles as the teeth catch up. There are no wires or brackets to rub the inside of your mouth.
Eating and drinking. Aligners come out for meals and for any drink other than water; hot and coloured drinks warp and stain them. Brush or rinse before they go back in, so food is not trapped against your teeth.
Talking. Some people have a slight lisp for the first few days with a new aligner. It goes as your tongue adjusts.
Cleaning. Brush the aligners gently with a soft brush and cool water when you brush your teeth. Hot water bends them.
Being seen. The aligners are clear and fit closely, so most people do not notice them at a normal talking distance. Attachments, if you need them, are tooth-coloured and visible only close up.
What it costs
Invisalign prices at The Dental Barn
Invisalign starts from £999. The price depends on how much movement your teeth need, so the figure for your own case is confirmed at the free consultation, before you commit to anything. These are the prices from our fee guide:
| ALIGNMENT | |
|---|---|
| Invisalign® | Private fees |
| Invisalign® Express (up to 7 aligners) | from £999 |
| Invisalign® Lite (up to 14 aligners) | from £999 |
| Invisalign® Moderate (up to 20 aligners) | from £999 |
| Invisalign® Comprehensive (20+ aligners) | from £999 |
| Removable retainers (per arch) | £150 |
| Before you start | |
| Invisalign® aligner consultation | Free** |
| Small x-ray | £9.50 |
| OPG large x-ray | £65 |
| CBCT scan | £125 |
** The consultation is free and held with a refundable deposit, returned when you attend. It is lost on a no-show or a cancellation inside 24 hours.
Retainers at the end are £150 per arch, so allow £300 for top and bottom. Which x-ray or scan you need, if any, is a clinical decision made at the consultation. On one of our membership plans (Silver, Gold or Platinum) you get 10% off treatment; the plan documents list the exclusions.
Invisalign or fixed braces?
How the two compare
| Invisalign | Fixed braces | |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear plastic aligners; hard to see at a normal distance. | Brackets and a wire on the teeth, visible. |
| Removable? | Yes. Out for eating, drinking and brushing. | No. Fixed on for the whole treatment. |
| What it depends on | You wearing them 20 to 22 hours a day. | Nothing you have to remember; the brace works all the time. |
| Eating and cleaning | Eat and brush as normal with the aligners out. | Some foods to avoid; more care needed brushing around brackets. |
| Best suited to | Crowding, gaps, crooked front teeth, many bite problems. | Large rotations, big vertical movements, jaw-position problems. |
| Price here | From £999. | Quoted at the consultation. |
Neither is better for everyone. Your dentist tells you at the consultation which suits your teeth, and if you already know aligners would end up in a drawer, say so; that answers the question on its own.
Your dentists
Who provides Invisalign at The Dental Barn
Dr Sarah Lynn, Associate Dentist
Special interests in Invisalign® and composite bonding, with additional qualifications in both. Sarah started as a dental nurse, qualified as a hygienist and therapist, lectured at Birmingham School of Hygiene and Therapy, and graduated as a dentist in 2010. She has over 15 years in practice.
Dr Aadam Binamin, Principal Dentist
BDS PGDip, GDC 265535. Aadam plans treatment digitally with the practice's 3D facial and oral scanners and smile design software, which is how your Invisalign plan is built.
The whole team is on the team page; the practice and its approach on the about page; everything else we do on the treatments page.
Before you book
Questions people ask about Invisalign
Does Invisalign hurt?
Not in the way people fear. When you start a new set of aligners your teeth feel tight or tender for a day or two, because the aligner is moving them. That eases as the teeth settle. There are no wires or brackets to rub your cheeks.
How long does Invisalign take?
It depends on how far your teeth need to move. Small corrections take a few months; bigger ones can take a year or more. Your dentist tells you the expected length of your own treatment at the consultation, once your teeth have been scanned.
How many hours a day do I wear the aligners?
20 to 22 hours a day. You take them out to eat, to drink anything other than water, and to brush and floss, then put them straight back in. The aligners only move your teeth while they are in, so wear time is what decides how well the treatment works.
Can I eat and drink with Invisalign in?
Water is fine. For anything else, take the aligners out first: food and hot or coloured drinks damage and stain them. Then brush, or at least rinse, before they go back in.
Will people notice I am wearing them?
Most people will not, unless you tell them. The aligners are clear plastic that fits closely over your teeth. Some cases need small tooth-coloured attachments bonded to a few teeth to help the aligners grip; these are visible close up but not from a normal talking distance.
What can Invisalign fix, and what can it not?
Crowded teeth, gaps, crooked front teeth and many bite problems. Teeth that need very large rotations or long vertical movements, and problems in how the jaws themselves meet, are often better treated with fixed braces. Your dentist tells you which applies to you at the consultation.
How much does Invisalign cost?
At The Dental Barn it starts from £999. The price depends on how much movement your teeth need, so the figure for your own case is confirmed at the free consultation. Retainers afterwards are £150 per arch. Every price is in the fee guide.
Is Invisalign available on the NHS?
No. Invisalign is private treatment everywhere in the UK. Ours starts from £999.
Do I need retainers afterwards?
Yes. Teeth drift back over the years after any straightening, so a retainer holds the result. Our removable retainers are £150 per arch.
What happens if I lose or break an aligner?
Call the practice on 01676 611000. Depending on where you are in the plan you may be told to go back to the previous set or move on to the next one while a replacement is arranged. Do not skip ahead without asking.
Can I pay monthly?
Ask at the consultation. Our prices are published in full in the fee guide; we do not advertise finance terms on this page that we have not shown you first.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. We hold it with a refundable deposit, which comes back to you when you attend. It is only lost on a no-show or a cancellation inside 24 hours, because that slot cannot be filled at short notice.
Book the free consultation 01676 611000 · contact page
The Dental Barn, Fernhill Court, 4 Balsall Street East, Balsall Common, CV7 7FR · [email protected]
Contact Us
Fernhill Court
4 Balsall Street East
Balsall Common
CV7 7FR
