Clear Aligners in Metro Vancover

Clear aligner orthodontic treatment is a series of clear, custom aligners that straighten your teeth without metal wires or brackets.

Using advanced 3D computer imaging technology, we will create a personalized treatment plan to address your smile's specific needs.

Your clear aligners will then be manufactured to fit your teeth precisely during each stage of the treatment process. 

At Westview Orthodontics, we offer both Invisalign,^® and 3M™ Clarity™ Aligners for our teen and adult patients.

The features of clear aligners include:

• Smooth plastic construction for enhanced comfort
• A discreet, low-profile appearance
• Options for teens and adults
• Fewer appointments
• Removable for brushing, flossing and eating

Your clear aligner treatment will come in a series of clear plastic aligners. Each aligner in the series is designed to move specific teeth in tiny increments. You will wear each aligner for about two weeks (or as prescribed by your orthodontist) before replacing it with the next one in the series, which will pick up where the last one left off.

This process will continue until your teeth are in their prescribed, corrected positions.

The cost of clear aligner orthodontic treatment will depend on the severity of your case and how many aligners you'll need in your series to resolve it. The more severe or complex your misalignment is, the more aligners you will need to correct it, and the more your treatment will cost.

Concerns about cost are completely understandable. We offer low down payment and no-interest payment plans to help make orthodontic treatment affordable for all of our patients.

Visit our Payments & Financing page to learn more about what we do to help make orthodontic care more affordable for our patients. 

The answer to this question will depend on the nature and severity of your misalignment. Each case is different.

Based on a detailed evaluation of your teeth and bite during your initial consultation, your orthodontist will provide you with an accurate estimate of how long your treatment will last.

Your orthodontist will determine the approximate duration of your clear aligner treatment based on your smile's specific needs.

Factors that affect the duration of treatment include the nature and severity of the misalignment of your teeth or jaw. This determines the amount of movement that will be required to correct the problem, and how many aligners you will need to go through to accomplish this.

Clear aligners are made with USP Class VI medical-grade, high-molecular-weight polyurethane resins that are BPA-free.

Absolutely! Almost anyone with healthy teeth and gums is a potential candidate for clear aligners. There is no upper age limit for clear aligner treatment.

In fact, many adults are opting to undergo orthodontic treatment with clear aligners because of their discreet look, and the convenience of being able to remove them to eat, and to brush and floss.

Yes! Many teens are great candidates for clear aligners. In fact, there are clear aligners that are designed to meet the unique needs of teenagers.

For instance, Invisalign Teen has compliance indicators on them (tiny blue dots that fade away after the aligners have been worn consistently for two weeks) to help teens keep track of their treatment and when the aligners need to be changed out.

They also come with eruption tabs for tweens and younger teens whose adult teeth are still in the process of growing in. These provide space for second molars and prevent them from growing crooked.

Like any orthodontic treatment, clear aligners take a bit of getting used to at first. But we believe you will find that clear aligner treatment fits very comfortably into your daily routines.

Clear aligners can be removed whenever you need to eat, drink, brush and floss. That means no dietary restrictions, and you can maintain your normal oral hygiene routine.

Since the aligners are made of lightweight, clear plastic, they are almost invisible when worn, meaning your orthodontic treatment won't be that apparent to anyone but you.

You'll need to visit the orthodontist for a check up every 10-12 weeks, on average, during your clear aligner treatment. These appointments allow your orthodontist to assess your progress. If any refinements or adjustments are needed for your treatment, they may require some extra visits.

Clear aligners don't require any adjustments or tightening – you just switch to a new set of aligners as prescribed by your orthodontist – so you won't need to visit us for these types of appointments during your treatment.

When you first start treatment, your orthodontist will tell you exactly how often you should switch out your aligners. The frequency varies a bit among patients, but it's normally every two weeks or so.

Throughout your clear aligner treatment, you will remove your aligners to eat, so there aren't really any dietary restrictions with clear aligners.

We recommend you take your aligners out to drink any beverages other than water (things like pop, coffee, juice, Slurpees, etc.) to avoid staining, and so that sugars and acids don't get trapped between the aligners and your teeth.

There are a few different steps involved when it comes to keeping your clear aligners clean, but all in all it's pretty simple.

Rinse them off each time you take them out of your mouth to wash away dry saliva and plaque that may be beginning to develop.

Clean your aligners thoroughly each day using a soft toothbrush and some clear anti-bacterial soap or toothpaste. Be sure to brush your aligners gently so as not to scratch them. Once your aligners are clean, rinse the soap off thoroughly with cool water. Then you're done!

In addition to cleaning the aligners themselves, you should make extra sure that your mouth is nice and clean before you put them back in. This means brushing and flossing after each meal to ensure that no food particles get stuck between your teeth and the aligners. Trapped particles and bacteria can lead to bad breath, cavities and gum disease.

Whenever they aren't in your mouth, store your clear aligners in the case they come with. This will keep them safe and clean until it is time to put them back in.

Clear aligners can be worn during sporting activities.

Yes! You can easily wear your aligners while playing your instrument. However, it may take a little while to adjust to the presence of the aligners. There shouldn't be any concerns outside of the short adjustment period.

Clear aligners and braces are both effective orthodontic treatment options, but there are differences between them that may affect their suitability for different individuals.

The severity of misalignment of your bite will determine if you are a candidate for clear aligners. Should you have the option of either braces or aligners, we will review with you the benefits and limitations of each type of treatment.

Your orthodontist will assess your specific case and recommend the best treatment option for your needs.

Learn more about treatment options here.