Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear, removable aligners rather than fixed braces. At 72 Dental in Coulsdon, the process starts with a digital iTero scan, a ClinCheck preview of your finished smile, then aligners you change roughly every two weeks. As of July 2026, the practice’s Invisalign-certified clinicians guide you through every stage.
Most people imagine it is more complicated than it is. So let us walk through it, start to finish.
Step one, the scan that replaces the gooey impressions
Years ago, planning any kind of orthodontics meant biting into a tray of cold, claggy putty and trying not to gag. Those days are over here.
72 Dental uses an iTero intraoral scanner, a small wand that takes thousands of images of your teeth and builds an accurate 3D model on screen in minutes. No putty, no gagging, no waiting for a mould to set. The scan is quick, comfortable, and you can watch your own teeth appear in front of you as the wand moves.
That digital model is the foundation for everything that follows. It is precise to a degree a physical impression never managed, which matters when you are planning to move teeth fractions of a millimetre at a time.
Step two, seeing your finished smile before you commit
Here is the part that wins people over.
From the iTero scan, your clinician builds a ClinCheck plan, a 3D simulation that maps out how your teeth will move, stage by stage, from where they are now to where they will end up. You see a preview of your likely final result before you have committed to a single aligner.
That is genuinely useful. You are not handed a vague promise and asked to trust it. You can look at the projected outcome, ask questions, and talk through what is realistic for your particular teeth. If something about the plan needs adjusting, that conversation happens now, on screen, not halfway through treatment.
Step three, your aligners arrive
Once you are happy with the ClinCheck plan, your custom aligners are manufactured and sent to the practice. Each set is a thin, clear, BPA-free plastic tray moulded to fit your teeth at that particular stage of the plan.
You wear each set for around two weeks, then swap to the next. Every change nudges your teeth a little closer to the planned position. The aligners are nearly invisible in everyday life, which is the whole appeal for adults who would rather not spend a year or more in metal braces.
You take them out to eat, drink anything other than water, and to brush. Otherwise they stay in, ideally for 20 to 22 hours a day. That last number is the one that decides your result, and we will come back to it.
Step four, short check-ins along the way
You are not left to get on with it alone. Every six to eight weeks or so, you pop back in for a quick review.
These appointments are brief. Your clinician checks the teeth are tracking the way the ClinCheck plan predicted, hands over your next batch of aligners, and adds or adjusts any small tooth-coloured attachments if the plan calls for them. Those attachments are little bumps of composite that give the aligners something to grip, helping certain teeth rotate or tip in ways smooth plastic alone cannot manage.
If anything is drifting off plan, this is where it gets caught and corrected early.
Step five, retainers, the bit people forget
When the active aligners have done their work, you are not quite finished. Teeth have a memory, and left to their own devices they will slowly try to drift back.
That is why retainers matter. At the end of treatment your clinician fits or provides retainers, often a clear set worn at night, sometimes a thin wire bonded behind the teeth, to hold the result. Wearing them as advised is the difference between a straight smile that lasts and one that quietly relapses over a few years. Skip this step and you undo the work.
How Invisalign compares with fixed braces
It helps to see the two side by side, because Invisalign is not automatically right for everyone.
| Feature | Invisalign clear aligners | Fixed metal or ceramic braces |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Nearly invisible | Visible, though ceramic is subtler |
| Removable | Yes, for eating and cleaning | No, fixed for the whole treatment |
| Eating | No food restrictions | Avoid hard and sticky foods |
| Cleaning | Brush and floss as normal | More fiddly around brackets and wires |
| Relies on | You wearing them 20 to 22 hours daily | The braces being fixed in place |
| Best for | Mild to moderate cases, motivated adults | Some complex movements braces handle well |
Both straighten teeth. The right choice depends on your case and your discipline, which is exactly what an assessment is for. You can read more about the practice’s approach to teeth straightening to weigh up the options.
Who guides your treatment
This is not a treatment you order off a shelf. 72 Dental has Invisalign-certified clinicians, including Dr Mohsin, who combines orthodontics with aesthetic dentistry and has trained in clear aligner treatment. The practice sits on Brighton Road, the modern face of a Coulsdon address that has cared for the area for over a century, so the planning behind your case is done by an experienced clinician, not an app.
That clinical judgement is what separates a good result from a disappointing one. Software plans the movements, but a trained clinician decides what is realistic, spots problems the simulation cannot, and adjusts as your teeth respond in real life.
What does Invisalign cost?
Invisalign fees in the UK vary widely with how much movement your teeth need, typically ranging from a couple of thousand pounds for a short, simple case to several thousand for a fuller correction. Shorter cases that fix mild crowding sit at the lower end, while complex cases needing many aligners cost more. Your exact fee follows your assessment and scan, and finance can spread the cost. You can review the practice’s finance options and the Invisalign page before you come in.
FAQ
How long does Invisalign take?
It depends on your case. A mild correction might take six months or so, while a fuller case can run 12 to 18 months or longer. Your ClinCheck plan gives an estimate at the start, based on how far your teeth need to move. Wearing the aligners 20 to 22 hours a day keeps treatment on schedule, since the time depends heavily on consistent wear.
Does Invisalign hurt?
Most people feel mild pressure or tenderness for a day or two after switching to a new set of aligners, which is the feeling of your teeth moving. It is usually described as an ache rather than pain, and it settles quickly. It is far gentler than the rubbing some people get from fixed braces, and ordinary pain relief handles it easily if needed.
Will anyone notice I am wearing them?
Rarely. The aligners are clear, thin, and moulded to your teeth, so in normal conversation most people will not spot them. Any tooth-coloured attachments are small and blend in. That discretion is the main reason adults choose Invisalign over visible braces, especially for work or social situations where metal brackets would feel awkward.
Can I eat normally with Invisalign?
Yes, because you take the aligners out to eat. There are no food restrictions, unlike fixed braces where hard and sticky foods can damage the brackets. The rule is simple, remove the aligners for anything other than water, then brush before you put them back in. This keeps both your teeth and the aligners clean and stain-free.
What happens if I lose an aligner?
Tell the practice straight away. Depending on where you are in the plan, your clinician may advise moving to the next set, going back to the previous one, or ordering a replacement. It is one reason the regular check-ins matter. Keeping your previous aligner until the next set is comfortably settled gives you a useful backup if one goes missing.
What to do next
If you have been weighing up straighter teeth without the look of metal braces, the first step is a consultation with an iTero scan, where a clinician shows you a ClinCheck preview of your likely result and explains whether Invisalign suits your case.
Call 72 Dental in Coulsdon on 020 8660 3308 or use the contact page to book. You might also like to try the selfie smile assessment to get a first idea of your options.
