INVISALIGN

Invisalign and Clear Aligners: Will They Work for My Teeth?

Name: Invisalign and clear aligners: will they work for my teeth?
Creator: Sunmin Kim

Treated by Dr. Sunmin Kim (board-certified orthodontist) · Reviewed by Dr. Sunmin KimAbout the doctor →

Last reviewed October 29, 2026 · Dr. Sunmin Kim (board-certified orthodontist, Certified Orthodontist of the Korean Association of Orthodontists)

At a glance

Good for: Tipping teeth or moving them a little, such as crowded front teeth, gaps, or minor relapse
Treatment flow: Sort out the movements needed → decide on clear aligners or auxiliaries → change aligners stage by stage
Duration and limits: Wear 20–22 hours a day; visit usually once every 2–3 months

Details

Clear aligners work well for tipping teeth or moving them a little, such as crowded front teeth, gaps between front teeth, or minor relapse after earlier braces. We also use Invisalign for extraction cases and for moving the whole dental arch back. Movements that push a tooth into the gum, move a tooth bodily with its root, or rotate it a lot can be harder than with brackets or may need auxiliaries. You need to wear the aligners 20–22 hours a day for the teeth to move as planned, and you usually visit once every 2–3 months. At Ceramic Dental Clinic, a board-certified orthodontist first sorts out the movements your teeth need, then tells you whether clear aligners will do, whether auxiliaries should be added, or whether another appliance would work better.

01^°

Even with clear aligners, we chose different appliances and stages depending on the movement needed

When only the front teeth need aligning and when extraction spaces must be closed, the type of appliance, the number of stages and the auxiliaries all differ. Here are three typical situations shown with real cases.

CASE01

Front teeth crooked again after earlier braces

Clear aligners · upper front teeth only, with slight reshaping between teeth to make space

Upper occlusal view before treatment, with the upper front teeth crooked again — Upper teeth before treatment. The front teeth had become crooked again after earlier braces.

Upper occlusal view after treatment, with the upper front teeth evenly aligned — Upper teeth after treatment. We aligned the crooked front teeth using space made by slightly reshaping between the teeth.

Condition: Crooked upper front teeth from relapse after braces; stable bite on the back teeth
Chosen: Invisalign, reshaping between the front teeth
Not done: Full orthodontics (there was no need to change the back-tooth bite)
Duration: About 6 months
Note: Without retainers, the teeth can become crooked again.

CASE02

Snaggletooth together with rotated front teeth

Invisalign · attachments to let the aligners grip the teeth, and arch widening to make space without extraction

Upper occlusal view before treatment, with a lateral incisor turned inward at an angle — Upper teeth before treatment. The canine stood out, and the lateral incisor was rotated at an angle.

Upper occlusal view after treatment, with the upper teeth evenly aligned — Upper teeth after treatment. The rotated front tooth was turned step by step using a small bump (attachment) bonded to the tooth.

Condition: Snaggletooth and rotated front teeth without a large lack of space
Chosen: Invisalign, attachments, arch widening and reshaping between teeth
Not done: Extraction (the lack of space was only a few mm)
Duration: About 14 months

CASE03

Protruding mouth needing extraction, but visible braces were a concern

Invisalign extraction treatment · checking the root angle of the front teeth throughout space closure

Before · Apr 2023

Before treatment. The front teeth were tipped forward and the mouth looked protruding, so premolar extraction was needed.

After · Nov 2025

After treatment. We moved the front teeth back while closing the extraction spaces and re-planned partway through to keep the front teeth from tipping back.

Condition: Dental protrusion; wanted to avoid visible braces
Chosen: Premolar extraction, Invisalign, mini-screws, elastics if needed
Duration: About 2.5 years
Note: In extraction cases with clear aligners, the front teeth tend to tip back if wearing time is short, so several mid-course rescans may be needed.
Key point: While closing spaces, we must keep checking how the tooth axes move. That is why the design of the first plan matters most.

* Photos were taken under the same conditions and published with the patients' consent. Treatment results and side effects may vary from person to person.

02^°

Clear aligners handle some movements well and others with difficulty

Clear aligners move teeth by wrapping around them and pushing from the outside. So they are good at tipping the crown of a tooth, but moving a tooth farther out of the gum (extrusion) or moving it bodily with its root needs help such as small bumps bonded to the teeth (attachments) or elastics.

01Movements they handle well

Tipping front teeth into line, closing gaps between front teeth, fixing mild crowding, widening the arch a little, and moving the back teeth a few mm back. They also suit fixing minor relapse after earlier braces.

02Difficult movements

Pulling a short tooth out of the gum, rotating round canines or premolars a lot, and moving teeth bodily while closing extraction spaces. These may need auxiliaries, or brackets may work better.

Occlusal view with the attachments on the outer surfaces of the upper teeth circled — Attachments bonded to the teeth (circled). They keep the clear aligner from slipping on the teeth so it can apply rotating or extruding forces.

Front view of the mouth wearing clear aligners — Wearing clear aligners. Up close you can see the edges, but they are hard to notice at a normal talking distance.

The first thing to check when choosing clear aligners is how many difficult movements are mixed into the movements your teeth need.

03^°

How clear aligner treatment works

There are six steps, from the examination to retainers. For each step, we explain what we check and why, with real clinical photos.

Front view of a 3D model made from the scanned teeth before treatment — A 3D model of the teeth before treatment, made with the iTero intraoral scanner. Instead of taking impressions, we scan the mouth for a few minutes.

STEP 01

We sort out the movements needed with a full examination and 3D scan

We take facial and intraoral photos, a side-view X-ray of the face (cephalogram) and a panoramic X-ray, and if needed, a 3D CT to see the roots and bone thickness. The tooth model is made with the iTero intraoral scanner.

Then, for each tooth, we decide which movement is needed: tipping, rotating, extruding or bodily movement.

Why we do thisWhether clear aligners suit you depends less on how many teeth are crooked and more on what kind of movement is needed. If many difficult movements are needed, we plan auxiliaries from the start or recommend a different appliance.

Planning screen of the upper teeth, with the starting and target positions overlaid — Tooth movement planning screen. We overlay the starting (blue) and target (white) arches and check how many mm and degrees each tooth will move.

STEP 02

We decide the number of stages and auxiliaries while reviewing the planning screen

The doctor personally checks and corrects the tooth movement plan, making sure no tooth moves too much in one stage and the attachments are in the right places. We go through the planning screen with you during the consultation.

We mainly use Seraphin clear aligners when only the front teeth need aligning, and Invisalign when the target is far away, such as extraction cases or moving the whole arch back.

Why we do thisOn the planning screen every tooth seems to move exactly, but real teeth sometimes follow less than planned. We plan difficult movements slowly over more stages and build in a little extra movement in advance.

Front view of the mouth with attachments bonded and clear aligners in place — On the day you get your first aligner, we bond attachments with tooth-colored material. When you finish all the aligners, we remove them and polish the tooth surface smooth.

STEP 03

We bond attachments and fit your first aligner

We bond tooth-colored bumps to the planned teeth and, if needed, reshape between the teeth by about 0.1–0.5mm to make space. We show you how to put the aligners in and take them out, and the order for eating and brushing.

You usually move to the next aligner every 1–2 weeks.

Why we do thisClear aligners slip easily on smooth tooth surfaces. The attachments must act as handles for rotating or extruding forces to work properly. Reshaping between teeth is done only within the thickness of the enamel, and the reshaped surfaces are finished smooth.

Front view of the mouth with clear aligners fitting the teeth — Regular check-up. We check that the aligners fit the teeth snugly and whether any tooth is not following the plan.

STEP 04

Every 2–3 months we check that the aligners fit your teeth

Visits are usually once every 2–3 months. We look for gaps between the aligner and the teeth, attachments that have come off, and teeth moving more slowly than planned.

Why we do thisWith clear aligners, the time you wear them is the time orthodontic force is applied. If you wear them less than 20 hours a day, the teeth cannot keep up and the aligners start to lift off. Spotting this sign early lets us decide whether you can move on to the next aligner.

3D model of the tooth positions rescanned partway through treatment — Mid-course rescan. From the actual tooth positions in the new scan (left), we plan only the remaining movement (right).

3D model of the target positions for the additional aligners — Mid-course rescan. From the actual tooth positions in the new scan (left), we plan only the remaining movement (right).

STEP 05

If the teeth differ from the plan, we rescan and make additional aligners

If the teeth do not follow the plan, we rescan partway through and make a new plan for the remaining movement. In extraction cases or cases with many rotations, one or two re-plans like this are common.

Why we do thisIf you push the first plan through to the end, teeth that are off track get further off track. Resetting to the actual positions partway through shortens the overall treatment time.

Front view of the mouth on the day the attachments were removed and the surfaces polished — The day the attachments were removed and the tooth surfaces polished. After this, we use clear retainers and a thin wire behind the front teeth as the situation requires.

STEP 06

We remove the attachments and hold the result with retainers

When the teeth reach the planned positions, we remove the attachments, polish the tooth surfaces and give you retainers. For 2 years after treatment, retainer check-ups and adjustments are included in the orthodontic fee.

Why we do thisTeeth moved with clear aligners tend to move back, just like teeth moved with brackets. Teeth that were rotated a lot keep this pull for a long time, so you need to wear your retainers consistently.

* Clinical photos were published with the patients' consent. Side effects such as temporary pain or discomfort may occur depending on the person.

For 1–2 days after your first aligner or after moving to the next stage, your teeth may feel sore and you may lisp slightly.

04^°

How do we decide whether clear aligners suit you?

We look at the five points below together. If even one applies, we add auxiliaries or compare with other appliances and explain.

Type of movement needed · Mostly tipping suits aligners well; a lot of extruding, heavy rotation or bodily movement makes it harder.
Size of extraction spaces · Treatment that closes extraction spaces is possible, but frequent re-planning is needed to keep the front teeth from tipping back.
Skeletal difference · If the difference between the upper and lower jaws is large, orthodontic treatment alone can change only a little, whatever the appliance.
Wearing time · We check whether your lifestyle allows 20–22 hours of wear a day.
Teeth grinding and gum condition · Heavy grinding wears the aligners quickly, and gum inflammation is treated first.

05^°

Comparing orthodontic appliances

	Invisalign	Seraphin clear aligners	Ceramic braces	Lingual braces
Visibility	Clear aligners; only the edges show up close	Clear aligners; only the edges show up close	Tooth-colored brackets, less noticeable than metal	Bonded behind the teeth, almost invisible from outside
Works well for	Distant targets, such as extraction cases or moving the whole arch back	Aligning only the front teeth	Most movements, including heavy rotation and bodily movement	Most movements, when the braces must not be seen
Difficulties	Extruding, heavy rotation and bodily movement may need auxiliaries	Not suited to moving the whole arch toward a distant target	The braces show a little	Tongue discomfort and speech changes in the first few weeks; harder to clean
Your part	Wear 20–22 hours a day	Wear 20–22 hours a day	Avoid hard foods; brush carefully	Avoid hard foods; brush carefully
Eating and brushing	Take them out to eat; put them back in after brushing	Take them out to eat; put them back in after brushing	Eat with the braces on; use interdental brushes	Eat with the braces on; use interdental brushes
Visit interval	Usually 2–3 months	Usually 2–3 months	Usually once a month	Usually once a month
Cost	See the fee schedule →	See the fee schedule →	See the fee schedule →	See the fee schedule →

06^°

Who clear aligners suit, and when another appliance is better

Good for you if

You have crowded front teeth, gaps between front teeth, or minor relapse after braces
Visible braces are a big concern for you
You live abroad or outside Seoul and want longer visit intervals
You can wear the aligners 20–22 hours a day

Other treatment comes first

Gum inflammation: we treat the gums first
Jaw joint pain: we manage the pain first
Cavities: we scan after treating them (if a filling changes the tooth shape, the aligners will not fit)

Another appliance may be better

When short teeth need substantial extrusion (movement farther out of the gum) or round teeth need substantial rotation
When extraction spaces are large and the front teeth must move back a lot, but keeping to the wearing time is difficult
When the skeletal difference is large and surgical orthodontics should also be considered

07^°

Self-check

I can wear aligners for 20 hours or more a dayI can take out the aligners and brush every time I eat or snackMy teeth are not badly rotatedMy mouth does not seem to protrude so much that extraction would be neededI do not grind my teeth hard in my sleepI can keep my aligners in a case so I don't lose them

If most of these apply, clear aligners are likely to suit you. You can also send us photos of your teeth first.

08^°

Side effects and limits

Please read

· If you do not wear the aligners long enough, the teeth will not move as planned, and you will need more aligners and more time.

· It is common for the actual tooth positions to differ from the plan, so that we rescan partway through and make additional aligners.

· For the first few days and for 1–2 days after each aligner change, you may feel pressure and notice changes in your speech.

· Drinking sugary drinks often with the aligners in raises the risk of cavities. Take the aligners out for anything other than water.

· Attachments may come off or become discolored.

· Shortening of tooth roots or gum recession can occur with orthodontic treatment regardless of the appliance type.

· If you lose or break an aligner, it must be made again.

FAQ

Can clear aligners be used for extraction cases?

Yes, Invisalign can be used for extraction cases. But to keep the front teeth from tipping back while the extraction spaces close, you must wear the aligners as instructed, and a mid-course re-plan is often needed. After the examination, we explain how this compares with bracket braces.

How many hours a day do I need to wear clear aligners?

20–22 hours a day. Take them out only to eat and brush. If they are out for longer, the teeth cannot keep up with the aligners and treatment takes longer.

What is the difference between Invisalign and Seraphin clear aligners?

We usually use Seraphin clear aligners when only the front teeth need to be aligned, and Invisalign when the target is far away, such as extraction cases or moving the whole arch back. The visit interval is similar, the cost is different, and both are listed on our fee schedule.

Visiting from abroad

Questions from patients who travel to Seoul for treatment.

How much does Invisalign cost?

Invisalign is KRW 8,500,000. The fee may be lower depending on the number of steps, and an extra fee may apply if ceramic brackets are added for fine bite adjustment. The orthodontic fee includes the orthodontic diagnosis, extraction (except wisdom teeth), mini-screws, basic retainers and retention care for 2 years. If you have only the diagnosis and do not start treatment, it is KRW 50,000 (KRW 100,000 if a CT scan is needed). If a retainer breaks or is lost later, remaking it costs extra. International and Korean patients pay the same fees. We explain the total before treatment starts. See our fee schedule.

How often do I need to visit if I live abroad?

After you receive your aligners, you visit once every 2–3 months. Between visits, we check by photo only if something comes up. The total treatment time depends on your bite and whether teeth are extracted, and we explain it after the examination.

Can I have my consultation in English?

Yes. The doctor in charge of each field consults with you directly in English. For orthodontics, this is Dr. Sunmin Kim, a board-certified orthodontist. Before you travel, you can send photos of your teeth on WhatsApp or by email. An accurate diagnosis is made after we examine you in person.

What happens after treatment?

You need retainers after treatment, because teeth tend to move back. Retention care for 2 years is included in the orthodontic fee. If you lose or break an aligner, message us on WhatsApp early, because remaking takes time.

Results, the number of visits and schedules vary from person to person. More questions: Visiting from abroad.

OrthodonticsCan I straighten just my front teeth?→OrthodonticsI had braces before and want to redo them→OrthodonticsMy mouth looks like it sticks out→OrthodonticsHow are ceramic braces different?→OrthodonticsCan I have braces bonded behind my teeth?→OrthodonticsOrthodontics: where and how should I get treatment?→

Treatment results and side effects may vary from person to person.

You can ask first by sending photos of your teeth

KakaoTalk consultation LINE Call +82-2-517-0002 First visit