Clear aligner treatment for adults runs in five stages: a consultation, a 3D plan, a series of clear trays worn on a schedule set for your case, regular check-ins, and retainers to keep the result. Adults are well suited to aligners because the trays come out for meals and meetings and are hard to see. The part that decides your result is the plan behind the trays, so this guide explains each stage and what the research says about the questions adults ask most.
Start to finish
- Consultation. Your first visit is 60 minutes at our NW Calgary office. Dr. Badawi examines your teeth, gums and bite, talks with you about what you want to change, and explains your options, including whether aligners suit your case at all.
- Your 3D plan. If you go ahead, your teeth are recorded digitally and every movement is planned in 3D before a single tray is made. The plan sets which teeth move, in what order and by how much.
- Your aligners. Each tray in the series is shaped slightly differently from the last. You wear each one for its planned period, then move to the next, and the teeth follow the plan step by step.
- Check-ins. Regular visits confirm the teeth are tracking the plan. If a tooth falls behind, the plan is adjusted rather than pushed.
- Retainers. When the teeth reach their planned position, retainers hold them there. Teeth can drift for years after treatment, so retainer wear is part of the result, not an extra.
What adults ask most
Will it take longer than braces? For mild to moderate crowding, the research finds no clear difference. A 2024 systematic review of ten studies, six of them randomized trials, found no significant difference in treatment time between clear aligners and fixed braces (Alhamwi et al., Clinical Oral Investigations). The authors rated the evidence as low certainty, and more complex cases still need study. Your own timeline depends on what your teeth need, which the consultation sets out.
How many hours a day do I wear them? It depends on what your treatment needs to achieve. Some plans call for full-time wear, with the trays out only to eat, drink anything but water, and brush. Others work part-time, such as at night, when the clinical objectives allow it. Your plan sets the wear pattern, and we explain why at the start.
Whatever the pattern, wearing the trays as planned is the patient’s half of the result. In a 2022 study of 1,899 adults prescribed 22 hours a day, only 37% met that target on at least three-quarters of their aligners; after the treatment app added reminders, that rose to 43% of 5,486 adults (Timm et al., Scientific Reports). Simple habits, such as putting the trays straight back in after meals, make the difference.
Does it hurt? Expect pressure for a day or two with each new tray. A 2020 systematic review of seven studies found that aligner patients reported less pain than braces patients in the first days, with the difference gone within a week (Cardoso et al., Progress in Orthodontics). Those studies all used a single aligner brand, so the finding may not apply to every system.
What about my gums? Healthy gums come first, so they are checked before treatment starts. Because the trays come out, brushing and flossing stay normal. A 2021 review found adults in aligners had lower plaque scores and shallower gum pockets than adults in braces over 6 to 12 weeks, though the authors rated the certainty low to very low (Oikonomou et al., Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry).
How treatment works at Smile Elements
Your result depends on the plan more than on the plastic. At Smile Elements, every step of your aligner treatment stays with us: the 3D digital plan, the 3D printing and the finished aligners, made in our own lab here in Calgary. All of it runs on one technology platform built on orthodontic biomechanics, the study of how forces move teeth.
Dr. Hisham Badawi is a specialist orthodontist (FRCD(C)) who originated OSIM, a 3D orthodontic force simulator, and earned his PhD at the University of Alberta on that work. Planning support includes machine-learning clinical decision support, with the clinician in the loop as the sole author of every prescription.
- Diagnosis first, then the right tools. We start with the gentlest approach that will work and add only what your case needs. Some adults are better served by braces, and we will say so.
- One treatment fee. It covers whatever your treatment needs, braces included if they become necessary, with no itemized charges. Treatment is limited to 36 months and depends on your cooperation, which your treatment agreement sets out.
- More on our adult treatment. Clear Aligners for Adults describes the options in detail.
Start with a consultation
The first step is a conversation about your teeth and your goals. Book a consultation and leave with a clear picture of what treatment would involve for you.
References
- Alhamwi AM, Burhan AS, Idris MI, Nawaya FR. Duration of orthodontic treatment with clear aligners versus fixed appliances in crowding cases: a systematic review. Clinical Oral Investigations. 2024.
- Timm LH, Farrag G, Wolf D, Baxmann M, Schwendicke F. Effect of electronic reminders on patients’ compliance during clear aligner treatment: an interrupted time series study. Scientific Reports. 2022;12:16652.
- Cardoso PC, Gonzalez Espinosa D, Mecenas P, Flores-Mir C, Normando D. Pain level between clear aligners and fixed appliances: a systematic review. Progress in Orthodontics. 2020;21:3.
- Oikonomou E, Foros P, Tagkli A, Rahiotis C, Eliades T, Koletsi D. Impact of aligners and fixed appliances on oral health during orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry. 2021.
Related: Fees and payment
