Clear aligners
Removable, clear aligners for private orthodontic treatment. We use Smartee aligners.
Your £155 assessment fee comes off your treatment price. If you go ahead with private treatment after your private assessment, we take the £155 you paid off the total cost of your braces or aligners. On our payment plan, the £155 comes off your £900 deposit, so you pay a £745 deposit and your monthly payments stay the same. This does not apply to the cross-border (HSE) scheme.
What are clear aligners?
Clear aligners are a series of thin, clear, removable plastic trays made to fit your teeth. Each set is slightly different, and moves your teeth a small amount at a time.
We use Smartee clear aligners. Smartee is a clear aligner company founded in Shanghai in 2004.
Clear aligners are a private treatment. Fees start from £2,900 – see the prices below and our costs page.
Aligners are popular with adults. See braces for adults to compare your options.
At a glance
- Removable and clear – you take them out to eat and clean your teeth.
- Wear them 20 to 22 hours a day, and never have them out for more than 30 minutes at a time.
- Change to the next set once a week, at home.
- Retainers afterwards to keep your teeth straight.
Clear aligner prices
Private treatment only – clear aligners are not available on the health service.
The orthodontist will tell you which applies to you, and the fee, at your assessment. See all our fees.
How treatment works
Assessment
The orthodontist checks whether aligners are suitable for you. We take a 3D digital scan of your teeth.
Your plan
Your aligners are made from a digital plan of how your teeth will move.
Wearing aligners
You wear your aligners 20 to 22 hours a day and change to the next set once a week at home. We see you regularly to check progress.
Retainers
When treatment finishes, you wear retainers to hold your teeth in place.
Wearing your aligners
- Wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day, including while you sleep. They only work when they are in your mouth.
- We recommend the 30-minute rule: never have your aligners out of your mouth for more than 30 minutes at a time.
- Take them out only to eat and to drink anything other than plain water. Then brush your teeth and put them straight back in.
- Use your chewies (aligner seaters), usually morning and night. Biting on them helps the aligners sit fully onto your teeth.
- Change to the next set of aligners once a week at home. Do not skip ahead unless we have discussed this with you.
- Each new set may feel tight or cause a feeling of pressure for a day or so. This is normal.
- Some people have small tooth-coloured bumps (attachments) stuck to some teeth to help the aligners grip and move them.
- Keep your aligners in their case when they are out of your mouth.
Looking after your aligners
- Clean your aligners as we show you, using a soft toothbrush and cool water.
- Never use hot water – it can bend the plastic.
- Keep them away from pets.
- If an aligner is lost or broken, contact us for advice.
- An attachment has come off? Do not panic – attachments only help the aligner grip. You usually do not need to come back early, but contact us if your aligner feels loose or you cannot wear your elastics, and tell us at your next appointment.
Refinements and retainers
Sometimes teeth do not move exactly as planned. If so, the orthodontist may take a new scan and order extra aligners (called refinements) to finish your treatment.
When treatment finishes, you will need retainers. Teeth can move back at any age, so retainers are needed for as long as you want straight teeth.
Are clear aligners available on the health service?
No. Clear aligners are a private treatment at our practice. Health service (NHS) treatment, for those who qualify, is usually with braces. See health service or private.
How much do clear aligners cost?
Clear aligners cost from £2,900 for super mild cases (usually less than 2 months), from £3,900 for moderate cases (usually up to 12 months) and from £4,900 for complex cases (usually more than a year, may involve extractions).
How many hours a day do I wear clear aligners?
20 to 22 hours a day. You take them out to eat, to drink anything other than plain water, and to clean your teeth. We recommend the 30-minute rule: never have your aligners out of your mouth for more than 30 minutes at a time.
Questions about your treatment?
Our friendly team is happy to help. Call us on 028 9045 1303 or send us an email.
Smartee clear aligners for patients from across the area
Patients come to us for Smartee clear aligners from East Belfast, Ballyhackamore and Cregagh, and from Bangor, Donaghadee, Comber, Lisburn, Glengormley and Crossgar. You can refer yourself for a private assessment. See all the areas we serve.