Orthodontics and Clear Aligners
Clear aligners straighten teeth with a series of removable aligners, each worn for two weeks. First, you will see and approve your full digital treatment plan before making any financial commitment.
Clear aligners at QueensWood are from £3,500 for one arch and from £4,500 for both. They are worn twenty to twenty two hours a day and taken out for meals and cleaning.
- Plan approved before you pay
- Retainers explained up front
- Referred if your case needs more
Your clear aligner journey
The process begins with a quick 3D digital scan of your teeth. From this, we create a step by step simulation treatment plan that shows exactly where your teeth start, where they will finish, and every stage in between. Once you approve the treatment plan, custom made clear removable aligners are made just for you, with each aligner slightly different from the last.
You simply wear each set for two weeks before moving on to the next one in the series. Each step applies a gentle, comfortable pressure that moves your teeth, allowing the bone to naturally adapt and reshape around them. Over the course of the treatment, your teeth steadily arrive exactly where the digital treatment plan predicted.
They are designed to fit seamlessly into your life. You simply take them out to eat, brush and floss, and pop them straight back in when you are done.
The aligner systems we offer
Your dentist will tell you which system suits your case at your assessment, and why.
Invisalign
The system most people have heard of, and the one with the longest track record. Clear aligners made to a digital plan, with the predicted result modelled before treatment starts.
What they can and cannot treat
They work well for
Mild to moderate crowding, gaps and spacing, teeth that have drifted since childhood braces, and front teeth that are rotated or tipped. Most adult cases we see fall into this group.
They are less suitable for
Severe crowding, significant bite problems, teeth needing to be moved a long way or rotated substantially, and cases where a tooth has to be extracted to make room. Those need fixed braces or a referral.
If your case needs more than aligners, we will tell you and refer you
If your case requires a more advanced or specialised approach, we will discuss this with you openly and arrange a referral. We will tell you who we are referring you to and why before you go.
Aligners have to be worn twenty to twenty two hours a day
For your treatment to be effective, these clear aligners must be worn for twenty to twenty two hours a day. They should only be removed for meals and for cleaning your teeth. They need to remain in place for the rest of the day and night, including while you sleep.
The system can only guide your teeth into position while you are actively wearing them. Removing them for an hour here and there slows your overall progress, prevents the current step from fitting correctly, and delays your final finish date. This is the single most common reason this type of treatment falls short of expectations, and it is entirely within your control.
Their removable design is their greatest benefit, but also their only vulnerability. We believe in being completely upfront about this at the very beginning, rather than having a difficult conversation four months down the line.
You will see the predicted finishing position before you commit any money
You will be able to review the predicted final position of your teeth before making any financial commitment. If you are not completely happy with what the simulation shows, simply let us know. The digital plan can be adjusted and refined until you are entirely satisfied with your future smile.
Retainers
The natural tendency for teeth is to gradually drift back toward their original positions over time. This is not a defect or failure of your treatment, it is simply a natural, lifelong biological process. To safeguard your investment and maintain your new alignment, long term retention is essential for the rest of your life.
Fixed retainers
A fixed retainer is a very thin, discreet wire bonded securely behind your front teeth. The great advantage is that you do not have to remember to put it in or take it out, it works constantly in the background. Because it stays in your mouth permanently, it simply requires careful daily cleaning around it and a quick check by your dentist or hygienist during your routine appointments to ensure it remains perfectly secure.
Removable retainers
A removable retainer is a clear, custom moulded device worn exclusively at night. Because it comes out completely, it is easy to clean and allows you to brush and floss your teeth as normal. Its only real drawback is that it is equally easy to forget to wear, making your night time routine the key to keeping your new smile perfectly in place.
The retention timeline
Following your treatment, you will need to wear your removable retainer for twenty to twenty two hours a day for the first three to six months. Once this initial stabilisation period is complete, you will transition to overnight wear only. Beyond that, long term retention generally requires wearing them every night, tapering down to at least several nights a week as time goes on, though exact timelines vary from patient to patient. We strongly advise against embarking on any teeth straightening journey unless you are fully prepared to commit to long term retention afterwards.
What it will and will not do
It will
Straighten crowded, gapped or drifted teeth, gradually and removably, with the result shown to you before you commit. It also makes teeth easier to clean, which matters more than most people expect.
It will not
Work if the aligners are not worn, whiten your teeth, change the shape of a tooth, or hold the result on its own. Retainers do that, for life.
What it costs
Invisalign, one arch
From £3,500
Invisalign, both arches
From £4,500
Other aligner systems
On request
Retainers
Fitted at the end of treatment, and needed for life.
On request
What is included
Your initial 3D digital scan, your entire custom sequence of clear aligners, and all your necessary review appointments throughout your journey. Because pricing structures can differ significantly between systems, particularly regarding the inclusion of long term retainers or final detailing adjustments, we break down exactly what is included within your personalised treatment plan, so you have total clarity before making any financial commitment.
Book an appointment
You approve the digital plan before any money changes hands.
Questions we are often asked
If you have any questions about cost, please ask. We would far rather answer a question about price on the phone than have you wondering about it.
How much do clear aligners cost?
Invisalign is from £3,500 for one arch and from £4,500 for both. Other systems are priced on request. Your scan, your aligners and your appointments throughout are included.
How long does treatment take?
It depends on how far the teeth have to move. You see the predicted result and every stage of the plan on screen before you commit to anything.
How many hours a day do I wear them?
Twenty to twenty two. Out for meals and for cleaning your teeth, in for the rest of the time, including while you sleep.
Will people notice?
The aligners are clear. Small tooth-coloured attachments are bonded to some teeth during treatment, and they come off at the end.
Can I take them out for a night out?
We would rather you did not. The aligners only move teeth while they are in your mouth, and an hour here and an hour there slows the treatment and moves the finish date.
Do I have to wear retainers forever?
Yes. Twenty to twenty two hours a day for the first three to six months, then overnight, usually every night. Long term it is at least several nights a week, and it varies from patient to patient.
Can I whiten at the same time?
Many people whiten at the end. Aligners themselves will not whiten your teeth.
Is Invisalign better than other aligners?
It is the system with the longest track record. Each of our dentists works with a different company and will explain why they have chosen theirs for your case.
What if my case is too complex?
We will tell you and refer you, rather than attempting it with aligners and producing a compromised result.