What is the difference between fixed braces and clear aligners?
Both apply light continuous force to move teeth; they differ in how the force is delivered and in who controls the wear time. Fixed braces are brackets bonded to the teeth and connected by an archwire. They are working every hour of every day whether or not you think about them, they grip each tooth directly, and they hold an advantage where roots need to be moved bodily or a tooth needs substantial rotation. Clear aligners are a series of removable custom trays, each worn for a set period. They come out for meals and brushing, they are far less visible, and they let you see the planned sequence before it starts — but they only work while they are in your mouth, which is normally 20 to 22 hours a day. That last point is the real difference. Which one suits a case is decided from the records, not from a preference stated at the front desk.
Can clear aligners do everything braces can?
Not in every case, no — and any clinic telling you otherwise is overselling. Aligners have become capable of much more than they once were, and for a large share of cases the two approaches reach a comparable result. Where fixed braces still tend to have the edge is in movements that need precise control of the root rather than the crown: closing large extraction spaces, uprighting badly tipped teeth, moving teeth vertically, and severely rotated teeth. Some cases are also treated with both — aligners for one phase, fixed appliances for another. The records show which category a case falls into, and Dr Teo will tell you plainly if aligners are not the right tool for your teeth.
Is Invisalign the same as other clear aligners?
Invisalign is a brand of clear aligner, not a separate treatment — the principle is the same across systems: a staged series of custom trays, attachments bonded to the teeth so the trays can grip, and light continuous force. What differs between systems is the material the trays are pressed from, the software the movements are planned in, and how much of the case the treating clinician controls rather than the manufacturer. Invisalign has the longest track record and the largest published evidence base, which is why it is the system most often studied — Dr Teo’s own research is on its efficacy. None of that makes it automatically the right choice for a given case; the records decide that, and for some movements no aligner system is the right answer.
What are aligner attachments, and are they visible?
Attachments are small bumps of tooth-coloured filling material bonded onto selected teeth, shaped so the aligner has something to push against. Without them a smooth tray slides over a smooth tooth and certain movements — rotating a round tooth, moving one bodily rather than tipping it — simply do not happen. They are close to the colour of your teeth and most people do not notice them at conversational distance, but they are not invisible: up close, and in photographs taken with the aligners out, you can see them. They are removed and the surfaces polished when treatment finishes.
How long does orthodontic treatment take?
It depends on how far the teeth have to travel and what the bite needs, so an honest answer only exists once the records are read. As a general picture, minor alignment of the front teeth can be a matter of months, while a full case that corrects the bite as well as the alignment commonly runs one and a half to three years. Two things extend treatment more than anything else: aligners not worn for the hours they need, and missed adjustment visits. You will be given an estimated range in your written plan rather than a single number, because a single number would be a guess presented as a fact.
