Clear Aligners in Braintree
Removable clear aligners that straighten crowding, gaps and rotated teeth over an average of five to twelve months, using clinically proven and trusted brands.
How clear aligners work
Clear aligners are thin, transparent plastic trays made to fit your teeth exactly. Each one is shaped slightly differently from the last, so wearing them in sequence moves your teeth a fraction of a millimetre at a time towards a planned end position.
Everything starts from a digital scan rather than impression material. That scan becomes a 3D model, and the plan built from it shows where each tooth will finish before you commit to treatment. You see the projected result first.
I use Clear Correct, 32CO and other trusted brands. They are the same category of treatment as Invisalign, made by different manufacturers, and they cost less because the laboratory fees are lower. The clinical outcome depends far more on how the case is planned than on whose name is on the box.
What aligners are good at
Aligners move teeth. They change position, not colour and not shape, which is why they are often paired with whitening or bonding at the end.
Crowding and rotation
The strongest use. Cases Y006 and Y007 below are both crowding and rotation, corrected in five and nine months respectively.
Gaps and a drifting bite
Spaces closed and a midline diastema brought together. Also useful where teeth have shifted years after childhood braces.
Not shade, and not shape
A straight tooth is still the shade and shape it always was. Many people finish aligners then whiten, or add a little bonding to even up the edges.
How much do clear aligners cost?
Priced per case, because the number of aligners depends on how far the teeth have to travel. The fee below covers the scan, the full set of aligners, every appointment and your first set of retainers.
| Treatment | Price from | What that covers |
|---|---|---|
| Clear aligners | £2,500 upper and lower | Covers the scan, the full set of aligners, every appointment and your first set of retainers. |
Adult orthodontics is not available on the NHS for cosmetic reasons. NHS orthodontic treatment is largely limited to under-18s with a clear clinical need, assessed on a national scoring system.
Treatment can be spread over 6 to 12 months at 0% interest, subject to an affordability check. The total is the same as paying up front.
Get a written quoteWhat happens
What treatment involves
A digital scan, a plan you see before committing, then a set of aligners changed every one to two weeks.
Step 1
Consultation
Whether aligners can achieve what you want, or whether your case needs an orthodontist instead - in which case I refer you to one. Written fixed-fee quote, no deposit.
Step 2
Digital scan and plan
An intraoral scanner builds a 3D model of your teeth, with no impression material. The plan shows the projected end position before you commit to anything.
Step 3
Aligners fitted
Your set arrives and small tooth-coloured attachments are bonded where the aligners need grip. You change to the next aligner every one to two weeks at home.
Step 4
Regular Reviews
Short appointments to check the teeth are tracking to plan. If one is lagging, it is far easier to correct at week eight than at week thirty.
Step 5
Attachments off, retainers fitted
Attachments are polished away and retainers made as soon as possible, because teeth start drifting back immediately. Whitening or bonding, if planned, happens now.
How long the result lasts
Permanently, if you wear retainers
That is the whole answer. Teeth held in position stay in position. Teeth left unretained drift measurably within a year, and most of the relapse happens early.
Nights only, after the first phase
Full-time wear for a short settling period, then overnight indefinitely. Most people find this genuinely easy once it becomes habit, like a nightguard.
Retainers wear out
Clear retainers thin and crack over a few years. Replacing a set is a small cost, and much cheaper than a second course of aligners because you stopped wearing them.
Clear aligners vs fixed braces
The real decision is aligners against fixed braces, and it comes down to how complex the movement is rather than which brand is on the box.
| Clear aligners What I provide | Fixed braces Bonded brackets and wire | |
|---|---|---|
| Visible in normal conversation | Barely | Yes |
| Removable for eating | Yes | No |
| Typical treatment time | An average of 5 to 12 months | 12 to 24 months |
| Depends on you wearing it | Yes, 22 hours a day | No, it is fixed on |
| Handles complex cases | Mild to moderate | All, including severe |
| Relative cost | Published on this page | Varies, usually much higher |
| Retainer needed after | Yes | Yes |
If a case needs movement beyond what aligners do well, I will say so and refer you to an orthodontist. Starting an aligner case that cannot finish properly wastes your money and a year of your time.
My own patients, before and after
Taken with consent and unretouched. These are clinical photographs, taken retracted, so you can see exactly what changed.
-
Crowding corrected and teeth whitened · 9 months
Month 0 · before 
Month 9 · after Clear aligners followed by whitening
Treated by Dr Akhalwaya · case Y007
TODO · Confirm treatment label for Y007 · §9.3
TODO · Patient quote · §10.6
-
Crowding and rotation corrected · 5.5 months
Month 0 · before 
Month 5.5 · after Clear aligners
Treated by Dr Akhalwaya · case Y006
TODO · Confirm treatment label for Y006 · §9.3
TODO · Patient quote · §10.6
Clinical photographs are taken retracted, under practice lighting, so the teeth are shown exactly as they are. Individual results depend on your starting position and are discussed at consultation. No result is guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
How much do clear aligners cost in the UK?
Dual-arch clear aligner treatment in the UK generally runs between £2,400 and £3,600 in 2026, depending on how many aligners the case needs. My fee is shown above and includes retainers, which some practices charge separately. You get the total in writing before starting.
Are clear aligners cheaper than Invisalign?
Usually yes, by a few hundred pounds, because the laboratory fees on the systems I use are lower and I pass that on. Clinically they are very similar: all of them are clear plastic aligners, all are digitally planned, and all depend far more on the dentist's planning than on the brand.
What is the difference between the aligner brands?
Different manufacturers, slightly different plastics and planning software. Invisalign has the bigger marketing budget and a longer track record on complex cases. For the crowding, spacing and rotation I treat, the brands I use do the same job for less money.
How long does treatment take?
An average of five to twelve months, with simple corrections finishing sooner. The variable that matters is wear time: aligners need 22 hours a day. Treating them as removable-when-convenient is the main reason cases run over.
Will anyone be able to tell I am wearing them?
Rarely at conversational distance. They are clear and thin, though small tooth-coloured attachments are sometimes bonded to a few teeth to grip the aligner. Those are visible up close. They come off entirely at the end of treatment.
Do I have to wear a retainer afterwards?
Yes, permanently - retainers are the one thing I will happily nag you about. Teeth have a memory and drift back towards where they started, especially in the first year. Nights only after the initial period. Skipping retainers is the single commonest reason people need aligners a second time.
Can aligners fix my bite as well as the look of my teeth?
Mild to moderate bite problems, often yes. Significant skeletal discrepancies, deep bites and complex jaw issues need an orthodontist, sometimes with fixed braces. I will refer rather than attempt a case that aligners cannot properly finish.
What about the aligners you order online without seeing a dentist?
I would avoid them. No one examines you first, so gum disease and untreated decay go undetected while teeth are being moved, which does real damage. There is also nobody to intervene when a tooth is not tracking. The saving is not worth it.
Still have a question?
Ask it at your consultation, or ring the practice and ask for Dr Akhalwaya.
Book a consultationNot sure where to start? Book a consultation
No pressure and no obligation - a look, an honest opinion on what would actually help, and a written fixed-fee quote before anything is booked.