Invisible aligners can help some people straighten their teeth. Still, they require commitment, and price and effectiveness vary by brand. Here are the best options.
Quick look at the best invisible braces
- Best overall: Invisalign | Jump to review
- Best quick treatment time: Byte | Jump to review
- Best for hybrid care: Candid | Jump to review
- Best for in-office care: Local orthodontist | Jump to review
If you didn’t grow up wearing braces but have decided to finally fix that crooked incisor, invisible braces might be the way to go. These braces, also called clear aligners, are popular with adults looking to make minor changes to their smiles.
Although invisible braces are less noticeable than metal braces, they still require diligent hygiene, time, money, and commitment to achieve your smile goals. And they’re not for everyone. They may not help with major alignment issues, for example.
Plus, they’re not all made the same — committing to an untrustworthy brand can cost you money and time and may shift your teeth in unwanted directions.
Read on for the best options in invisible braces and how to start the process.
Healthline’s picks for best invisible braces
Best overall
Invisalign
- Price: $3,000–$7,000
- Typical treatment window: 6+ months
- Insurance: Ask your Invisalign doctor when booking your consultation, contact your benefits manager at work, or call your insurance company to check whether your insurance is accepted.
Invisalign might be the most well-known maker of invisible braces. A doctor will make a 3D model of your teeth by scanning them with a sophisticated camera, typically the iTero Element scanner. The aligners are made of medical-grade polyurethane resin and are custom-trimmed to fit your teeth and gums.
Invisalign brought the concept of clear aligners to the mainstream, and many people think it’s the only option on the market. These aligners are well-reviewed, use high quality materials, and achieve good results, but they’re significantly more expensive than other aligner options. Still, your doctor may want to look into other options for more complex issues, like correcting an underbite or overbite.
Pros
- well-established with over 20 years of business
- no DIY teeth molds
Cons
- more expensive than other options
- not suitable for correcting complicated cases
Best quick treatment time
Byte
- Price: $2,099–$2,499
- Typical treatment window: 3–6 months (daytime) or 5 months (nighttime)
- Insurance: Use this tool to check whether your dental insurance will cover part of the cost.
Byte offers the shortest at-home treatment times of most invisible braces options today, with an average treatment time of 4 months for the daytime aligners and around 5 months for the nighttime aligners.
If you opt for the less-pricey daytime route, you’ll wear your liners 22 hours per day, with breaks for eating and brushing your teeth. The nighttime option requires just 10 hours per day, but these hours must be continuous with no breaks for eating, brushing, etc.
Both routes offer financing options: Daytime aligners payment plans cost $89 monthly for 36 months, while the nighttime liner payment plans are $106 per month for 36 months.
To get started, purchase an impression kit (priced at $95 but frequently goes on sale), mail back your teeth impressions, and get your treatment plan. If you decide not to purchase a plan, you’ll get a refund on the cost of the impression kit.
Customers receive 80% off the Byte impression kit + a FREE whitening kit with this link.
Pros
- shorter treatment time
- cheaper than many options
- financing options available
- all-day and nighttime only options available
Cons
- frequent liner changes for fast treatment may mean extra discomfort
Best for in-office and virtual care
Candid
- Price: starts at $1,895
- Typical treatment window: 8.5 months on average
- Insurance: check with the provider
Candid provides a hybrid option for invisible braces. You visit one of its network providers for an assessment, and if Candid is right for you, you’ll receive your aligners in the mail and communicate with the provider via the Candid app. This includes taking scans of your teeth every 14 days so your doctor can evaluate your progress.
Your doctor may request that you come back for in-person assessments in the future, depending on the provider’s preferences for tracking your alignment and goals.
Pricing and insurance acceptance also depend on the local provider. Check the doctor locator to find where you can get started in your area and if they have financing options or accept your insurance.
The aligners are made of a BPA-free, phthalate-free thermoplastic that is stain-resistant, making them virtually invisible.
Pros
- offers in-person consultations
- virtually share your progress with your doctor
Cons
- doesn’t yet have a long track record or strong trust like other options (founded in 2017)
- pricing varies depending on the provider
Best in-office care
Your local orthodontist
- Price: $3,000–$8,000
- Typical treatment window: 6–12 months
- Insurance: Call the orthodontist’s office to check whether your insurance is accepted, or call your insurance company about whether aligners are covered.
Working with a local orthodontist has many benefits: You can get regular in-person checkups (usually every 6–10 weeks) and a more thorough workup, including X-rays and photos.
Your orthodontist can tell you whether aligners are suitable for your teeth and make other recommendations if not. Like most aligners, yours will likely consist of a medical-grade plastic called polyurethane resin or may even be a well-known brand like Invisalign.
Your orthodontist will also be able to make small adjustments to your teeth tray for fit or comfort. Regular checkups may involve extra costs, as some orthodontists include the checkup fees in the overall cost of aligners.
You can also discuss traditional braces with your orthodontist — some providers offer ceramic braces, which are white or clear in color. These are still more noticeable than clear aligners but less visible than metal braces.
If you don’t have an orthodontist, check search engines and review sites, ask friends or family for recommendations, or ask a dentist for a referral.
Pros
- prompt care
- thorough exams and necessary tests
- real-time answers to questions
- can consider more options outside of clear aligners
Cons
- regular checkups involve extra cost
- can get time-consuming and inconvenient
Comparison of the best invisible braces for adults
| Price | Treatment window* | Payment plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invisalign | $3,000–$7,000 | starts at 6 months | depends on provider |
| Byte | $2,099–$2,499 | 3-6 months | yes |
| Candid | starts at $1,895 | 8.5 months | depends on provider |
| Local orthodontist | $3,000–$8,000 | 6–12 months | depends on orthodontist |
* varies by individual need
How we choose the best invisible braces
When it comes to invisible braces, there are some great, some good, and some not-so-good options out there. To make our recommendations, we considered the following criteria:
- how long the company has been in business and whether it is in good standing with organizations like the Better Business Bureau
- overwhelmingly positive reviews and ratings
- reasonable cost of treatment, including the option for a payment plan
- the refund policy
- whether a dentist or orthodontist examines you or otherwise have access to a dental professional if you have questions or concerns
- whether an orthodontist reviews the initial dental impressions before you receive any recommendations
In addition, every product we recommend has gone through Healthline’s robust vetting process.
What are invisible braces?
Invisible braces, also known as clear aligners, are a method of dental treatment that slowly shifts the position of your teeth over time, just like traditional metal braces. Aligners are clear plastic, fit snugly around your teeth, and are barely noticeable.
You’ll get a set of multiple aligners, wearing each for 7–14 days and then graduating to the next size. The aligners are custom-made for your teeth and designed to slowly shift your teeth into a more desirable alignment.
Most aligners are worn all day — at least 22 hours — and are removed only for eating and brushing. There are also night-only options, which involve wearing them at night and while you sleep, for at least 10 hours.
How often you wear your aligners will affect how quickly you get results — if you’re constantly popping them in and out or forgetting to put them back on after meals and brushing, you will delay your progress.
Are invisible braces effective?
Yes, invisible aligners have been around for 20 years, and some
How much do invisible braces cost?
Invisible braces can be a pricey investment, ranging from approximately $1,800–$8,000. However, dental insurance or funds from a flexible savings account or health savings account may cover part of the cost.
What to consider before you buy invisible braces
- Your goals: Aligners are best for people with mild to moderate spacing and crowding issues. Traditional metal braces are advisable for more complicated cases. In some cases, people are optimistic and start with invisible aligners but find that they aren’t reaching their sizeable goals and end up switching to traditional braces, which can be costly.
- Your daily commitment: You’ll need to wear daytime aligners for 22 hours a day. For night-only aligners, the requirement is about 10 straight hours per day. For daytime aligners, you only remove them to eat food, drink anything other than water, and brush or floss your teeth.
- Your timeframe: If you consult an orthodontist for invisible braces, your doctor may estimate how long treatment will take, but your teeth may not move as quickly as expected or shift in ways that may take more time to correct. It’s important not to be in too much of a rush for your treatment to wrap up so you can get the corrections you’re anticipating.
- Your hygiene routine: Clear aligners are not as complicated to clean as traditional metal braces but still require regular cleaning. You’ll need to clean your aligners around twice daily in an effective cleaning solution and brush your teeth after eating before you pop them back in so you’re not trapping bacteria on or near your gum line.
- Your tolerance for side effects: In your first few days of wearing clear aligners, your speech may be affected. This typically goes away after you get used to wearing them regularly, but you may speak with a lisp temporarily. Some other downsides to using clear aligners include a receding or irritated gum line, biting your cheek or cutting your tongue on the edge of the aligners, and headaches.
- Your aftercare commitment: For any kind of braces, the time after the treatment period ends is usually the most important. To keep your teeth in their new positions, you’ll likely need to wear a retainer for years for some portion of the day. Many people find this easier to do with plastic aligners since the retainer is the same as the aligner trays. Failing to wear your retainer can result in your teeth moving from their newly aligned positions.
Frequently asked questions
Invisalign earns our vote for the best invisible braces company. It has been in business the longest, is well-reviewed, and involves a doctor’s in-person care, so it’s generally the preferred brand for best results.
Still, newer companies exist, and some people achieve their alignment goals without signing up for Invisalign.
Many alternatives to Invisalign exist, like Byte, which offers fast treatment time and affordable pricing.
Average treatment windows range from about 3 months to 1 year or longer. This time will vary based on your needs, how well you follow your treatment plan, and how quickly your teeth respond to treatment.
How long your results last will depend on your dedication to wearing your retainer aligners after your treatment ends. With regular wear, your results, in theory, may last forever. But more realistically, it’s common for teeth to shift over time, especially if you need to replace your retainer, as they loosen and wear out over time. Replacing your retainers regularly and checking for any wear and tear may help you keep your results longer.
Though the cost will vary depending on your provider, traditional braces are usually less costly than invisible options.
Takeaway
No matter how you choose to get your invisible braces, you’re committing to daily use for 3–12 months or longer and using a retainer in the months and years after that. Make sure you’re ready for this daily commitment and that you trust the doctor and company you’re working with.
If you’re not sure which aligner option to go with, take advantage of risk-free trials. Schedule a few consultations, submit a few teeth impression kits, and pick the company that best fits your budget, orthodontic needs, and peace of mind. Good luck, and may your smile shine through.