Invisalign as an Adult
Which adult tooth problems aligners solve, what a course involves week to week, and what Invisalign costs on Greenwich Peninsula.
Does Invisalign Work for Adults?
Almost always. Adult teeth move just as predictably as teenage ones, provided the gums and the bone around the roots are healthy, so crowding, spacing, rotations and milder bite problems can all be corrected with clear aligners. You wear each set for 20 to 22 hours a day, change to a fresh one every one to two weeks, and most courses finish within 6 to 18 months. At Peninsula Dentists on Greenwich Peninsula, Invisalign is planned and provided by Dr Pei Xian Chen, from £1,795 with refinements, Vivera retainers, whitening and a hygiene visit included, and our group has held Invisalign Diamond Apex status every year from 2022 to 2026.
Is There an Age Limit for Invisalign?
No. The mechanism that moves a tooth is the same at 55 as at 15. Bone is living tissue that constantly breaks down and rebuilds, and when an aligner applies light, steady pressure to a tooth, the bone on the leading side of the root resorbs while new bone forms behind it. The tooth creeps forward by a fraction of a millimetre, and the next aligner in the series takes it a little further. That process keeps working for as long as the bone and gums around the tooth are healthy.
What we assess, then, isn't your age but your gum health, the amount of bone supporting each root, and whether 20 to 22 hours of daily wear is realistic for you. The adults we see on Greenwich Peninsula tend to fall into three groups: people whose teeth have crept back after braces at school, people whose lower front teeth have gradually bunched up, and people who have lived with a gap for years and would now like it closed. All three respond well to aligners.
Which Problems Can Aligners Correct?
- Crowding, where teeth overlap because there isn't quite enough room, most often the lower incisors
- Spacing, from a single gap between the front teeth to several small spaces
- Twisted or tilted teeth
- Overbites, underbites and crossbites in the mild to moderate range
- Relapse after earlier orthodontic treatment, which is often the quickest case of all
Where aligners struggle is with bite problems that come from the size or position of the jaws themselves rather than the teeth, which can call for fixed braces or, occasionally, jaw surgery. Active gum disease has to be stabilised first, because pushing teeth through inflamed bone accelerates bone loss. Existing fillings and crowns move along with the tooth without any difficulty, but an implant is fused to the bone and cannot be moved, so the plan works around it. Your examination and iTero Element scan with Dr Pei Xian Chen establish which category you fall into. If aligners are the wrong tool for your teeth, he will say so and set out the alternatives, which may include referral to a specialist orthodontist.
Curious What Straighter Teeth Would Look Like on You?
A free consultation with Dr Pei includes an iTero Element scan and simulation.
How a Course of Invisalign Unfolds
- First visit. The consultation is free; we hold a £40 deposit when you book and return it once you've attended. Dr Pei checks your teeth and gums, then scans your mouth with the iTero Element wand. It takes a few minutes and there's no impression material.
- Your simulation. The scan produces a preview of how your teeth could look afterwards, followed by a tooth-by-tooth plan of every stage. Think of it as a forecast rather than a guarantee: real teeth vary, which is why progress is checked at every review.
- Your written quote. The amount of movement in the plan determines whether you need Lite, Moderate or Comprehensive, and that fee is confirmed in writing before you commit.2
- Attachments. Tiny tooth-coloured buttons are bonded to selected teeth to give the plastic purchase. Sometimes a sliver of enamel is polished from between two teeth to make room.
- Changing aligners every one to two weeks at home, with a review in the practice every six to eight weeks.
- Refinements. If a tooth or two needs a final nudge, the extra aligners are part of your package.
- Retention. Vivera retainers, also included, keep everything in place.
What Aligners Are Like Day to Day
The target is 20 to 22 hours in the mouth. They come out for meals and for any drink other than water, and your teeth get a brush before they go back, so nothing sugary sits trapped under the plastic. Tea and coffee are off limits while they're in: heat can distort the aligner and dark drinks will tint it.
A new set feels snug for the first day or two. That tightness is the aligner working, and most people would call it pressure rather than pain. A faint lisp is common in the first week and disappears as your tongue adapts. The attachments are hard to spot even close up, and they're polished away when treatment finishes.
Rinse the aligners in cool water and clean them with a soft brush, never hot water, and whenever they're out of your mouth they should be in their case rather than in a napkin. The routine becomes automatic within days. A side effect many patients mention is that having to remove aligners to eat quietly puts an end to grazing between meals.
How Many Months Should You Expect?
Six to eighteen months covers the great majority of adult cases. A touch of lower crowding or relapse after old braces may be done in a few months, while cases involving both arches and bite correction typically run 12 to 18 months. Because the plan shows the number of aligners before you start, you'll have a realistic idea of the finish date from day one.
Two factors matter more than any other. One is the distance the teeth have to travel, which is set by your plan. The other is wear time, which is up to you: an aligner sitting in its case moves nothing, so every hour it spends out of your mouth beyond the allowance pushes the finish date back. Refinements can add a few weeks at the end, and because they're included in every package, that extra fine-tuning doesn't cost you anything more.
Keeping the Result: Retainers
Straightened teeth have a long memory. The fibres anchoring each tooth take months to reorganise around its new position, and teeth go on drifting slightly throughout adult life regardless of whether they've been moved. Retainers are therefore part of the treatment, not an optional extra. The usual pattern is full-time wear for a short spell, then nights only for the long term.
Every Invisalign package at Peninsula Dentists includes Vivera retainers, made by the same company as your aligners from a scan of your finished smile. Our guide to retainers after Invisalign covers wear schedules, cleaning and what to do if one goes missing.
What Invisalign Costs on Greenwich Peninsula
Invisalign with Dr Pei costs from £1,795 for Lite, £3,000 for Moderate and £3,500 for Comprehensive, the package depending on how far your teeth need to move.2 Whichever you need, the fee covers refinements, Vivera retainers, whitening, your scans and X-rays and a hygiene visit with our hygienist. The Invisalign cost guide explains the three packages and how local prices compare.
Because every package is above the £1,500 threshold, you can spread the cost through Chrysalis Finance: 0% over 6 or 12 months, or longer terms at 14.9% APR representative, subject to status. Details are on our finance page. Note that orthodontic treatment sits outside the 10% discount on our dental plans.
Many people straighten first and then whiten and refine edges with bonding as part of a smile makeover. Doing it in that order means less composite is needed afterwards, and the whitening is already paid for in your package.
Questions
This guide explains the options in general terms. Only an examination can tell you which of them suits your own teeth.