Clear Aligners in Northbrook, IL
Clear aligners are removable plastic trays that move teeth gradually into position, worn about twenty two hours a day and changed every week or two. At Janzen & Chwa Orthodontics we treat with Invisalign®, planned and monitored by orthodontic specialists rather than mailed to you from a lab. Most cases of crowding, spacing and mild to moderate bite problems can be treated this way.
If you have been putting off straightening your teeth because you did not want a mouth full of metal at forty three, or your teenager wants something less visible before senior photos, clear aligners are probably why you are on this page. Drs. Kyint and Evan Chwa treat aligner cases for teens and adults across Northbrook and the north suburbs. What follows is the honest version: how the trays actually work, who they suit, where they struggle, and what the treatment asks of you.
What Are Clear Aligners and How Do They Work?
Each aligner is a thin, custom shaped tray that fits over your teeth. It is made slightly different from your current tooth position, so wearing it applies gentle, continuous pressure in one direction. Over a week or two the bone around the roots remodels, the teeth follow, and you move to the next tray in the series.
A full course might involve twenty to forty sets per arch, or far fewer for a limited case. The whole sequence is planned in advance from a digital scan of your mouth, which means we can show you a simulation of your projected result before you agree to anything. No putty, no impression trays, no gagging.
Small tooth-colored attachments are bonded to some teeth in most cases. They give the aligner something to grip, which is what makes harder movements possible. They come off at the end.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Clear Aligners?
Most teens and adults with crowding, gaps, or mild to moderate bite problems. Aligners handle these well.
They are a weaker fit for a few situations. Large vertical movements, severe rotations on round teeth, and significant skeletal bite correction are all easier to control with braces. Younger children who are still growing usually need a different approach, which is what our early treatment page covers. And any patient who will not wear the trays consistently will get a poor result, because an aligner sitting in a case does nothing.
We will tell you plainly at your exam if we think braces would give you a better outcome. That is not an upsell in either direction. Both cost about the same here.
What Is the 30 Minute Rule with Invisalign?
The thirty minute rule is the informal guideline that your aligners should be out of your mouth for no more than about thirty minutes at a time, and no more than two hours across the whole day. In practice that means one meal, brushing, and back in.
The reason is simple. The teeth start drifting back toward their old positions almost immediately once pressure comes off, so long stretches without the tray undo progress you already paid for. Patients who treat aligners as something to take out for dinner and put back at bedtime end up in treatment months longer than planned, and sometimes need extra trays to catch up.
Twenty to twenty two hours of wear a day is the target. Most people find that easy after the first week, once it becomes part of the routine rather than a decision.
Clear Aligners or Braces: How Do They Compare?
Both work. The right answer depends on your case and your habits.
Aligners suit you if you want a treatment nobody notices, you want to eat without restrictions, you would rather brush and floss normally, and you can reliably keep the trays in. Adults and older teens usually fall here.
Braces suit you if your case involves complex bite correction, you would rather not think about compliance at all, or you know you will forget. A fixed appliance works whether or not you remember it, which for some patients is the deciding factor. Younger teens often do better with braces for exactly this reason.
A hybrid plan is also possible, using one approach for part of the treatment and the other for the rest. We do that when the case calls for it.
What Does Clear Aligner Treatment Look Like?
Your first visit is a complimentary exam. We look at your teeth and bite, take a digital scan, and tell you whether aligners will get you where you want to go.
Planning happens next. Your case is mapped out tray by tray, and you see the projected outcome before treatment starts.
Your aligners arrive and we fit the first set, place any attachments, and show you how to insert and remove them without fighting them.
You change trays on the schedule we give you, usually every one to two weeks, and come in periodically so we can check that the teeth are tracking as planned.
When you finish, you move into retainers. This part is not optional. Teeth drift for the rest of your life, and retention is what protects the result.
Most cases run somewhere between six months and two years. Yours will get a real estimate, not a brochure number.
How Do You Take Care of Aligners?
Rinse them whenever you take them out, and clean them daily with a soft brush and mild soap rather than toothpaste, which is abrasive enough to cloud the plastic. Brush your teeth before putting the trays back in after a meal. Drink water freely while wearing them, but take them out for anything else, because coffee stains the plastic and sugary drinks get trapped against your enamel. Keep the case with you, because the single most common way an aligner dies is wrapped in a napkin on a restaurant table.
What Does Aligner Treatment Cost?
Clear aligners and braces price out close to each other here, because the fee follows the complexity of the case rather than the appliance. We arrange interest free monthly payments in house, work with your dental insurance benefit, and accept FSA and HSA funds. The full breakdown, including what drives the number up or down, is on our Invisalign cost page, and our payment plan options page covers the monthly side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clear Aligners
Will aligners change how I talk?
Slightly, for a few days. Most people notice a faint lisp on certain sounds while the tongue adjusts, and it settles quickly. Wearing the trays consistently speeds that up rather than prolonging it.
Can I get aligners if I already had braces years ago?
Very often, yes. Teeth that shifted after earlier treatment are one of the most common adult aligner cases we see, and those cases are frequently short. Bring any records you still have.
Do I still need to see my regular dentist during treatment?
Yes, every six months as usual. Aligners make brushing and flossing easier than braces do, but cleanings and exams still matter, and we coordinate with your dentist as needed.
Can I drink coffee with my aligners in?
Better not to. Hot drinks can warp the plastic and coffee and tea will stain it, so the trays come out for anything other than water. Rinse and brush before they go back in.
Will anyone be able to tell I am wearing them?
Rarely, at conversational distance. Attachments are tooth colored and the trays are thin and clear. People tend to notice the result before they notice the treatment.
Book a Complimentary Aligner Consultation
You will get an exam, a digital scan, a straight answer about whether aligners suit your case, and a written estimate. No referral needed and no charge for the visit. Call (847) 272-0600 or request an appointment online. We are at 1220 Meadow Rd, Ste 300 in Northbrook, and we see patients from Northfield, Glencoe, Wheeling, Morton Grove, Prospect Heights and Riverwoods.