In-House Aligner Therapy Procedure

Clear aligner therapy is the latest trend in orthodontic treatment. Sometimes referred to as “invisible braces”, clear aligners offer patients the ability to have their teeth straightened discreetly without the need for bulky metal brackets or wires. Instead, clear aligner therapy uses clear aligners as the orthodontic appliance to gradually reposition the teeth and align the bite. Additionally, because the aligners are removable, it is easier for patients to maintain their oral hygiene routine. There are different brands that use clear aligner therapy, but the two most popular are Invisalign and Clear Correct

Did You Know?

Invisalign has become a generic term for clear aligner therapy, however, there are several other companies that offer orthodontic treatment with clear aligners. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Is clear aligner therapy right for me?

Clear aligner therapy may be right for you if you have crooked, overlapping, or gapped teeth. Additionally, clear aligner therapy can also be used to treat malocclusions such as overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. However, there are some cases that may require traditional metal braces. Therefore, you should schedule a consultation with your Knoxville dentist to determine if aligner therapy is right for you. 

In order to determine if aligner therapy is right for you, your dentist will examine your teeth and bite, as well as take dental x-rays and photographs. A digital scan may also be taken of the inside of your mouth. All this information will then be used with the aligner software to determine if you are an ideal candidate and what your treatment would look like.

How does clear aligner therapy work?

To begin treatment, your aligners will be made using the information obtained by the digital scan. Although the initial aligners are intended to fit your teeth, they will also exert gentle pressure on the teeth. This constant pressure will cause the teeth to gradually move. Every 1-2 weeks, you will then get a new aligner as your teeth begin to change position. However, in order to have your treatment progress as planned, you will need to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day. Ideally, they should only be removed when eating, brushing, or flossing. 

How long does clear aligner therapy take?

The length of treatment time depends on a number of factors including the amount of work that needs to be done, whether you wear your aligners for 22 hours a day, and how your teeth respond to treatment. With that being said, clear aligner treatment usually takes an average of about a year and a half to obtain the desired results.  

Do I need a retainer with clear aligner therapy?

Yes, you will still need to wear a retainer after undergoing clear aligner therapy. This is because your jawbone needs to fuse around the newly positioned teeth to hold them in position. Otherwise, they may shift after treatment. For this reason, it is important to follow your dentist’s instructions regarding your retainer. 

In-House Aligner Therapy Image
The Process of Clear Aligner Therapy at Knoxville Smiles - Dr. Michael Costa
How long does it take to get your clear aligners? How soon do they straighten your teeth? If you have these questions about clear aligner therapy, this video from Dr. Michael Costa is for you.

The Process of Clear Aligner Therapy at Knoxville Smiles - Dr. Michael Costa
Video Transcript

How do clear aligners work to straighten teeth?

Clear aligners, Invisalign and Clear Correct are basically the same things. It uses a clear tray that you wear about 22 hours a day, so you take it out to eat and drink.

They move your teeth, they are clear and very thin, and you typically wear these trays for one to two weeks before switching them.

Why should someone visit Knoxville Smiles for clear aligner therapy?

What we’re doing in-house and Knoxville Smiles is we’re trying to create the best clear aligner system possible.

After we scan and get your teeth into the correct position, we go ahead and manufacture all the clear aligners downstairs in our custom lab on the spot.

We print your models, make the aligners, and have everything on site. So we don’t need to send it to a different lab or wait for shipping. It’s wonderful.

We’re also using the best clear aligner material possible so that it holds the position of the teeth for longer. It’s not as uncomfortable as some other ones that start off really tight and then end up loose.

We always try to deliver an exceptional product so that we can get your teeth into the correct position.

Visit us at Knoxville Smiles to learn more about our clear aligner therapy.

What is Clear Aligner Therapy? - Dr. Michael Costa
Clear aligner therapy is great if you are someone who does not like traditional metal braces to straighten your teeth. Watch the video as Dr. Michael Costa explains.

What is Clear Aligner Therapy? - Dr. Michael Costa
Video Transcript

What are the methods available to straighten teeth?

At Knoxville Smiles, we want to help you create a more beautiful smile with straighter and prettier teeth or get you healthy.

We offer comprehensive orthodontic care with clear aligners. We offer a variety of clear aligners from Invisalign to Clear Correct. We even have our in-house clear aligner therapy that Dr. Malone and I use.

How does the in-house aligner therapy at Knoxville Smiles work?

We can use our digital impression machine to scan your teeth. We take photographs and send the current model of your teeth to our lab downstairs.

We can send you out for a consultation and, within a couple of days, have you come back to see what your teeth could look like if we go ahead and move them into the correct position.

If you don’t like how something comes out, we can tweak it on the spot so that we’re happy with the position of your teeth.

Is the use of clear aligners enough to straighten the teeth?

Now, no matter what you’re looking to do, sometimes clear aligners aren’t the correct treatment for moving your teeth.

In such cases, we have wonderful orthodontists that we work with. However, I would say more than 50 to 60% of the time we can get drastic changes in your teeth by using clear aligners.

Visit us at Knoxville Smiles to learn more about our clear aligner therapy.

Dr. Micheal Costa

Dr. Costa

Dr. Stephen Malone

Dr. Malone


Knoxville Smiles at Malone & Costa Dentistry offers a unique dental care experience to our patients in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the surrounding areas. The crew is committed to protecting and increasing the natural beauty of your smile by employing conservative, cutting-edge techniques that result in attractive, long-lasting smiles!

Our dedicated and experienced team of doctors includes Dr. Stephen Malone, D.M.D., University of Louisville, and Dr. Michael Costa, D.D.S., UNC School of Dentistry, M.H.A., UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health in Chapel Hill, NC. They are firm believers in continuing education to provide their patients with the finest possible care.

Drs. Costa and Malone see their patients as real partners in their service. Our team is committed to making your dental care journey as pleasant as possible.

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