Invisalign in Neuilly-sur-Seine: clear aligners for adults and teenagers

How clear aligners work

Aligner treatment starts with a digital impression of both arches. On the 3D model, each tooth’s movement is planned step by step, from its current position to the target validated by the orthodontist. A series of aligners is then manufactured, each corresponding to a stage of that plan.

1. Assessment and digital impression

   Clinical examination, radiographs, photographs and intra-oral scan. Diagnosis and written quote.

2. Digital planning

   The tooth movements are simulated and checked by the orthodontist; the number of aligners and the expected duration follow from this plan.

3. Attachments and first aligners

   Small tooth-coloured composite attachments are bonded to certain teeth to give the aligners grip. The first aligners are fitted and explained.

4. Changes every one to two weeks

   You change aligner at home, following the sequence; checks at the practice every 6 to 10 weeks.

5. Refinement and retention

   A second, shorter series is often needed to finish the details. The result is then held with a night-time retainer and, where appropriate, a bonded wire.

22 hours a day: what wearing aligners involves

Aligners only work while they are in the mouth. The usual target is about 22 hours a day, which leaves time for meals and brushing: aligners come out to eat and to drink anything other than water, and the teeth are brushed before they go back in. Worn less, the teeth stop following the plan, the next aligner no longer fits and the treatment has to be revised.

This discipline is the main constraint of the technique and the main reason it suits some patients better than others. It is discussed openly at the assessment.

Who clear aligners suit, and their limits

Aligners give good results for mild to moderate crowding or spacing, for relapse after earlier treatment, and for adults who want a discreet, removable appliance. Some more complex situations can be treated, sometimes combined with other appliances.

• Well suited: mild to moderate crowding, small gaps, relapse of the front teeth, patients who can commit to 22 hours of wear.
• Possible with precautions: moderate bite corrections, some extraction cases, preparation before implants or crowns.
• Usually better treated otherwise: large rotations of canines and premolars, significant vertical corrections, severe crowding requiring extractions, and patients who cannot wear aligners consistently.

In these last cases, the assessment usually leads to fixed braces, most often lingual braces when discretion matters.

Aligners for teenagers

Aligners can be used in teenagers once most permanent teeth are present. Versions for growing patients include small indicators that fade with wear and leave room for erupting teeth. The key question is motivation: an aligner left in a pocket does nothing. For an organised teenager, aligners are a comfortable option; for others, fixed braces remove the question.

For patients under 16, French public health insurance covers €193.50 per semester for up to 6 semesters, subject to prior approval, whatever the technique.

Duration and cost of aligner treatment

A short realignment of the front teeth takes 6 to 9 months; a more complete correction 12 to 18 months, refinement included. At the practice, a complete adult aligner treatment is most often between €3,500 and €6,500, depending on the number of aligners and the duration, paid in stages. The fee covers planning, all aligners including refinement, attachments, checks and the first retainers.

Adult orthodontics is not reimbursed by French public health insurance; many mutuelles and international insurers reimburse part of the cost (see fees and insurance). The written quote prevails over these indicative ranges.

When lingual braces are recommended instead

Aligners and lingual braces are the two discreet options for adults, and they are not interchangeable. Lingual braces are fixed, invisible and act 24 hours a day, whatever your routine. They are usually recommended when the case involves complex movements, extractions or significant vertical correction, or when 22 hours of daily wear is unrealistic.

Dr Curiel designed the Harmony lingual system and the practice uses both techniques; the recommendation follows the diagnosis, not a preference for one appliance. The comparison table on the lingual braces page sets the two side by side. Consultations in English take place three minutes from Les Sablons métro (access details).

Frequently asked questions about clear aligners

Invisalign® is a trademark of Align Technology, Inc.