Invisalign & Clear Aligners
Straighter teeth without wires or brackets, planned and supervised by our board-certified orthodontist, at our Fremont, Cupertino, and Milpitas offices.
Clear Aligners Overview
Clear aligners are a series of thin, custom-made plastic trays that move your teeth a fraction at a time. You wear each tray for a week or two, then move to the next, and over the course of treatment your teeth arrive where the plan put them. They come out to eat and brush, so there are no food restrictions and no change to how you clean your teeth, and most people will not notice you are wearing them.
Straight teeth are easier to keep clean and wear more evenly, which is why the American Dental Association treats orthodontics as more than cosmetic. Invisalign is the aligner system we use most, and it makes up the large majority of orthodontic cases at Agape, for patients across Fremont, Cupertino, Milpitas, San Jose, and the wider Silicon Valley.
Candidacy
Crowding, spacing, and many bite problems, including overbite, underbite, and crossbite, are treated routinely with aligners today, for adults and for teens. The honest limit is not the case so much as the wearer: aligners only work while they are in, and that means 20 to 22 hours a day. Patients who can commit to that finish on time. Patients who cannot are usually better served by braces, which do the work whether you remember them or not. Both are excellent; the consultation is where we work out which fits you.
In-House Orthodontist
Orthodontics at Agape Dental Group is provided by Agape Orthodontics, our sister practice led by Dr. Luke Wu, a board-certified orthodontist. That matters with aligners, where the result depends on the plan: the sequence of movements is designed from a digital scan before the first tray is made, and you see a preview of the projected result before you commit.
Because both practices share our Fremont, Cupertino, and Milpitas offices, your general dentist and your orthodontist work from the same records. Cleanings, fillings, and aligner check-ins happen under one roof, and if a makeover with whitening or bonding is planned after alignment, it is sequenced properly from the start.
Daily Care
Take the trays out to eat and to drink anything other than water, rinse them when they come out, and put them in their case rather than a napkin. Brush them gently with a soft brush and no toothpaste, which scratches the plastic and makes it cloudy. Hot drinks warp them and coffee stains them, so water only while they are in. Check-ins are short and spaced several weeks apart, and you keep your routine cleanings throughout.
A new tray feels tight for a day or two. That pressure is the tooth moving and it settles quickly. Wear every tray for its full time even when it starts to feel loose, because the next tray was made expecting this one to finish its job. Keep the previous tray until the next one is in, in case one is lost or cracks.
Retention
Teeth drift back toward where they started unless they are held, so every course of aligners ends with a retainer, either a clear tray worn at night, a thin wire bonded behind the front teeth, or both. This part is permanent, and it is what keeps the result you paid for. Many patients choose to whiten once alignment is finished, and it is the right moment to do it.
Clear aligners, answered
How long does treatment take?
Most adult cases run about a year to a year and a half. Minor corrections can be a few months; complex cases take longer. You get a specific estimate after your scan at the consultation.
Does it hurt?
A new tray feels tight for a day or two, which is the teeth moving. It settles quickly and an over-the-counter pain reliever handles it if needed.
How much does Invisalign cost?
It depends on the complexity and length of the case, and for most patients it is in the same range as braces. Many dental plans include an orthodontic benefit that applies to aligners. We check your plan and give you a written cost breakdown after the consultation.
I had braces as a teenager and my teeth have shifted. Can aligners fix that?
Yes, and it is one of the most common cases we see. Relapse corrections are usually shorter than first-time treatment.
Are aligners right for teens?
Often, yes. Teen aligners carry small wear indicators so we can confirm they are being worn, and come with spare trays for the one that gets lost. The main question is whether the teen will wear them, and we talk about that openly at the consultation.
Can aligners fix my bite, not just crooked teeth?
Mild to moderate overbites, underbites, and crossbites are treated with aligners routinely. Significant jaw-related bite problems may need a different approach, and the consultation scan tells us which applies to you.
What happens when treatment ends?
You are fitted for a retainer, worn at night or bonded behind the teeth, to hold the result. Without one, teeth drift back.