Are you looking for Invisalign reviews to decide if this is the best invisible aligner option for you? If so, you're in the right place! We have scoured dozens of Invisalign reviews for adults and summarized them in one neat article for you.
Keep reading to get honest opinions of what teeth straightening with these “invisible” braces is really like in terms of:
- Effectiveness
- Comfort
- Practicalities
- Noticeability
- Speech
Since Invisalign is one of the more expensive orthodontics options, we've also included some information about more affordable at-home clear aligner brands. The brands we recommend include NewSmile, Byte and ALIGNERCO. You can read more about them below and link to our complete guide to cheaper alternatives.
Three impartial Invisalign reviews
“Feeling happy about your smile is priceless”
We begin our Invisalign reviews with Marlon. He just finished his Invisalign treatment and is currently waiting for his Vivera retainers to come. He was a great candidate for Invisalign because he didn't have severe malocclusion (bite or teeth misalignment).
However, he's always felt self-conscious about his teeth, and one day while he was at the dentist for a routine checkup, his dentist asked if he was interested in orthodontic treatment. He thought about it for a few months and finally decided it was time to straighten his teeth.
Marlon was 23 when he began his treatment 20 months ago, and didn't want to have metal braces as an adult, which is the primary reason why he chose Invisalign.
Marlon acknowledges that Invisalign isn't for everyone, it's on a case-by-case basis, and some cases can't be fixed with Invisalign. His treatment time was estimated to be 6 to 9 months but turned out to be 20 months.
In his Invisalign review, he describes his experience in detail, from speaking with his dentist about his options and getting his wisdom teeth pulled in preparation, to teeth shaving and finally getting his aligners. He also touches on some delays he experienced in getting new trays at the end of his treatment.
Overall he's very happy with his experience and his Invisalign results, and you can watch his entire in-depth review in the video below.
“After a year I am as happy with the results as I was then”
In this review of Invisalign, we meet Judy, who has never had braces and has always practiced excellent dental hygiene. Although her teeth were relatively straight, she had a twisted bottom front tooth that she felt self-conscious about, especially when she was talking.
She also suffered from the occasional migraine, which made her wonder if they might have something to do with bite alignment problems. So she went to see an orthodontist and was approved for treatment to move her teeth and widen her smile.
Her treatment was estimated to be 10 weeks, but after an additional refinement, was extended another 10 weeks. Some points she touches on in her review include:
- Her speech was not very noticeably affected, except for a slight lisp.
- The aligners weren't painful, but they did feel tight when she started each set.
- She had clear attachments on her teeth to speed up treatment.
Now that she's finished treatment, she is very happy with her Invisalign results and she says that she actually has fewer migraines now than she did before.
“All the changes happening to my mouth… I'm super excited!”
In the Invisalign video review below, Brittani shares her Invisalign reality so far. She was originally considering SmileDirectClub (another brand of aligner brace which ships straight to you, as mentioned above), but she went with Invisalign because she wanted the reassurance of seeing a professional dentist for regular checkups during her treatment.
This turned out to be a wise choice because some of her teeth moved faster than expected and would have caused problems if she'd stuck with her original treatment plan. Instead, her dentist was able to spot the potential problem and get a revised treatment plan from Invisalign.
Brittani needed quite a few attachments, but you don't notice them until she shows you a close-up.
Brittani says the most annoying part of her Invisalign reality is having to take the trays out every time she eats (and brush and floss before putting them back in). On the plus side, this has helped her diet as snacking between meals seems like too much hard work! She recommends not wearing lipstick because it tends to end up on the aligners.
She also had a problem with sores at the back of her mouth where her trays were sticking out a bit – but this has only happened a few times.
“It was the same price as if I got regular braces”
Finally, we have another video Invisalign review – from Dominic, who is 21 trays into his treatment. It's a relatively long course of treatment, with 33 trays planned in total. His Invisalign reality includes visiting his dentist periodically for scans to check how his treatment is progressing.
At first, Dominic didn't have any of the problems with pain or sensitivity that he'd heard about from other users. He adapted easily to wearing the aligners, even though they affected his speech a little.
But then, around tray 14 of his treatment, he says he experienced “extreme sensitivity” in one particular tooth which made him want to quit. Fortunately, he kept going and is now feeling fine again. He also had problems with sharp edges around tray 18 but was able to fix this by filing them down.
Dominic recommends changing to new trays before going to sleep so your teeth can get used to them overnight and you're less aware of any discomfort. Another tip is to remove the aligners about 15 minutes before eating so your teeth have time to adjust before you start chewing food.
Dominic's treatment cost about $3,800 which, his dentist said, was about the same as regular metal braces would have been.
These three Invisalign reviews can help you decide whether Invisalign is worth getting for your teeth.
Some alternatives to consider
Invisalign is great at what they do and has millions of satisfied customers, but not everyone can afford the treatment. If that's your case, you may want to have a look at some more affordable alternatives:
Our guide to the best invisible braces brands goes into more detail about the pros and cons of each option and what to consider when choosing a treatment. If you don't have time to read that now, we can say that NewSmile aligners, ALIGNERCO aligners, Candid and Byte are all good choices for straightening teeth on a budget.
They can't treat such a wide range of problems as Invisalign, but it's easy to check if you're a good candidate by taking this free assessment.
Conclusion
If you're wondering, ”Is Invisalign good,” The answer is YES! We hope these Invisalign braces reviews have helped you get a better idea of what it's like to wear plastic aligners. All these Invisalign reviewers reported an overall positive experience with promising results, despite some slight discomfort – especially at first – and minor inconvenience.
You can also check Invisalign Trustpilot reviews to see what more users have to say about it.
Remember that it's normal to experience some discomfort with whatever type of braces you choose. Fixed brace brackets, in particular, often cause mouth sores when they rub against the soft tissue. Read more about the differences between Invisalign vs braces.
On the whole, people seem to consider the drawbacks a small price to pay in return for improving their smile without it being obvious they're wearing braces. Being able to remove the aligners for important meetings or events is also a big plus, and results appear surprisingly quickly.
As you can see in our Invisalign review, there's no denying that the price tag for Invisalign is quite high. If you only require mild to moderate straightening, then you may well be eligible for remote treatment with at-home aligners like Candid, NewSmile, Byte, and ALIGNERCO.
These options are not only a lot cheaper; you also don't have the inconvenience of visiting the dentist every few weeks. You can read more about these and other alternatives to Invisalign here.
FAQs
Does Invisalign work?
Invisalign works for many people. In fact, Invisalign claims they can successfully straighten teeth in 90% of cases. This ability to treat so many cases is largely thanks to one treatment aspect. Invisalign requires regular in-person visits with your dentist or orthodontist, so it can be used to treat people with mild to complex cases of malocclusion.
However, in particularly severe cases, the only option may be traditional braces.
Is Invisalign worth it?
Invisalign costs more than metal braces in some cases, with prices ranging from $3,500 to $8,500. That being said, for many, the self-confidence that a perfect smile can give is well worth the price.
Keep in mind that Invisalign doesn't offer a fixed cost so you'll need to visit a dentist to find out the price for your treatment. You can find a dentist near you now by calling 866-383-0748.
For cheaper alternatives, you may want to consider at-home aligners like those that we mentioned above, including NewSmile, Candid, ALIGNERCO and Byte.
Does Invisalign hurt?
Some people experience some pain with Invisalign and any type of orthodontic treatment for that matter. During Invisalign treatment you might not experience actual pain. But you will most likely notice some discomfort or tightness, especially when you begin each new round of aligners.