Your smile,your way.

Clear aligners are a series of custom-made, removable transparent trays that apply gentle, controlled pressure to shift your teeth gradually into their correct positions. Each set of aligners moves your teeth by approximately 0.25 mm before you progress to the next set, typically every 1–2 weeks. Treatment is based on a biomechanical plan designed by a certified practitioner from a digital scan of your dental arch — no silicone impressions required.

Most adults and older teenagers with mild to moderate alignment issues are good candidates. Infinity Aligner treats dental crowding, spacing (diastemas), overbites, underbites, crossbites and certain Class II malocclusions. Severely complex cases involving significant skeletal discrepancies or complex periodontal histories require a more detailed assessment. Your certified dentist will evaluate your suitability at an initial consultation — no commitment is required at that stage.

Duration varies depending on the complexity of your case. Mild corrections (simple gaps, slight crowding) take 3–6 months. Moderate cases average 8–12 months. More complex bite corrections — deep overbites, crossbites — may require 14–20 months. Your personalised 3D treatment plan will include a precise timeline, with the exact number of aligners, before any financial commitment.

Aligners do not cause the sharp discomfort associated with traditional wire tightening. You may notice pressure or mild sensitivity for 24–48 hours after switching to a new aligner set — this is normal and indicates that orthodontic forces are active. Most patients describe it as moderate tightness rather than pain. If discomfort persists beyond 72 hours or is accompanied by unusual tooth mobility, contact your practitioner.

For optimal results and within the planned timeframe, aligners should be worn for 20–22 hours per day — a maximum of 4 hours of removal spread across 24 hours. They are removed only for eating, drinking anything other than cold still water, brushing and flossing. Compliance is the number-one factor in treatment success: every missed hour of wear slows the programmed tooth movements and can extend the overall treatment duration.

Yes — always remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything other than cold still water. This is one of the main advantages over fixed braces: there are no food restrictions whatsoever. After each meal, brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before reinserting your aligners to prevent staining and cavities. Coffee, tea and red wine consumed with aligners in place will irreversibly discolour the thermoplastic.

Rinse your aligners under cold or lukewarm (never hot — thermoplastic deforms above 40 °C) water every time you remove them. Clean them morning and evening with a soft toothbrush and a small amount of clear, non-abrasive liquid soap, or with specialist cleaning crystals (such as Retainer Brite). Avoid abrasive toothpastes, which scratch the surface and create bacterial niches. Never leave them exposed to air to dry — store them in their protective case when not in use.

Once active treatment is complete, your dentist will provide a custom retention appliance — a thin clear night-time retainer, and/or a fine bonded wire on the inner surface of the anterior teeth. Teeth have a natural tendency to return towards their original position (relapse), due to the elastic memory of the periodontal ligament fibres. Consistent retainer wear protects the long-term result. The standard recommendation: nightly wear every day for the first 2 years, then 3–5 nights per week for life.

Coverage varies by insurer and policy. Some complementary health schemes in Tunisia provide partial reimbursement for adult orthodontic treatment, typically capped between 500 and 1,500 DT depending on the contract. In France and Belgium, adult orthodontics is rarely covered by state health insurance, but complementary mutuals often offer partial coverage. In Canada, many extended health benefit plans include orthodontics with a lifetime maximum. We recommend contacting your insurer directly. Our partner dentists can issue the documentation and quotes required for your reimbursement claim.

Don't panic. If you lose or damage an aligner, temporarily wear the previous set (from the prior series) to maintain the position achieved, and contact your practitioner within 48 hours. Depending on your progress in the treatment plan, they will either order a replacement or advance you to the next aligner if the majority of the movement is already complete. Avoid leaving your aligners exposed to heat, pets or easily accessible surfaces.

Both techniques move teeth by applying controlled forces to the peri-dental bone tissue, but their mechanics differ fundamentally. Aligners are removable — a major advantage for dental hygiene and dietary freedom — but require strict compliance (20–22 hours per day). Fixed braces (brackets and wires) are permanent and do not depend on patient compliance, but restrict toothbrush access, increase the risk of cavities and gingivitis, and can be uncomfortable after tightening. Aligners are aesthetically invisible; braces, even ceramic ones, remain visible. In terms of clinical outcomes, both techniques achieve comparable results on moderate cases — the choice depends on the patient's profile, case complexity and lifestyle preferences.

For non-contact sports (running, swimming, cycling, fitness), aligners can be kept in without restriction — hydrating with cold still water is possible with aligners in place. For contact sports (rugby, boxing, martial arts) or sports with a risk of facial impact, it is recommended to remove aligners and wear a custom mouthguard during training, then reinsert the aligners immediately afterwards. For wind instruments (flute, trumpet, clarinet), an adaptation period of 1–2 weeks is typical — the vast majority of musicians recover their playing ease without removing their aligners.

Yes, significantly. The removability of aligners allows standard brushing, flossing and oral irrigation without any constraint from brackets or wires. Comparative studies show that patients using aligners present significantly lower plaque scores and gingival bleeding than those treated with fixed braces at 12 months. However, this hygiene advantage is only maintained if the aligners are cleaned regularly and if teeth are systematically brushed before each reinsertion — habits your Infinity Aligner practitioner will help you establish from the very first appointment.

Follow-up check-ups are typically scheduled every 6–10 weeks depending on case complexity and your practitioner's protocol. At each appointment, the practitioner checks aligner fit (tracking), movement progression against the 3D plan, attachment integrity and periodontal health. If you are following an international hybrid protocol (initial consultation in Tunisia + remote monitoring), standardised photos are sent every 4–6 weeks with practitioner feedback within 48 hours. In-person visits remain recommended at mid-treatment and at the end of treatment.

Yes — this is one of the lesser-known advantages of aligner orthodontics. It is possible to apply a low-concentration hydrogen peroxide (3–6%) or carbamide peroxide (10–16%) whitening gel directly into your aligner trays, which then serve as natural whitening trays. This technique is particularly effective on the labial and buccal surfaces of the teeth. However, whitening is not recommended during pregnancy, in cases of marked dentine sensitivity, or on teeth with aesthetic restorations (composite, ceramic) — it does not bleach prosthetic materials. Consult your practitioner before initiating a concurrent whitening protocol.

Yes, from approximately 12–13 years of age, once the permanent dentition is sufficiently established (eruption of the first and second permanent molars). Aligners for teenagers incorporate compliance indicators (small coloured dots that gradually fade according to actual wear time), reserve spaces for teeth still erupting, and integrated replacement kits for lost aligners. The prerequisite remains the teenager's own motivation — voluntary compliance is essential. Your practitioner will assess your child's orthodontic and psychological readiness at the initial consultation.