Straightening teeth as an adult: the questions people actually ask
Most of our aligner patients are between 30 and 60. These are the questions that come up in almost every consultation.
21 August 2026 · 6 min read · Dr Sundeep Solanki
Will anyone notice?
Clear aligners are visible at close conversational distance if someone is looking for them, and not otherwise. The attachments — small tooth-coloured bumps bonded to some teeth to let the aligners grip — are the part people notice more, and they come off entirely at the end.
How long does it take?
Mild crowding or relapse after childhood braces is often six to nine months. A fuller case with bite changes runs twelve to twenty-four. The honest answer only comes after records — photographs, scans and x-rays — because the plan is built from your actual teeth, not an average.
Does it hurt?
Pressure rather than pain, strongest in the first day or two of each new aligner and easing after that. Changing aligners in the evening means you sleep through the worst of it.
What happens afterwards
Teeth move for life. Retention is not optional — it is part of the treatment. We fit a fixed retainer behind the front teeth where the case warrants it, and provide removable retainers for night-time wear. Stop wearing them and the teeth drift back, sometimes within months.
Is it worth combining with anything?
Frequently. Aligners put teeth in the right place; whitening and a small amount of edge bonding then finish the shape and colour. Sequencing matters — whitening goes after alignment, bonding after whitening, so that everything matches.
This article is general information, not personal dental advice. Treatment suitability is assessed individually at consultation.