What should I base my choice of clear aligners on?
Three things: the movement plan, wear, and how fast corrections are made. In the consultation room I often hear, “Shouldn't I go with a well-known brand?” But I plan the movement before thinking about the name. I first map out which teeth need to rotate, which need to move inward, and whether the molars need to stay put, and if aligners can't carry out that plan, I don't choose clear aligners.
| Criterion | If it fits | If it doesn't fit |
|---|---|---|
| Movement plan | Where each tooth needs to go is clear | The aligners can't carry out that movement |
| Wear | Worn nearly all day except for meals and brushing | Taken out often, so the next aligner doesn't seat properly |
| Speed of correction | Remade quickly when things go off track | Long gaps let teeth drift outside the plan |
When are clear aligners not a good fit?
When it's hard to keep up the wear, or when there is a lot of movement that aligners can't predict well.
- A lifestyle that makes it hard to wear them around 20 hours a day (frequent eating out or work dinners, a habit of leaving the aligners out)
- Cases with a lot of movement where teeth need to be turned significantly (rotation) or pushed up into the gums (intrusion)
- Cases where large extraction spaces need to be closed, making the design tricky
A few years ago, many people said aligners were only for simple alignment. Now, more extraction cases are being planned with aligners too, and prediction software has become fairly standardized, so it's hard to judge difficulty by brand name alone. Even for the same movement, the position of the attachments (small resin handles bonded to the tooth surface) and the direction of force determine the result. I've written about brand names separately in Types and brands of clear aligners.
What happens if I don't keep up the wear?
The teeth won't move as planned. With clear aligners, teeth move only for as long as the aligners are in. If you take them out often, the next aligner won't seat properly, and when it doesn't seat, the sequence goes off track. If you tell me keeping up the wear will be hard, I recommend fixed braces from the start. A brand name is no substitute for wearing the aligners.
There are some tips for keeping up the wear time. Set fixed mealtimes, put the aligners straight into their case when you take them out, and after eating, brush and put them right back in. The most common mishap is wrapping them in a napkin and then losing them.
What if things don't go as planned?
We stop and readjust. Teeth in orthodontic treatment quickly drift elsewhere when the force stops. If the next aligner doesn't seat, we don't force it in or skip it; we check the fit and increase wear time, and if it still won't go in, we rescan and get new aligners made.
How long it takes to get the new aligners has a bigger effect on the result than you might think. When they're made in Korea, a remake often takes around one to two weeks; if a month goes by, the teeth drift outside the plan in the meantime. Orthodontic treatment in real practice never goes exactly to plan, so how quickly variables are dealt with matters.
How we do it at Wonjin Dental
The treating dentist reviews the movement sequence, revises it with other members of the team if needed, and then sends it for fabrication. We do clear aligners with Seraphin, and if the movement isn't suited to aligners, I recommend fixed self-ligating braces. Clear aligners (Seraphin) are ₩2,500,000, and the orthodontic diagnosis is ₩100,000 (as of September 2026, full fee list).
Frequently asked questions
What if I lose an aligner during treatment?
Let the clinic know right away. If you have the aligner from the previous stage, wear it so the teeth don't move back, and if needed we'll rescan and have a new one made. That's why it's a good idea to keep your previous-stage aligners rather than throwing them away.
Are clear aligners less painful?
For a day or two after switching to a new aligner, there is a feeling of tightness. Wires poking the cheeks, as with braces, are less common, but I won't claim it's painless.
How long does clear aligner treatment take?
It depends on how much movement is needed. Light alignment focused on the front teeth can take a few months, while correcting the full arch and the bite can take one to two years or more. If you can't keep up the wear, it takes that much longer.
Do I have to have attachments during clear aligner treatment?
We bond them when there is rotation or root movement that's hard to achieve with the aligners alone. They're tooth-colored resin, so they're hard to see from a distance, and when treatment ends we remove them and polish the surface.
