Clear Aligners or Fixed Braces? Choosing Adult Teeth Straightening

Clear Aligners or Fixed Braces? Choosing Adult Teeth Straightening

14th October 2026

If you are thinking about straightening your teeth as an adult, you may be wondering whether people will be able to tell. There are several discreet options, each with its own strengths. At The Edge Dental we offer clear aligners, tooth-coloured fixed braces and lingual braces fitted behind the teeth. This guide explains how they differ, so you can come to your consultation with a sense of what might suit you.

Clear aligners

Clear aligners are a series of thin, custom-made plastic trays that fit over your teeth. Each set moves the teeth a small amount, and you move on to a new set at regular intervals, as your dentist directs. We offer Smilealign, made in the UK, and Invisalign.

• Hard to spot when they are in.
• Removable, so you take them out to eat, drink anything other than water, and brush your teeth.
• Need discipline. Aligners only work while you are wearing them, which means most of the day and night. If they spend too long in the case, treatment falls behind.
• Suit many cases, but not all. Some tooth movements are more predictable with fixed braces. Your assessment will show which applies to you.

Tooth-coloured fixed braces

Fixed braces use small brackets bonded to each tooth, joined by a wire. With tooth-coloured braces the brackets are ceramic, so they are much less noticeable than metal braces. The wire is adjusted at regular appointments to keep the teeth moving.

• Work all the time, because you cannot take them out.
• Handle a wide range of tooth movements.
• Visible up close, though much less so than metal.
• Need careful cleaning around the brackets. Our article on the best way to brush teeth when wearing braces explains how.

Lingual braces

Lingual braces are fixed braces attached to the back of the teeth, so they cannot be seen when you smile.

• Hidden from view in normal conversation.
• Work all the time, like other fixed braces.
• Take some getting used to. Your tongue will notice them at first, and speech can feel different for a while.
• Not suitable for every bite. We will tell you at your assessment whether they are an option for you.

Side-by-side comparison

Retainers after treatment

Whichever option you choose, straightening does not end when the braces come off or the last aligner is finished. The British Orthodontic Society explains that teeth tend to move back towards their original positions, and that the longer you wear retainers, the longer you keep your teeth straight. Teeth can also shift with age whether or not you have had treatment.

When your treatment finishes, we provide retainers to hold your teeth in their new position. These can be a thin wire bonded behind the front teeth, a clear removable retainer, or both. We will explain how and when to wear yours.

Choosing your option

The right choice depends on how your teeth need to move, your bite, the health of your teeth and gums, and how you feel about wearing something removable or fixed. Some people have a clear preference from the start. Others decide once they have seen what each option would involve for their teeth.

Your teeth and gums need to be healthy before any straightening begins, so we check for decay and gum disease first and treat anything that needs attention.

Teeth straightening consultations

At your consultation we will look at your teeth and bite, talk about what you would like to change, and explain which options suit you. Before any treatment begins you will receive a written treatment plan with costs. You can read more on our teeth straightening page, and our current prices are on our fees page.

To book, contact us online or call the practice on 01625 599 001.