Straighten your teeth without putting your life in brackets.
Invisalign uses a personalized series of clear, removable aligners to gradually move your teeth into planned positions — giving many adults and teens a more discreet alternative to traditional braces.
Take them out to eat. Put them back in to keep your smile moving.
Six reasons your teeth may need to move.
Clear aligners can address several types of tooth-position and bite problems, but whether Invisalign is appropriate — and how complex treatment will be — depends on the movements your particular smile needs.
Crowded teeth
When there isn’t enough room for the teeth to sit comfortably in the arch, aligners can gradually create and redistribute space to improve their positions.
Gaps between teeth
Unwanted spaces can often be closed by carefully moving neighboring teeth toward more balanced positions.
Overbite / deep bite
When the upper front teeth overlap the lower teeth too deeply, Invisalign may be able to change tooth positions and improve the bite relationship in appropriate cases.
Crossbite
If selected upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth rather than outside them, clear aligner treatment can be used for certain crossbite corrections.
Open bite
When some upper and lower teeth don’t meet when you close, planned orthodontic movement may help improve the way those teeth come together.
Teeth have shifted again
Teeth can move after previous orthodontic treatment, particularly when retention hasn’t kept them in their corrected positions. Clear aligners may be an option for selected relapse cases.
You don’t have to know whether the problem is “crowding,” “overbite” or something else before you come in.
Clear doesn’t mean passive: each aligner is one planned step in a sequence of tooth movements.
The plastic is clear. The plan behind it is anything but simple.
Invisalign treatment uses a sequence of custom-made clear aligners, with each stage designed to apply controlled pressure that gradually moves selected teeth toward their planned positions. The treatment plan is mapped digitally before and during the orthodontic process.
But the aligners aren’t always working alone. Small tooth-colored attachments may be bonded to selected teeth to give the aligner additional grip for particular movements. Depending on the bite correction required, other orthodontic components may also form part of the plan.
And because the appliance is removable, your consistency becomes part of the treatment. Invisalign says most patients are instructed to wear their aligners around 20–22 hours per day, while removing them for meals and oral hygiene.
Aligners move the teeth. The details help control where they go — and keep them there.
Your Invisalign plan may include more than a stack of clear trays. The exact combination depends on the movements your teeth and bite need.
Custom Clear Aligners
Each aligner is made for a specific stage of your treatment and fits over your teeth to apply the planned forces needed for gradual movement. You progress through the sequence according to the schedule prescribed for your case.
- For Invisalign patients whose teeth can be predictably moved through a planned sequence of removable clear aligners.
- For patients whose planned tooth or bite movements need more control than the smooth aligner surface alone can provide.
Attachments & Bite Aids
Small tooth-colored attachments can be bonded to selected teeth to help the aligners produce certain movements more effectively. Some treatment plans may also incorporate orthodontic elastics or other auxiliaries when needed.
Retention After Invisalign
Moving the teeth is only the first half of keeping the result. Retainers are used after orthodontic treatment to help hold teeth in their corrected positions and reduce relapse.
- For every patient completing orthodontic tooth movement, with the specific retainer type and wear schedule determined for the individual case.
Scan it. Move it. Keep it there.
- Map where your smile is going
We evaluate your teeth and bite and capture the information needed to create a digital treatment plan showing how the individual tooth movements are intended to progress. Invisalign uses digital treatment-planning technology to customize that sequence.
- Wear, switch & keep moving
You wear each set as directed — typically most of the day and night — removing the aligners to eat, brush and floss. You then progress through new aligners while we monitor whether your teeth are tracking as planned.
- Finish with retention
Once active tooth movement is complete, retainers help hold your new positions while the surrounding tissues adapt and reduce the risk of the teeth drifting back.
200 reasons to choose us.
We don't ask you to trust us. We let our patients do the talking.
I hadn’t been to the dentist in longer than I wanted to admit, so I was expecting a lecture. Instead, the whole visit felt easy. My cleaning was gentle, everything was explained clearly, and I left knowing exactly what to keep an eye on and when to come back.
Melissa R.
Teeth Cleaning & Exam
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had a small chip on my front tooth that bothered me in every photo. I expected a much bigger treatment, but bonding was enough. The shade matches beautifully and the tooth still looks completely natural.
Laura M.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I drink coffee every day and felt like my teeth had gradually become much darker than they used to be. I wanted them brighter, but I definitely didn’t want that artificial super-white look. They helped me choose a shade that still looked like me, and the difference was exactly what I wanted. My smile looks fresher without looking “done.”
Emily S.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I avoided the dentist for years because of a terrible experience when I was younger. By the time I finally booked, I was embarrassed about both my teeth and how anxious I was. Nobody made me feel judged. They talked through the sedation options with me beforehand, explained exactly what to expect and made the appointment feel completely manageable. It was the first time I left a dental office thinking, “I can actually do this again.”
Lauren D.
Sedation Dentistry
Kensington, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I used to think preventive dentistry just meant getting my teeth cleaned and coming back six months later. They actually took the time to explain why I kept getting cavities in the same areas and helped me change a few things at home. We also added extra protection to a couple of teeth that needed it. My visits feel much more proactive now instead of waiting for the next problem.
Nicole B.
Preventive Dentistry
Kensington, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had been dealing with jaw soreness and painful clicking for months and wasn’t even sure whether I should see a dentist about it. The appointment was very thorough. They asked when the pain happened, checked how my jaw was moving and explained the difference between the joint and the surrounding muscles. I appreciated that the plan felt conservative and specific to what I was actually experiencing.
Sarah L.
TMJ Evaluation & Treatment
Chevy Chase, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had already been diagnosed with sleep apnea but struggled with my CPAP enough that I wasn’t using it consistently. I talked with my sleep doctor about alternatives and then came to Bethesda Dental Group for an oral appliance. The fitting process was easy, the adjustments were explained clearly, and traveling is much simpler now. My wife is also very happy that the snoring has improved.
James R.
Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance Therapy
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had a badly broken molar and kept putting the appointment off because I was nervous about having it removed. They showed me why the tooth couldn’t really be saved, talked me through everything before starting, and the actual extraction was much more manageable than I had built it up to be. I also appreciated that we talked about what to do with the space afterward instead of just stopping there.
Rachel P.
Tooth Extraction
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I went in with a toothache that had kept me up the night before and was honestly dreading hearing “root canal.” The team explained exactly what they were seeing and what would happen next. Once I was numb, the appointment was much easier than I expected, and the relief afterward made me wish I had come in sooner.
Michael T.
Root Canal Treatment
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I chipped an old filling and was convinced it was going to turn into a much bigger procedure. Dr. Shawn showed me exactly what was happening, explained my options clearly, and repaired the tooth without making the visit stressful. My bite feels completely normal again, and the new filling blends in so well I can barely see it.
Daniel M
Composite Filling Replacement
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
Straightening your smile can happen over time. The cost can too.
Bethesda Dental Group accepts most PPO insurance plans, and orthodontic benefits may vary depending on your specific coverage. Cherry, Sunbit, Proceed and Care Credit financing is also available for eligible Invisalign treatment with no hard credit check · approval in seconds · and plans from 3 to 24 months.
If you’ve been waiting for straighter teeth, the braces may be optional.
Whether you’re dealing with crowding, spaces, bite concerns or teeth that shifted after previous orthodontic treatment, we’ll evaluate what needs to move and whether Invisalign is the right way to get it there.
