Invisalign has become one of the most recognised names in orthodontics, but plenty of people still aren’t sure whether it would actually work for their teeth. The honest answer is: it depends on what you’re dealing with — and there’s more it can tackle than most people expect.
As a form of clear aligner treatment, Invisalign works by moving teeth gradually through a series of custom-made plastic trays. Each tray shifts the teeth slightly, and you work through them in sequence over a period of months. The Invisalign system has developed considerably over the years, and it now handles a far wider range of tooth positions than it did a decade ago.
Crowding
This is probably the most common reason people look into Invisalign. Crowding happens when there isn’t enough space in the jaw for all the teeth to sit in line — they overlap, twist, or push in front of each other. According to NHS information on orthodontics, crowding is one of the primary reasons people seek orthodontic treatment in the first place.
Invisalign handles mild to moderate crowding very well. In our experience, this is where results tend to be the most predictable and where patients feel the biggest change in how their smile looks. Severe crowding is trickier — sometimes extractions are needed first, or fixed braces may be recommended instead.
Some patients find their crowding sorts out relatively quickly. Others experience a much longer treatment timeline, depending on how much movement is needed and how consistently they wear the trays.
Spacing and Gaps
Gaps between teeth — whether from a natural diastema or from teeth that have drifted after a previous extraction — are something Invisalign manages well. The aligners apply pressure that draws teeth together gradually, closing the space over time.
Worth knowing: very large gaps may require more complex planning, and there are cases where a gap is actually being maintained intentionally (for example, prior to an implant). Always worth discussing the full picture with your dentist before assuming any gap needs closing.
In our experience, patients are sometimes surprised to learn that gaps can be closed without any drilling or bonding. Just the aligners, worn consistently, do the job.
Overbite
An overbite means your upper front teeth close too far over the lower ones. A small overbite is normal — around 2 to 4 millimetres of vertical overlap is considered fine. It’s when that depth increases significantly that problems develop, including wear on the lower teeth and sometimes jaw discomfort.
Invisalign can correct deep overbites through a combination of intruding the front teeth and, in some cases, encouraging the back teeth to erupt slightly. That said, moderate to severe overbites can push the limits of what aligners alone can achieve. We’d always assess this on a case-by-case basis rather than making sweeping promises.
We had a patient who came to us genuinely worried that her overbite meant she’d need surgery. She’d been told by a previous dentist years ago that her bite was “too complicated” for anything other than braces. When we assessed her, her bite depth was around 5 millimetres — uncomfortable, but not beyond what Invisalign could address. She completed treatment in just under 14 months and was delighted with the result.
Overjet (Protruding Upper Teeth)
Overjet is often confused with overbite. Where overbite is a vertical overlap, overjet describes how far the upper front teeth protrude horizontally beyond the lower ones. The classic description is “buck teeth,” though that phrase is a bit unkind.
Mild to moderate overjet responds well to Invisalign, particularly when the issue is with tooth position rather than jaw position. If the underlying cause is skeletal — the jaw itself is positioned incorrectly — that changes the picture significantly and may require a different approach.
Underbite
An underbite is where the lower teeth sit in front of the upper teeth when biting down. This can be purely dental (the teeth are positioned incorrectly) or it can have a skeletal element (the lower jaw itself protrudes). Invisalign can manage dental underbites with reasonable success. Skeletal underbites, honestly, are a different matter and often require surgical intervention that aligners simply can’t replace.
| Dental Problem | Invisalign Suitable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mild to moderate crowding | Yes | One of the most predictable uses |
| Spacing and gaps | Yes | Works well for most gap sizes |
| Deep overbite | Often yes | Depends on severity; assessed case by case |
| Overjet (protruding teeth) | Often yes | Less effective if cause is skeletal |
| Dental underbite | Sometimes | Skeletal underbites usually need surgery |
| Open bite | Sometimes | Anterior open bites can be difficult for aligners |
| Severe crowding | Less commonly | May need extractions or fixed braces instead |
Open Bite
An open bite is where the front teeth don’t meet when the back teeth are closed. You’ll find articles online suggesting Invisalign handles open bites consistently well. In our experience, that’s not always right. Anterior open bites — where the gap is at the front — can be particularly stubborn, and not every case is appropriate for clear aligners. The cause matters too: habits like tongue thrusting can undermine any treatment if they’re not addressed alongside the orthodontic work.
That said, Invisalign has improved considerably in this area. The software now plans more complex movements than it did even a few years ago, and the technology continues to develop.
What Invisalign Doesn’t Fix
Put simply, Invisalign is an excellent tool — but it isn’t suitable for every situation. Conditions involving significant skeletal discrepancy (where the jaws themselves are misaligned), severe rotations, or teeth that need to be moved vertically in complex ways are often better managed with fixed appliances or a combined approach. And naturally, Invisalign doesn’t fix issues like decay, gum disease, or damaged restorations. Those need to be dealt with before any orthodontic treatment begins.
Roughly seven in ten patients who enquire about Invisalign turn out to be suitable candidates. The others aren’t necessarily excluded from orthodontic treatment — they may just need a different route to get there.
If you’re not sure whether your teeth are a good fit for Invisalign, we’re happy to take a look. At Westcliff Dental Practice we offer consultations where we can talk through what’s going on with your bite and alignment and give you an honest assessment. Give us a call on 01702 344 500 and we’ll find a time that works for you.
