Smile Proudly Without Metal Braces
- Eliminate issues that have bothered you for years
- Straighten your teeth with discreet clear aligners
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$159 New Patient Exam & Teeth Cleaning
View All Our OffersClear Aligners That Straighten Teeth Without Metal Brackets
Most people who want straighter teeth are not avoiding treatment because they doubt it works. They are avoiding the idea of two years in metal brackets during a season of life that involves client meetings, wedding photographs, or a teenager’s senior year. Clear aligners answer that objection directly. They move teeth on the same biological principles braces use, and they do it with a series of removable trays that almost no one notices you are wearing.
Aligner treatment here is planned and monitored by Dr. Shreya Iyengar, who holds a Master of Dental Surgery in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, completed her orthodontic residency at Jacksonville University, and holds Membership in Orthodontics from the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow. She also completed the Aligner Intensive Fellowship, a program devoted specifically to clear aligner mechanics. That distinction matters more than most patients realize, because an aligner is a tool rather than a treatment plan, and the outcome depends entirely on who designs the tooth movement behind it.
Aligner Treatment Planned by an Orthodontist, Not by Software
Every clear aligner case begins with a digital plan that predicts where each tooth will move and in what sequence. Software generates that plan. A specialist decides whether it is the right one.
Dr. Iyengar reviews root position, bite relationship, jaw joint function, and the condition of any existing dental work before approving a single tray. She adjusts the sequence where the software has been optimistic, adds attachments where a tooth needs more grip, and says plainly when a case would be better served by braces or by a combination approach. Patients treated here are not fitted to a product. The product is fitted to the diagnosis.
“An aligner can only deliver the plan it was given. The judgment about what those teeth should do, and in what order, is the part that takes years of training to get right.” – Shreya Iyengar, BDS, MDS, Orthodontist
For patients whose alignment concerns are limited and cosmetic in nature, Dr. Antal Barbela and Dr. Dipti Kanchan also provide aligner therapy as part of their restorative and cosmetic practice, with Dr. Iyengar available for consultation on any case that proves more complex than it first appeared.
What Clarity Aligners Are and How They Work
Clarity Aligners are manufactured by Solventum, the healthcare company spun off from 3M in 2024, and they are the clear aligner system used at this practice.
Each tray is made from a transparent thermoplastic shaped to fit the teeth precisely as they are today, with a small amount of correction built in. Worn for the prescribed hours each day, the tray applies gentle, continuous pressure that prompts the bone around each root to remodel, allowing the tooth to move and then stabilize in its new position. Trays are exchanged on a schedule, and each one carries the smile a fraction of the way toward the planned result.
What sets the system apart in day to day use:
- Precision Grip Attachments: Small tooth colored bonded shapes that give the tray leverage on difficult movements.
- Trimmed Low Profile Edges: A scalloped gum line trim that reduces irritation and keeps the tray discreet.
- Digital Case Planning: Movement is simulated in full before any tray is manufactured or worn.
- Staged Tray Sequencing: Each set advances the plan by a controlled increment rather than a large jump.
What Clear Aligners Correct, and Where Braces Still Win
Aligners have improved enormously, and the honest version of this conversation is that they now handle far more than they did a decade ago while still having limits.
Clear aligners routinely correct crowding, spacing and gaps, mild to moderate bite discrepancies, teeth that have drifted after previous orthodontic treatment, and the relapse that follows years without a retainer. They are frequently the better choice for adults with restorative work, since the trays apply force without bonding brackets to crowns or veneers.
Braces retain an advantage in cases involving severe rotation of a rounded tooth, significant vertical movement, large skeletal discrepancies, and impacted teeth requiring guided eruption. Compliance is the other consideration. A tray that sits in a drawer moves nothing, so patients who know they will struggle with consistency are often better served by an appliance that cannot be removed. Braces remain fully available here, and a candid recommendation is part of the consultation rather than an upsell at the end of it.
Why Patients Choose Aligners
The reasons patients give are consistent, and each one reflects something the trays genuinely do differently.
- Nearly Invisible in Wear: Treatment progresses without announcing itself in meetings or in photographs.
- Removable at Meals: No food restrictions, because the tray comes out before you eat anything.
- Simpler Daily Hygiene: Brushing and flossing continue normally with no brackets or wires to navigate.
- Fewer Emergency Visits: No broken brackets or poking wires means fewer unscheduled trips to the office.
- Comfortable Between Changes: Smooth plastic edges avoid the cheek irritation metal hardware can cause.
- Visible End Result Upfront: The digital plan shows the projected outcome before treatment ever begins.
What to Expect From Clear Aligner Treatment
New patients begin with a free virtual consultation with Dr. Iyengar over Zoom or FaceTime at a designated time, which covers whether aligners are realistic for the concern at hand and what treatment would broadly involve.
The in office appointment follows on a Friday, when records, planning, and the start of treatment happen together. A handheld 3D scanner captures both arches in minutes, with no impression trays and no material to gag on, and digital radiographs are taken at the chair. Dr. Iyengar reviews the case, approves the movement plan, and places attachments if the case calls for them.
Trays are worn 20 to 22 hours a day, removed only for eating and cleaning, and exchanged on the schedule set for the case. Progress appointments are spaced further apart than braces adjustments, which suits patients who travel or who work inflexible hours. Treatment concludes with retainers, because teeth sit in living bone that keeps remodeling for life and will drift without them.
What Clear Aligner Treatment Costs
Cost is the question most patients hesitate to ask, so the terms are stated plainly rather than saved for the end of a consultation.
- Monthly Payment Plans: Aligner therapy begins at $200 per month, depending on the case.
- Starting Down Payment: A modest down payment is required before aligner treatment begins.
- PPO Insurance Accepted: The practice participates in all PPO plans and files claims on your behalf.
- Paid in Full Discount: A 5% discount applies to balances paid by cash, credit, or debit.
- Third Party Financing: Outside financing is available, though the 5% discount does not apply.
Common Questions About Clear Aligners
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It depends on how far the teeth need to travel. Limited cases involving minor crowding or a single drifted tooth often finish in a few months, while comprehensive cases that also correct the bite generally run twelve to twenty four months. Dr. Iyengar gives a case specific estimate once the digital plan is approved, and that estimate assumes trays are worn as prescribed.
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In ordinary conversation, almost never. The trays are transparent and trimmed along the gum line to sit flat. Bonded attachments are shaded to match the tooth. Patients typically report that people notice the result long before they notice the treatment.
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Discomfort is mild and predictable. The first day or two in a new tray brings a feeling of pressure or tenderness that fades as the teeth respond, which is the sensation of treatment working rather than a sign of a problem. Most patients manage it without anything stronger than an over the counter pain reliever.
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Progress stalls, and teeth can drift back toward where the previous tray left them, which means the next tray no longer fits correctly. Recovering from that usually costs weeks. The 20 to 22 hour guideline exists because tooth movement responds to continuous force rather than intermittent force.
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Yes, and many are. Suitability depends on whether the permanent teeth have erupted sufficiently and whether the teenager will wear the trays consistently. Dr. Iyengar assesses both at the consultation and will recommend braces instead when compliance looks like the greater risk.
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Post treatment relapse is one of the most common reasons adults seek aligners, and it is often among the more straightforward cases to correct, since the teeth have been in the target position before. Treatment is usually shorter than the original course, and a retainer plan afterward prevents a second round.
Why Patients Choose Dental Center of Jacksonville for Clear Aligners
- Specialist Planned Cases: An orthodontist with fellowship training in aligners designs every movement plan.
- Fully Digital Records: 3D scanning replaces impression trays, model pouring, and repeat records visits.
- Honest Candidacy Advice: Cases better suited to braces are told so at the consultation, not afterward.
- One Office Throughout: Extractions and other supporting treatment happen without an outside referral.
- Clear Financial Terms: Monthly payments, PPO participation, and discounts are explained before you commit.
- Free Virtual Start: The first conversation happens over Zoom or FaceTime at no cost or obligation.
Schedule a Clear Aligner Consultation in Jacksonville
If straighter teeth have been on the list for a while and metal brackets were the reason they stayed there, a short video call is enough to find out whether aligners would work for your case. Call Dental Center of Jacksonville at 904-815-0525 to reserve a free virtual consultation with Dr. Iyengar, or schedule online, and see the projected result before you decide anything. Return to the orthodontics overview to explore every treatment option available in one place.