Invisalign or braces? How to choose between them

Both move teeth. They differ in what they can correct, what they ask of you, and how visible they are while you wear them.

Written by Dr Isabelle FeliceOrthodontics·12 October 2026·9 min read

What both treatments are actually doing

A tooth is not fixed rigidly in the jaw. Each sits in a socket, suspended by a ligament, and the surrounding bone remodels in response to sustained pressure. Apply light, steady pressure in one direction, and bone resorbs ahead of the tooth and is laid down behind it. That is the whole mechanism, and it is the same whether the pressure comes from a wire or an aligner.

The difference is how the pressure is delivered and how precisely it can be aimed.

• Fixed braces bond a bracket to each tooth and thread an archwire through them. The wire wants to return to its original shape, and pulls the teeth along as it does. Because the bracket grips the tooth from all sides, it can twist and tip a tooth in ways a tray cannot.
• Clear aligners use a sequence of trays, each moulded a fraction different from the last. Every tray moves a few teeth a small distance, then you change to the next one. Small tooth-coloured attachments are usually bonded to some teeth to give the tray something to grip.

Both are slow on purpose. Move a tooth faster than the bone can remodel and you damage the root and the surrounding bone.

Where clear aligners and braces genuinely differ

Most comparisons stop at appearance. The differences that decide a case are less obvious.

When fixed braces are the better choice

Braces still manage several situations more reliably. Where any of these apply, we will say so plainly, even when aligners are the option you hoped for.

• Severely rotated teeth, particularly premolars and canines, which a tray struggles to grip and turn.
• Large gaps to close, where teeth need bodily movement through bone rather than tipping.
• Significant bite correction, including deep bites, open bites and cases where the jaws do not meet evenly.
• Teeth that need to move vertically, either pulled down into position or pushed up.
• Where daily wear is unrealistic. Aligners depend on 20 to 22 hours of wear a day. For some patients a fixed appliance, which removes that dependence, is the more reliable choice.

Ceramic brackets are worth considering where appearance is the main concern. They are tooth-coloured, cost more than metal and are slightly more fragile, and they are considerably less conspicuous. What treatment involves is set out for metal and ceramic braces in Rose Bay and for braces at our Vaucluse clinic.

When clear aligners tend to suit

Clear aligners are now the treatment most adults ask about, and for many adult cases they are a sound choice. Invisalign and Spark work on the same principle, and which system suits depends on the case.

• Mild to moderate crowding, the most common reason adults ask about straightening.
• Spacing that needs closing across short distances.
• Relapse after earlier orthodontics, where teeth have drifted since a retainer was abandoned. These cases are often short.
• Discretion. For patients who present or meet clients daily, appearance during treatment is a legitimate clinical consideration.

Aligners also make cleaning easier, which matters more than people expect. Gum health tends to hold up better across a two-year aligner case than a two-year fixed case, simply because a toothbrush can reach everything.

The process, the risks and the fees are set out in full for clear aligner treatment in Rose Bay and for Invisalign and Spark at our Vaucluse clinic.

What the process looks like, start to finish

Both treatments follow the same sequence. Only the middle stretch differs.

1. Examination and records. A full check, photographs, a digital scan and x-rays. We are looking at root position, bone levels, gum health and any decay that has to be treated first.
2. Diagnosis and plan. What is actually causing the crowding, how far teeth need to move, and whether that is achievable with a tray, a wire, or at all.
3. The quote. Written and itemised, before any treatment begins. Ask for retainers and their replacement to be itemised too.
4. Any preparatory work. Decay and gum disease are treated before teeth are moved. Moving teeth through inflamed gums accelerates bone loss.
5. Fitting. Brackets bonded, or the first trays issued with attachments placed.
6. The treatment itself. Adjustments or tray changes on a schedule, with reviews to confirm teeth are tracking to plan.
7. Debond or final tray, then retainers fitted immediately. There is no gap between finishing and retaining.

Timeframes vary widely with the case. Limited treatment of minor relapse can conclude within six months, while comprehensive treatment more commonly runs 18 to 24 months. A reliable estimate of duration is only possible once x-rays and records have been assessed.

What clear aligners and braces cost

Fees depend on the case, because limited treatment of minor relapse and two years of comprehensive treatment are different pieces of work. As a guide, clear aligner treatment with Invisalign or Spark typically costs between $6,500 and $8,500, depending on complexity and duration. The fee for braces depends on the case, so we do not quote a figure before an examination. All fees are quoted before any health fund rebate, and these factors move them:

• How far the teeth have to move. This is the main driver. More movement means more trays or more adjustments, and more chair time.
• How long treatment runs. Cost tracks duration closely.
• Whether one arch or both are being treated.
• Aligner brand and case complexity. Laboratory fees differ, and a full-arch case costs more than a limited one.
• Preparatory treatment. Fillings, gum treatment or extractions needed before starting are separate.
• Retainers and replacements. Ask for these to be quoted up front. They are a lifelong cost, not a one-off.

Health fund rebates for orthodontics usually sit under a separate lifetime limit with a waiting period, and they vary considerably between funds. Check your own limit before you commit, and ask us for the item numbers so you can get an accurate answer from your fund rather than an estimate from us.

The risks worth understanding before you start

Orthodontic treatment is routine, and it still carries risks. These are the material ones, set out here so that you can weigh them before your consultation rather than after it.

Retainers, and why they are not optional

Retention is the part of orthodontic treatment most often neglected, and it explains why many adults who ask about aligners are treating relapse after braces worn as teenagers.

Teeth drift throughout life. The ligament around each tooth holds elastic memory for years after treatment, and the jaw itself continues to change shape into middle age. Straight teeth are held straight, not fixed straight.

• Removable retainers are worn nightly. Most people move to nights only within a few months of finishing.
• Fixed retainers are a thin wire bonded behind the front teeth. Nothing to remember, but they need cleaning around and they can debond without you noticing.
• Most cases use both. A bonded wire behind the front teeth and a removable retainer over the top.

Retainers wear, and they are occasionally lost or damaged. Allow for replacement every few years.

How we work out which one suits you

A consultation is an examination. By its end you should understand what is causing the concern, what can realistically be changed, what treatment would involve and what it would cost. If treatment is not indicated, we will tell you.

Both treatments are provided at both clinics: our Rose Bay clinic on Old South Head Road, and our Vaucluse clinic on New South Head Road.

Two things change the answer enough to be worth reading separately. If you are over thirty, your gums and any existing dental work matter more than your age does, which we cover in straightening teeth later in life. If you are asking on behalf of a child, the timing question comes first, and we set out when to have a child’s bite assessed.

To begin, arrange an examination with our dentists in Vaucluse and Rose Bay. It provides the diagnosis on which a decision can properly rest.

Dr Isabelle Felice

Principal Dentist and owner, Dental Collective

Isabelle holds a Bachelor of Dentistry with Honours from the University of Sydney (2011) and a Bachelor of Science with Distinction from the University of Wollongong. She owns Dental Collective and practises at both the Vaucluse and Rose Bay clinics, with a working interest in dento-facial aesthetics, clear aligner treatment and cosmetic dentistry. Her research has been published in the International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry. She is a general dentist registered with the Dental Board of Australia (DEN0001661687).