At-home aligner treatment runs in stages: records of your teeth (impressions or a scan, usually with photos), a dentist's review and treatment plan, your consent and payment, manufacture and delivery of the trays, a first fit, remote monitoring, possible refinements, and retainers at the end. Most of the trays are worn at home, but the General Dental Council (GDC) requires a registered dentist to be responsible for the plan throughout.
A scan is not an examination
A 3D scan or a home impression kit records the shape and position of the teeth so a plan can be designed and trays made. An examination is a dentist looking at the teeth, gums and bite in person, with X-rays where needed, to decide whether treatment is safe and suitable. The GDC says there is no effective substitute for a physical examination when deciding whether treatment is suitable.
Some UK services include an examination; some offer a scan at a partner practice that is described as records only. Ask which you are getting.
Smileie, for example, requires an in-person examination at a partner practice before prescribing, while Smile Perfect offers home impressions or a £99 partner-practice scan without describing an examination.
The journey, stage by stage
| Stage | Who acts | What you receive | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Assessment and records | You (kit or scan); a dentist if an examination is included | Impression kit or scan appointment | Is there an in-person examination, and are X-rays taken where needed? |
| 2. Plan review | The prescribing dentist | A digital preview of the planned movement | The dentist's full name and GDC registration; what the plan will and will not change |
| 3. Consent | You, after a direct conversation | A chance to ask questions before agreeing | Risks, expected length, number of trays, what happens if the result falls short |
| 4. Payment | You | Itemised fee | What is included: refinements, retainers, replacements, check-ins; refund terms if you are found unsuitable |
| 5. Manufacture and delivery | Provider and laboratory | Trays, all at once or in batches | Timescale; that every tray in the schedule has arrived and is labelled for you. Smile Perfect, for example, says it ships within 10 to 16 working days of plan approval |
| 6. First fit | You | Instructions and a tray schedule | Trays fit fully over your teeth; attachments, if used, are fitted by a clinician |
| 7. Monitoring | You (photos); the dentist (review) | Check-in reminders by app or portal | Who reviews the photos, and how quickly you get a reply |
| 8. Refinements and retention | The dentist | Extra trays if needed; retainers at the end | How many refinements are included; how many retainer sets; replacement cost |
Before you agree to treatment
The GDC's statement of 13 May 2021 says direct-to-consumer orthodontics is dentistry and must be provided by GDC-registered professionals. You should have a direct conversation with the practitioner, know the full name of the dentist responsible, and be able to contact them. If that dentist relies on someone else's examination, the responsibility still rests with them.
The British Orthodontic Society says a proper assessment, diagnosis and treatment plan are essential, and describes aligners as a treatment for mild to moderate problems after that assessment. What aligners can do is in what clear aligners can and cannot treat, and how this route differs from Invisalign through a practice is in Invisalign and at-home aligners in the UK.
Records at home
A home kit asks you to take your own impressions. The steps, and the reasons a mould may be rejected, are in dental impressions at home. A good mould is a good record, not a decision that treatment is suitable.
Your first week
- Check that each tray fits fully over the teeth, with no gaps at the edges. If trays are missing, or the first tray does not fit fully, contact the provider and the prescribing dentist before you start.
- Expect pressure or soreness for the first few days; it is usually minor and temporary.
- Expect a slight lisp; speech usually settles within three to five days.
- Wear the trays for the hours you were given. The British Orthodontic Society says more than 22 a day; Invisalign tells its patients 20 to 22.
- Take them out for meals and any drink except plain water, and brush before they go back in.
- Put your tray-change and check-in dates in your calendar.
- Contact the prescribing dentist if a tray does not fit fully, a sharp edge cuts, pain is getting worse rather than better, or a tooth feels newly loose.
Cleaning is in how to clean clear aligners, and what is normal discomfort in are clear aligners painful?.
During treatment
Photos show whether trays appear to fit fully and whether teeth look on track. They do not show roots, bone or gum health, so keep seeing your own dentist for check-ups. If something goes wrong, do not change trays on your own; see when clear aligner treatment goes wrong. How long the whole process takes depends on the case; see how long clear aligner treatment takes.
Teeth do not always move as predicted, even when trays are worn properly; not reaching the planned result is a recognised risk. The dentist may then order refinement trays or recommend a different approach.
The end of the plan
Retainers follow the last tray, and the British Orthodontic Society says retainer wear is lifelong. Day-to-day care is in care after clear aligners. What a fee should itemise, including records, refinements and retainers, is in what clear aligners cost in the UK.
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Sources
- British Orthodontic Society. Clear alignersAccessed 22 October 2026
- General Dental Council. Statement on direct-to-consumer orthodontic treatment, 13 May 2021Accessed 22 October 2026
- British Orthodontic Society. Aligner patient leafletAccessed 22 October 2026
- Invisalign. Invisalign overviewAccessed 22 October 2026
- Smileie. Homepage and how it worksAccessed 22 October 2026
- Smile Perfect. Homepage and FAQAccessed 22 October 2026
