Active Aligners Cheat Sheet

What are Active Aligners?

Active Aligners are clear aligners developed specifically for aligning teeth in a predictable, smooth, clear and comfortable manner. Each aligner is designed to make a small, planned movement. Staging is tailored to the tooth, movement and clinical circumstances; fit and tracking guide progression under the dentist’s prescribed monitoring plan.

What are they made of?

Active Aligners are made from a clear, medical-grade tri-layer material with shape memory.

Benefits

• Clear and virtually invisible
• Removable & comfortable
• Predictable, effective outcomes
• Affordable alternative to traditional braces
• Most treatments take around 6–8 months

Patient instructions

• Aligners are to be worn 20–22 hours a day
• Change every 14 days, or as the dentist directs
• Seat the aligner with the help of chewies
• Proper insertion and removal are important
• Cleaning the aligners is important to maintain good oral hygiene
• Each case is supplied with a comprehensive patient instruction manual.

Treatable cases

Open bite · Crooked / crowded · Underbite · Spacing / gaps · Overbite · Crossbite.

Subject to the dentist’s clinical assessment of each patient.

FAQs

How long does treatment take?

Most Active Aligners treatments take around 6–8 months. The exact time depends on the movements required, wear time and treatment progress; the treating dentist provides a personalised estimate.

How do Active Aligners work?

Active Aligners work on basic orthodontic principles. They are used for the correction of crowded teeth, gaps or rotation, while achieving the desired results in an organised and planned fashion. These customised trays are “invisible” and move the teeth in the desired direction. This is achieved through wearing a series of Active Aligners, each worn 20–22 hours per day and changed every 14 days, or as the dentist directs (one stage), until optimal alignment has been reached.

How long does it take to manufacture Active Aligners?

Once the treatment plan is simulated and approved by the dentist, the Active Aligners will be manufactured and ready for collection in 7–10 working days.

Can younger patients use Active Aligners?

Suitability for younger patients is assessed individually by the treating dentist, taking account of dentition, growth, oral health and the treatment required.

Are patients restricted from eating certain foods?

No, patients may remove their Active Aligners to eat whatever they please. It is recommended that they brush their teeth after eating, before reinserting their Active Aligners.

Can patients remove Active Aligners?

Yes, patients are able to remove their Active Aligners whenever they’d like. However, it is recommended that they wear their Active Aligners for 20–22 hours per day (only removing the aligners to eat, drink, brush teeth and floss).

How do patients clean and care for their aligners?

Clean aligners morning and evening using cool water and a soft toothbrush. A small amount of mild liquid soap or a suitable aligner cleaner may be used; rinse thoroughly. Avoid hot water, abrasive toothpaste and soaking in mouthwash.

Hot water may denature the plastic and alter the aligners’ fit.

What should patients do if an aligner is lost or damaged?

The patient must contact the treating dentist promptly if an aligner is lost or damaged. The dentist checks the stage, actual wear, fit and tracking, then advises whether to use a previous aligner, advance to the next stage or order a replacement. Patients must not change stage without that advice.

Ask patients to keep their previous aligners and, where useful, to send a photo of a damaged aligner.

There will be additional costs associated with replacing Active Aligners or retainers.

What happens once Active Aligners therapy is complete?

Retention is lifelong. The treating dentist prescribes the retention plan. The usual Active Aligners removable-retainer instruction is 22 hours per day initially for 3 months, then night-time wear, unless the dentist directs otherwise. A fixed retainer may be indicated, with or without a removable retainer; timing is decided clinically. Check retainer fit and hygiene at ongoing reviews.

What additional fees should patients know about?

Explain what your treatment quote includes and any additional charges for X-rays, cleaning or other services.

Can the practice offer patient finance?

If your practice offers third-party finance, explain the finance provider’s terms and application process.

The patient journey

1. Consultation: Assess candidacy; diagnostic imaging where indicated
2. Records: Digital scan, quality control images, wishes / instructions
3. Treatment plan: If a candidate: pay for dentist-prescribed treatment planning.
4. Plan review: Treatment plan review
5. Accept plan: Manufacture in 7–10 working days
6. Collect aligners: IPR & attachments if needed
7. Begin treatment: Patient starts wearing aligners
8. Track treatment: Recommended every 6–8 weeks; earlier if not tracking
9. Complete treatment: Final position reached
10. Retention: For life

Dentist’s workflow

1. Evaluate the patient’s overall oral health and candidacy for aligner therapy.
   • Patient to complete informed consent. Take diagnostic imaging where clinically indicated.
   • Before active tooth movement, assess and manage caries and other active oral disease, establish adequate oral hygiene, and stabilise periodontal disease. Confirm periodontal suitability and any ongoing maintenance plan. Coordinate necessary restorative care with the aligner plan.
2. Once the patient has been cleared to start aligner therapy, take the patient records and send the following to the Active Aligners platform:
   • Digital scans (intra-oral scans).
   • A series of quality control photographs.
   • Prescription / design instructions.
3. The patient’s treatment plan will be generated and can then be assessed on the platform.
   • This will include the number of Active Aligners required to move the patient’s teeth to their ideal positions, a 3D treatment plan, Smile Summary and quality control photos.
4. Once you and your patient have accepted the treatment plan, the case will be manufactured and the patient can start wearing their aligners.
   • IPR and attachments may be needed: check the Smile Summary.
   • Each aligner set is worn 20–22 hours per day. Change every 14 days, or as the dentist directs.
   • Aligners are removed to eat, drink, brush and floss.
5. Monitor treatment: reviews every 6–8 weeks are recommended.
   • Arrange an earlier review if there are tracking problems. For more complex cases, use your discretion and consider shorter review periods.
   • It is critical that the case be monitored.
   • Be aware that there may be more IPR required at later stages during treatment.
   • Make sure that all attachments have been engaging, and the teeth are moving according to the prescribed treatment.
6. Once teeth are in their final position, retainers are worn to maintain the patient’s newly aligned smile.
   • The treating dentist prescribes the retention plan: usually a removable retainer 22 hours per day for 3 months, then night-time wear, unless the dentist directs otherwise. A fixed retainer may be indicated, with or without a removable retainer.

Treatment protocols

• Protocol 1: Anterior movement without attachments. Teeth moved: Anterior. Attachments: None.
• Protocol 2: Anterior movement with attachments. Teeth moved: Anterior. Attachments: Yes.
• Protocol 3: Full arch movement with attachments. Teeth moved: Full arch. Attachments: Yes.

Illustrative only: the actual teeth, attachment design, position and timing come from each patient’s approved treatment plan.

Our aligner and movement philosophy is based on:

1. Being the least invasive
2. Using clinically appropriate dentoalveolar expansion within the patient’s periodontal and anatomical limits, together with IPR or other approaches where indicated
3. Allowing minimal IPR (interproximal reduction) requirements
4. Use of attachments where necessary to ensure predictable movement and outcomes

See Case Selection and Movement Protocols, the Guide to IPR and the Guide to Attachments for the detail.

Quality control photos

Extra-oral photos: 1. Profile (repose); 2. Frontal (repose); 3. Frontal (smiling).

Intra-oral photos (with cheek retractors): 4. Lower arch (open mouth); 5. Upper arch (open mouth); 6. Right buccal (teeth together); 7. Anterior (teeth together); 8. Left buccal (teeth together).

Photo checklist

1. Choose a solid light background.
2. Stand in front of the person.
3. Centre the face / teeth in the photos.
4. The patient must not stand against the background, to avoid shadows forming.
5. Make sure long hair is tied back and out of the way of the patient’s face.
6. Make sure nothing is obscuring the patient’s teeth.
7. Check the quality of the photo.

Check every photo for: Focus, Exposure, All teeth are present in the photo and reflections.

Digital scan guidelines

• Make sure all the anatomy is visible, with no holes or gaps: every tooth surface, including the distal surfaces of the last molars, and at least half of the 8s if they are visible.
• Capture 2–4 mm of gingival tissue beyond the gingival margin on the buccal and the lingual/palatal sides.
• Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for ortho / arch scanning.
• If debris, cheek, tongue or fingers are picked up on the anatomy, delete the affected data and rescan that area following your scanner’s workflow. If the scan can no longer be aligned accurately, rescan in full.
• Record the patient’s normal bite in maximum intercuspation, where their teeth naturally fit together. Do not ask them to push their jaw forward. If their natural bite is edge-to-edge, record it as it is.
• Before sending, check that the digital bite matches the patient’s clinical bite on both sides.

Grow Active Aligners consultations in your practice

Make it easy for patients to ask about treatment, understand their options and book a consultation.

1. Start the conversation: Train your team to recognise opportunities during routine visits and explain Active Aligners in plain language. Ask: “Is there anything you would like to change about your smile?” Refer interested patients to the dentist to assess suitability.
2. Make Active Aligners easy to find: Display brochures, posters or videos at reception and in waiting areas. Add a dedicated Active Aligners page to your website with a clear consultation-booking option. Use the Doctor Library for content and downloads: activealigners.com/doctors-library.
3. Let real results build confidence: Share patient testimonials and before-and-after photographs on your website, social channels and in the practice, with written patient consent. Use genuine results and unaltered tooth appearance. Invite satisfied patients to leave a review or recommend your practice.
4. Explain costs and payment options: Give patients a clear written quote. State what is included, any additional charges, and the retention arrangements and costs. Where your practice offers payment plans or third-party finance, explain the terms and eligibility. Keep whitening or other optional services separate from the core treatment quote.
5. Turn interest into a booked consultation: Give every poster, social post and website page one clear next step: book an Active Aligners consultation with your practice. Name a team member to respond to enquiries, help patients book and follow up with those who want more information. Track enquiries, booked consultations and treatment starts to see where patients need help.

Optional next steps

Once these basics are working, consider local business information sessions, corporate partnerships or community events. Keep the same clear consultation-booking route.

Start here this week

• Choose the team member responsible for enquiries and follow-up.
• Check that patients can easily book from your website and promotional materials.
• Display one brochure or poster and share one consented patient result.