Transform Your Smile with Clear Aligners
If you want to straighten your teeth without traditional braces, clear aligners may be a great fit. They’re discreet, removable, and designed to fit into your life — whether that means heading to work, chasing your kids around, or going out to dinner without anyone knowing you’re in treatment.
We use digital treatment planning to map out your smile and carefully plan each movement before you ever put in your first aligner. And because every smile is different, we’ll always recommend the treatment option we believe will give you the best result — whether that’s clear aligners, braces, or a combination of the two.
Clear aligners can be a wonderful option, but they aren’t right for every patient or every tooth movement. That’s where having an orthodontist in your corner matters. Our job is to help you find the treatment that fits both your smile and your life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Clear Aligners
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Clear aligners are a series of custom-made, removable trays that gradually move your teeth into their ideal positions. Each aligner is designed to make small, controlled movements, and you’ll move through your series over the course of treatment.
Before you ever start, we use digital treatment planning to map out your tooth movements and create a personalized plan for your smile. As you progress through your aligners, we’ll see you regularly to make sure everything is moving the way we planned.
Think of each aligner as a small step toward your final smile. You won’t see a huge change overnight, but those small movements add up!
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Like braces, the cost of clear aligner treatment depends on your individual smile and how much movement is needed. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all price because every treatment plan is different.
We believe the financial side of orthodontics should feel just as straightforward as the treatment itself. We’ll go over your investment before you start treatment and offer no-interest in-house financing, flexible monthly payments, and a hometown hero courtesy for teachers, first responders, military members, and healthcare workers. We also accept HSA and FSA funds.
Our goal is to make getting the smile you’ve been wanting feel doable — without the financial surprises.
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For clear aligners to work the way we’ve planned, they need to be worn about 22 hours a day.
That means you’ll take them out to eat, drink anything other than water, and brush and floss your teeth — but otherwise, they should be in your mouth.
The good news is that most people get used to wearing them pretty quickly. They become part of your routine, much like wearing a retainer. And because they’re removable, you can still take them out for a special occasion, a big presentation, or that dinner you’ve been looking forward to.
The key is putting them right back in afterward. The more consistently you wear them, the more consistently your treatment can move forward.
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Sometimes the answer is yes — but it depends on your smile.
Clear aligners can treat a wide range of orthodontic problems, including crowding, spacing, and many types of overbites. But some tooth movements are more predictable with braces, and some patients may benefit from a combination of techniques.
That’s why we don’t believe in choosing your treatment based on what’s most popular or what looks best on Instagram. We’ll look at your teeth, your bite, your goals, and your lifestyle and recommend the treatment we believe will give you the best result.
If clear aligners can get you where you want to go, great. If braces are the better tool for the job, we’ll tell you that, too. Our goal is your best smile — not selling you a particular type of treatment.
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You can drink water with your aligners in, but you’ll want to take them out for everything else.
When it’s time to eat, simply remove your aligners and enjoy your meal. There are no food restrictions like there are with braces, which is one of the things our patients love about clear aligners.
After eating, brush your teeth if you can, give your aligners a quick rinse, and put them right back in.
And yes, this means you can enjoy your favorite foods without worrying about breaking a bracket — you just have to remember to take your aligners out first!
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For many patients, yes — but “more comfortable” doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t feel anything.
Clear aligners are made from smooth plastic, so you don’t have brackets or wires rubbing against your cheeks and lips. You may feel some pressure or tenderness when you start a new aligner, which is actually a sign that your teeth are responding to the gentle forces we’ve planned.
Braces can cause some irritation, especially when you first get them on or after an adjustment. With aligners, there’s generally less irritation to the inside of your mouth, but you’ll still feel your teeth moving.
Angel Aligners vs. Invisalign: Which is Right for Your Smile?
When most people think of clear aligners, they automatically think of Invisalign. While they certainly pioneered the clear aligner industry, orthodontic technology has evolved rapidly over the last few years.
At Gil Orthodontics, our goal is to bring the absolute best in modern orthodontic technology to Dripping Springs. After evaluating the leading clear aligner systems, we proudly chose to partner with Angel Aligners.
Here is why we prefer Angel Aligners for our patients:
Innovative Dual-Material System: Angel Aligners utilize a unique system that alternates between a softer tray for immediate comfort and a firmer tray for precise tooth movement. This significantly reduces the soreness often associated with switching aligners.
Fewer Visible Attachments: Thanks to an advanced trimline and customized plastics, Angel Aligners often require fewer of the glued-on, tooth-colored "bumps" (attachments) that other systems rely on.
Doctor-Driven Precision: The Angel Aligner software gives us ultimate biomechanical control. Your treatment is highly customized by an orthodontic specialist to ensure a healthy bite, not just generated by a computer algorithm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Angel Aligners as invisible as Invisalign? Yes. The material used for Angel Aligners is exceptionally clear, stain-resistant, and designed to fit snugly against your teeth, making them incredibly discreet.
Does my dental insurance cover Angel Aligners? Yes! If your dental insurance plan includes orthodontic benefits for clear aligners, that coverage applies to your treatment regardless of the brand name used.
Ready to see the difference?
The best way to know which treatment is right for you is to see the technology in person. Schedule a complimentary consultation with us today, and let's design your perfect smile.