Small, tooth-coloured bumps that help your aligners grip and move your teeth precisely. Here’s what Invisalign attachments are, why most plans use them, how they’re fitted and removed, and how to look after them.
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Attachments are small shapes made from tooth-coloured composite, the same material used for composite bonding. They’re bonded to the front of selected teeth and act like handles, giving your aligners something to push against.
Your clinician designs the size, shape and position of every attachment in your ClinCheck treatment plan, before your aligners are made. Align calls the engineered shapes SmartForce attachments.
Attachments are temporary. They stay on for your treatment, then they’re removed and the teeth are polished smooth.
Rotation
Turning a tooth needs grip. Attachments give the aligner an edge to push against.
Extrusion and intrusion
Pulling a tooth down or pushing it up into line is much more predictable with an attachment.
Root control
Attachments help control the angle of the whole tooth, not just the crown.
Retention
They help hold your aligners firmly in place, so each one does its job.
Attachments are usually placed at your Invisalign fitting appointment, just before your first aligners go in.
It’s quick and comfortable, with no drilling and no injections.
Many of these smiles were straightened with the help of attachments. Each photo shows a real Rüh Dental patient before and after Invisalign.
See more Invisalign results in our smile gallery → or browse Invisalign before and after photos by treatment.
Shared with patient consent. Individual results vary.
When your treatment is finished, your clinician removes the attachments with a fine polishing bur, taking away only the composite. Your enamel is then polished smooth, so you can’t tell they were ever there.
Removal is painless and takes a few minutes. It’s usually done at your final review, just before your retainers are fitted. If you’re also having Invisalign and composite bonding, your clinician will plan both together.
Not every patient needs attachments, and the number varies from a few to most teeth. Small movements on Invisalign Express may need very few. Rotations, bite correction and larger movements on Invisalign Comprehensive usually need more.
Your ClinCheck plan shows exactly which teeth will have attachments before you agree to start, and your clinician will talk you through it at your free consultation. Some plans also use a little IPR to create space.
Book a free Invisalign consultation at your nearest clinic: Fleet Street, Notting Hill Gate, Harrods or Manchester.
