Invisalign Lite is one of the treatments offered by Invisalign. It provides mild to moderate teeth straightening, meaning it costs a little less than the full treatment. But what exactly does Invisalign Lite cost in the UK, and what else makes it different to the other types of treatment?
Features of Invisalign Lite include:
- Almost invisible aligner trays which fit over the teeth
- Aligners changed every two weeks
- Total treatment time of around seven months
- Suitable for mild and some moderate tooth alignment problems
- Trays can be removed for eating and cleaning
Keep reading to find out more about prices and what kind of results to expect. We also look at some real user reviews to discover what people thought of their Invisalign Lite experience. We hope this helps you decide whether this treatment is right for you.
Invisalign Lite is a great choice if you need minor teeth straightening and you don't want fixed metal braces. Clear aligners are almost invisible and work just as well as traditional braces in the majority of cases.
Have you checked your eligibility yet? Invisalign's free Smile Assessment takes just 2 minutes to complete. Or, find out where your nearest Invisalign dentist is and book an appointment online to discuss treatments and costs.
Table of contents
How do Invisalign “invisible braces” work?
The removable aligner tray system from Invisalign offers a way to straighten teeth without the need for fixed brackets and wires. The aligners apply pressure to your teeth in a carefully planned way to move them into the desired position.
You'll need to change your aligners every two weeks, and step by step you'll notice a difference in your smile. You'll have an appointment every 4-8 weeks with your dentist so they can check your progress and provide you with your next sets of aligners. The total length of your treatment will depend on how much correction your teeth require.
Your dentist will plan your treatment after doing a detailed examination of your mouth, including x-rays and mouth scans. They use special software to show you what your teeth should look like following treatment, then the aligners are 3D-printed to precisely fit your teeth.
Would you like to know what you'll look like with straighter teeth? With Invisalign's SmileView tool you can find out right now! Just upload a selfie and you'll have your result in one minute. It's free for anyone to use, so why not give it a try now?
One big benefit of invisible braces is they can be removed for 2-4 hours per day. This is partly to allow time for eating and cleaning, but it also means you can take them out for important meetings or big events. Removable braces allow you to brush and floss your teeth just as you would normally.
Aligners must be removed for eating and drinking anything except water, and you need to clean your teeth and aligners before replacing them. So although you have the freedom to eat and drink what you like (which you don't get with fixed braces), constant cleaning can be quite an inconvenience.
You can read more about Invisalign and other aligner brands in our detailed guide.
What is Invisalign Lite?
Invisalign offers four different treatment types with its clear aligner trays for UK patients:
- Full: The original Invisalign product which corrects a wide range of alignment problems and takes 12-18 months
- Teen: Similar to the Full version but with several features suited specifically to teenagers
- i7: A three-month treatment with just seven aligners to treat mild cases
- Lite: A solution for relatively simple cases which takes around seven months
In this article we will focus on Invisalign Lite. Think of this as an in-between option for people whose problem is too complex for i7 but doesn't require the full 12-18 month treatment.
Whichever type of Invisalign treatment you're considering, you can use Invisalign's free Smile Assessment tool to check whether you're a suitable candidate. Around 90% of orthodontic cases can be treated with invisible braces. Just enter a few details and you can quickly find out whether you're one them.
The only way to know for sure whether you can have Invisalign Lite or i7 instead of Full is to find an Invisalign dentist near you and book an appointment. They will carry out a full assessment, usually for free, and discuss your treatment plan and costs.
In the Invisalign Lite review video below you can see what this process was like for a patient named Charley. Her teeth had started going crooked because she didn't wear a retainer after her orthodontic treatment a few years before:
What's the difference between Invisalign Lite vs. Full?
The three main differences between Invisalign Full vs. Lite are the degree of correction that can be achieved, the required treatment time, and the price. The aligners themselves are exactly the same. If treatment timescale is an important factor in making your decision, you might be wondering, how long does Invisalign take? And how does that compare to Invisalign Lite? Lets, find out.
How long does Invisalign Lite take?
The typical Invisalign Lite treatment time is 6-8 months, compared to 12-18 months for Invisalign Full. This reduced treatment time reflects the limited range of problems that the braces can treat. These include:
- Crooked front teeth
- Small gaps between teeth
- Mild overcrowding
- Slight relapse after previous orthodontic treatment
How many aligners are used for Invisalign Lite?
Invisalign Lite treatment usually involves 14 sets of aligners, changed every one to two weeks according to your treatment plan. Comprehensive Invisalign treatment can use a lot more than this.
Because fewer aligners are needed for the shorter Invisalign Lite treatment, the cost is lower than Full treatment.
Another difference between Invisalign Lite and Full is that with the Lite package there is less flexibility for refinements and additional treatment if you aren't happy with the end results. Full treatment, on the other hand, includes any additional sets of aligners needed to get completely satisfactory results.
With both types, your dentist may need to fit some small attachments to your teeth to help keep the aligners in place and move teeth more effectively. These are made from a tooth-coloured composite and designed to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Here is a summary of the differences between Invisalign Full, Lite and i7:
| Type of Invisalign brace | Full | Lite | i7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost estimate | £2,500 - £5,500 | £1,800 - £3,500 | £1,200 - £3,000 |
| Treatment length | 12-18 months | 6-8 months | 3+ months |
| Suitable for | Mild to moderate cases | Mainly mild cases | Only mild cases |
How much does Invisalign Lite cost in the UK?
Treatment with Invisalign Lite costs between £1,800 and £3,500 with a UK dentist. This is compared to £2,500 to £5,500 for Invisalign Full. However, exact costs will vary according to a number of factors including the complexity of your treatment and your dentist's location and expertise.
We recommend getting quotes from several clinics whenever you're considering dental treatment. This will help you find a competitive price from a provider you're happy with. You can search here for Invisalign dentists in your area and book your first appointment online. Many of them offer a free initial consultation.
Most providers offer payment plans and financing so you can spread the cost of Invisalign Lite into smaller payments over time. Do check what interest rate will apply and how it will affect your total treatment price.
Finally, find out exactly what is included with your treatment cost. Will you have to pay extra for any refinements, aftercare and retainers? What happens if you aren't happy with the final results? Ask to see Invisalign Lite before and after photos from previous patients so you can check how effective their results are.
Invisalign Lite reviews
There are many reasons why people choose to use invisible braces to straighten their teeth. The following patient was a good candidate for Invisalign Lite because her teeth were just a little crooked. Although many people thought she had great teeth, she was conscious of them and wanted to get them straightened.
Her Invisalign Lite review goes into some detail about how the treatment works, including attachments, and why it took slightly longer than expected.
She had considered getting veneers, even looking at treatment abroad to cut the cost. But in the end she decided against that because she didn't want to harm her natural teeth and the £2,800 cost of Invisalign Lite was much less than the lifetime cost of veneers. She did also get some teeth filing and composite bonding to straighten up some uneven teeth.
Another patient, Alice, gives a detailed account in her Invisalign Lite review video below. She shares before and after photos of her teeth and talks about the treatment process. She also has some tips for managing pain and cleaning the aligners.
“The process is so quick with Invisalign! My treatment was 28 weeks… that's just amazing in such a short space of time,” comments Alice while listing her Invisalign pros and cons. “I would definitely recommend this treatment,” she concludes.
If you want to know more about treatment with Invisalign you can read these Invisalign reviews. You'll also find lots of online reviews and videos from patients sharing their experiences.
It's common to have some speech problems while adjusting to wearing aligners. You should also expect some pain and/or discomfort for a day or two after switching to a new set. This is the time when your teeth are under most pressure from the braces. You can take an over-the-counter painkiller to help relieve this pain or try some toothache home remedies.
Some wearers report that two hours a day is simply not long enough to eat, clean their aligners, and clean and floss their teeth. It's easy for bacteria to build up in the braces so careful cleaning is essential to avoid tooth decay and unpleasant smells.
Don't forget, if you want an idea of what you'll look like after teeth straightening, you can use Invisalign's SmileView for free right now. You don't have to be an Invisalign patient, and it'll show you what your new smile could look like.
Alternatives to Invisalign Lite
Quick Straight Teeth is another brand of aligner tray brace available in the UK. This one focuses on straightening just the 6-8 teeth at the front of the mouth (those most visible when you smile). However, you'll probably find them slightly more expensive than Invisalign Lite if you need treatment on both arches.
“Mail-order” braces are also becoming a more popular way to get mild teeth straightening, mainly because of the cost and convenience. However, you're missing out on face-to-face checkups which can be very important for ensuring your treatment progresses smoothly.
If you decide that you would prefer a different style of brace altogether, lingual braces are fixed behind the teeth, making them almost completely invisible. Clear aesthetic braces (pictured) are another way to straighten teeth inconspicuously and can be used for more severe cases too.
Note that whatever kind of orthodontic treatment you choose, you'll need to keep wearing a retainer at night for as long as you want your teeth to stay in their new, straighter position.
Conclusion
Invisalign Lite is a fast and inconspicuous way to treat minor and moderate teeth alignment issues. In just seven months you could have a straighter smile – without anyone even being aware you were wearing braces!
This orthodontic system has obvious appeal for adults who feel that metal braces would detract from their professional appearance or spoil an important event.
To find out if Invisalign braces are suitable for you, start by taking a free Smile Assessment. You'll have an answer in just a couple of minutes. Then, search for an Invisalign provider near you so you can book an appointment and receive a quote for your treatment.
