Six Month Smiles vs Invisalign
Reviewed By
Dr Vishal Patel
BDS Liverpool · MSc Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry Manchester · GDC 103127 · AACD Member · Invisalign Diamond II Provider · IFAAS (International Fellowship in Advanced Aesthetic Science) · Facial anatomy & cadaver course, Dr Ali Pirayesh, University of Amsterdam · Harley Academy foundation training in injectable aesthetics · IBSA-trained (Profhilo) · NeoStrata-trained (skin peels) · Lynton Lasers trained, incl. ONDA
Last Updated
October 2, 2026
Most patients start with the wrong question
People who have read about Six Month Smiles often arrive asking which option is faster and cheaper. It is a reasonable question, but the wrong place to start, because the two are not competing versions of the same treatment. One straightens the teeth you see when you smile; the other can also change how your teeth meet and work together. The useful first question is: what does your bite actually need?
What each treatment is
Six Month Smiles is a short-term orthodontic system using tooth-coloured brackets and tooth-coloured wires bonded to the front teeth. It concentrates on the teeth that show in a smile and deliberately leaves the back teeth and the overall bite largely as they are. That narrow focus is what makes it quicker.
Invisalign uses a series of removable clear aligners, planned digitally with an iTero scan and ClinCheck simulation, to move teeth in small, staged steps. It can be used for a few front teeth or for the whole of both arches, including correcting how the upper and lower teeth meet. At Dental & Wellness London, Invisalign is planned by Dr Vishal Patel, an Invisalign Diamond II provider.
The key difference
Six Month Smiles is faster because it treats less, not because it works harder. Invisalign takes longer for comprehensive cases because it is doing more. If the bite is already healthy and the concern is purely cosmetic, that extra scope may not be needed. If the bite is part of the problem, a front-teeth-only approach will leave it unchanged.
How to read this page
The table compares the two factor by factor. The sections after it describe who tends to suit each and how we decide, but a clinical examination is what settles it. Related reading: clear aligners versus fixed braces, crooked teeth and Inman aligners vs Invisalign.
If you are still weighing up your options, our overview of teeth straightening brings them together in one place.
Six Month Smiles uses tooth-coloured brackets and wires to align the front teeth that show when you smile, usually over about four to nine months. It is cosmetic by design and does not set out to correct the bite. Invisalign uses removable clear aligners and can treat the whole arch, including how the teeth meet. If your bite is healthy, either may suit; if it needs correcting, Invisalign is usually sounder.
The verdict at a glance
| Six Month Smiles | Invisalign | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Tooth-coloured brackets and wires bonded to the front teeth apply gentle continuous force | A series of removable clear aligners, each moving teeth a small planned step |
| Teeth treated | Mainly the front teeth visible when you smile | Any teeth in either arch, from a few front teeth to the whole mouth |
| Best suited to | Mild to moderate crowding or spacing of the front teeth where the bite is healthy | Crowding, spacing, rotations and bite problems; cases where the back teeth or arch shape matter |
| Not suitable for | Correcting the bite, moving back teeth or larger skeletal problems | Some severe rotations or complex movements better controlled with fixed appliances; patients unable to wear aligners consistently |
| Typical treatment time | Usually about four to nine months | From a few months for minor cases to around a year or more for comprehensive cases |
| Visibility | Discreet tooth-coloured brackets, noticeable at close range | Very discreet clear trays with small tooth-coloured attachments |
| Daily routine | Fixed in place; no wear discipline, but more care with cleaning and some foods | Removed to eat and clean; worn 20 to 22 hours a day |
| Bite correction | Not the aim of treatment | Possible where indicated, as part of the plan |
| Risks and considerations | Plaque build-up around brackets if cleaning is difficult; bite left unchanged | Slower progress if wear slips; refinement aligners sometimes needed |
| Retention afterwards | Long-term retainers needed | Long-term retainers needed |
| Cost at DWL | Quoted in writing after assessment | Invisalign Express £2,200 · Moderate £3,400 · Unlimited £4,500–£4,900; consultation free |
| Offered at DWL? | Yes, for carefully selected front-teeth cases | Yes, with Dr Vishal Patel, Invisalign Diamond II provider |
Which one is right for you
There is a real, defined group of patients for whom Six Month Smiles is an honest recommendation. It tends to suit you if:
- your bite has been assessed properly and does not need correcting;
- your concern is the alignment of the front teeth that show when you smile;
- a shorter treatment time matters, for example ahead of a particular event or a planned course of composite bonding or whitening;
- you are comfortable with discreet tooth-coloured brackets for a few months;
- you would rather have an appliance that works without the discipline of daily aligner wear.
The important words are assessed properly. A bite that looks fine in the mirror can still have problems that a front-teeth-only approach will not address, so we check how your teeth meet, look for wear and examine your gums before recommending it. Where it fits, it does its narrow job efficiently, and retainers then keep the front teeth in their new positions.
Invisalign becomes the sounder choice as soon as the case needs more than cosmetic alignment of the front teeth. It tends to suit you if:
- the way your upper and lower teeth meet needs correcting, or there is uneven wear suggesting it may;
- teeth beyond the front of the mouth need to move, or the arch form needs developing, which we prefer to do without extractions where possible;
- you want an appliance that is very discreet and can be removed for meals, meetings or photographs;
- you value being able to brush and floss normally throughout treatment;
- you want to see a digital simulation of the planned result before committing.
Invisalign asks something of you in return: aligners only work while they are worn, so consistent wear of 20 to 22 hours a day is essential. Our Invisalign cost page explains the Express, Moderate and Unlimited plans and the kinds of case each is designed for.
If your bite genuinely does not need correcting and you want the front teeth aligned within a few months, Six Month Smiles is clear about what it is and can do that job well. I have no quarrel with the right case.
What I do see, often enough to mention plainly, is the other pattern: a fast cosmetic option chosen for a case that needed comprehensive orthodontics. The front teeth look straighter, but the underlying bite continues to cause wear, crowding or instability, and further treatment is needed later. That is why we assess the bite before discussing systems, and why we will sometimes advise against the quicker option when the case calls for more.
Cost is rarely the right deciding factor on its own. The more useful comparison is what each plan will and will not do for your teeth, set out in writing so you can weigh it calmly. Whichever we agree, retainers are planned from the start.
The first step is a free Invisalign consultation with iTero scanning, or a dental examination (£65) if you would like a full risk assessment first. You will find us at 222 Essex Road, Islington, London N1 3AP, two minutes from Essex Road station. Buses 38, 56, 73, 341 and 476 stop on Essex Road, and many patients cycle or arrive by Lime or Forest e-bike. We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm (Tuesday from 9am), by appointment; call 020 8127 4567 or contact us to arrange a time.
Frequently
asked questions
Wellness dentistry combines traditional dental care with whole-body health — treating the mouth as a window to overall wellbeing.
View all FAQs →Should I have Six Month Smiles or Invisalign?
It depends on what your bite needs. If the concern is purely the alignment of the front teeth and your bite is healthy, Six Month Smiles can be appropriate. If the bite needs correcting, or teeth further back need to move, Invisalign is usually the better choice. We decide after examining your teeth, not by recommending one system by default.
Why is Six Month Smiles quicker than Invisalign?
Because it treats less. Six Month Smiles concentrates on the front teeth and does not set out to change the bite, so there is less movement to achieve. Comprehensive Invisalign takes longer because it may be correcting how the whole bite meets. For a minor front-teeth case, Invisalign can also be relatively short.
Will Six Month Smiles fix my bite?
No. It is designed for cosmetic alignment of the front teeth. If your bite was healthy before treatment, it should remain so. If it needed correcting, Six Month Smiles will not have done that, which is exactly why we assess the bite carefully before recommending either system.
Is Six Month Smiles cheaper than Invisalign?
Not necessarily. At DWL, Invisalign Express is £2,200, Moderate £3,400 and Unlimited £4,500 to £4,900. Six Month Smiles is quoted in writing after assessment. For a genuine front-teeth case the difference is often modest, so we suggest choosing on what the treatment does rather than on price alone.
Is Six Month Smiles a type of brace?
Yes. The classic system uses tooth-coloured brackets and wires bonded to the front teeth, so it is a fixed brace, simply limited in scope and designed to be discreet. Because it cannot be removed, it requires careful cleaning around the brackets and some caution with very hard or sticky foods.
Do I need retainers after Six Month Smiles or Invisalign?
Yes. Teeth tend to drift back after any orthodontic treatment, and short-term treatments are no exception. After either option we fit retainers and explain how long to wear them. Long-term retention is what keeps the result stable, so it is planned before treatment begins rather than added at the end.
Can I have bonding or whitening after alignment?
Often, yes. Aligning the teeth first frequently means less tooth needs to be added or altered afterwards, and whitening or composite bonding can then refine shape and shade. We plan the order at consultation so that each step supports the next, rather than treating them in isolation.
Not sure which fits your case?
Book a consultation and we'll assess honestly — no default recommendation.
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