Clear aligners in Toowoomba
Straighten your teeth gently and discreetly with clear aligners — Invisalign or Angel Align, custom-made and removable, and virtually invisible in everyday life. One all-inclusive price, retainers included, and a complimentary 30-minute consultation — including photos of your teeth and smile — to find out if aligners suit you.
- $6,500 start to finishInvisalign or Angel Align, retainers included
- Complimentary 30-minute consultationphotos and a focused aligner assessment — a check-up and X-rays are needed before treatment starts
- From $20 a weekDenticare interest-free plans over $1300
- $300 clear retainersone set, upper and lower — same price for everyone
How clear aligners work
Clear aligners are a series of custom-made, removable trays, each worn for about a week or two before moving to the next in the series. Each aligner is designed to move your teeth a small, planned amount, gradually guiding them into better alignment. Because the aligners are removable, you eat, brush and floss exactly as you do now — there are no brackets to clean around and no food restrictions.
The planning happens before you start. A digital scan of your teeth is used to map every stage of movement, so you can see the intended end result and roughly how many aligners it will take before you commit to anything.
Invisalign or Angel Align?
We offer both. They're clear aligner systems from two different manufacturers, and they work on the same principle: a digital plan, then a series of custom-made aligners that each move your teeth a small, planned amount.
We recommend one or the other once we've seen your teeth, based on what your case needs, and you'll know which system your plan uses before you commit. The price is the same either way: $6,500 start to finish, retainers included.
Who suits clear aligners — and who doesn't
Aligners can help adults and teens with crowding, spacing and gaps, mild to moderate bite concerns, and teeth that have drifted after earlier orthodontic treatment. They're a popular choice for people whose work or social life makes visible braces unappealing, and for anyone who wants to keep brushing and flossing simple during treatment.
They aren't the answer for everyone. Severe crowding, significant jaw-position problems, or teeth that need large rotations or vertical movements can be better served by conventional braces or a referral to an orthodontist. Aligners also only work if they're worn — realistically 20–22 hours a day — so if that isn't going to fit your life, we'll say so.
Healthy gums and treated decay come first, which is why every aligner case starts with a check-up and X-rays. The honest answer for your mouth comes from the consultation, which is why we make the aligner consultation complimentary.
Why do you need a check-up and X-rays before aligners?
Because aligners move teeth through bone, and we need to know the teeth, gums and bone can take it. An aligner plan is built on the assumption that your mouth is healthy and stable, and a full examination with X-rays is the only way to confirm that before you commit to a year or more of treatment.
New patients need a fresh examination and X-rays. Existing patients are covered if their last check-up was within the past six months — otherwise we'll book one before starting. Either way you can have the complimentary aligner consultation first: the check-up is what's needed before treatment begins, not before the conversation.
Here's what the examination and X-rays are looking for.
Decay you can't see. Most decay starts between the teeth, where it's invisible in the mirror and only shows on an X-ray. An aligner then sits sealed against that tooth for 20 to 22 hours a day. Decay found and filled first is far simpler to deal with than decay found halfway through a treatment plan.
The bone holding your teeth in. Gum disease quietly reduces the bone supporting your teeth, and an X-ray is the only way to measure that level — you cannot see it by looking. Teeth with reduced support can often still be moved, but the plan has to allow for it; moving them as though the support were normal risks loosening them.
Anything hidden under the gum. Extra or impacted teeth, retained roots, unusually short or curved roots, teeth fused to the bone, and wisdom teeth all sit out of sight. Any one of them can change which movements are realistic — and finding out after your aligners are manufactured means going back to the planning stage.
Whether your aligners will keep fitting. Every aligner in your series is made to the exact shape of your teeth on scan day. If a filling or a crown turns out to be needed after that, the shape of the tooth changes and the remaining aligners may no longer fit properly — which means a fresh scan and a delay.
A baseline to compare against. Moving teeth can shorten the roots slightly in some people. Having X-rays from before treatment means we can compare like with like rather than guess at what was already there.
New patients can cover all of this with our $199 new patient offer, which includes a comprehensive examination, scale and clean, fluoride, two X-rays, oral hygiene assessment, 3D scan where clinically needed, and a personalised treatment plan. If you're simply due for a routine visit, see check-up and clean or the full pricing guide.
The aligner journey at Southside Dental
1. Complimentary 30-minute aligner consultation. A focused conversation about what you'd like to change, a look at your teeth, and a straight answer on whether aligners are likely to get you there. As part of the assessment we take a few photos — inside your mouth and of your smile — so we can show you what we're seeing rather than just describe it, and so we have a record of how your teeth look today. This isn't a full dental examination, and there's no obligation.
2. Check-up and X-rays. Before treatment begins we need a current picture of your dental health — a comprehensive examination and X-rays. New patients have these fresh; existing patients are covered if their last check-up was within the past six months. Anything that needs attention is dealt with first, so aligner treatment starts on a stable foundation.
3. Records and digital plan. With your dental health confirmed, we take the full orthodontic records — a 3D scan, a complete set of photos and an OPG X-ray — and use them to plan every tooth movement. These are more detailed than the photos taken at your consultation, and separate from your check-up X-rays: the OPG shows the whole jaw and the position of every root, and it is bulk billed with Medicare where you're eligible. You review the projected result and the estimated number of aligners before deciding.
4. Fitting. Your first aligners are fitted and small tooth-coloured attachments may be bonded to some teeth to help the aligners grip and guide movement. We show you how to insert, remove and clean them.
5. Progress checks. Short review visits every six to ten weeks to confirm teeth are tracking to plan and to hand over your next aligners. Between visits you change aligners at home on schedule.
6. Refinement if needed. Some cases need a short extra series of aligners at the end to fine-tune the result. That's part of the plan, not an extra.
7. Retainers. Teeth want to drift back, so retainers are worn after treatment — full-time at first, then nights. Your retainers are included in the price.
Living with aligners: what to expect
The first few days of each new aligner can feel tight or tender — that's the pressure doing its job, and it usually settles within a day or two. Speech can feel slightly different for the first week until your tongue adjusts. You'll take the aligners out to eat and to drink anything other than water (hot or coloured drinks warp and stain them), then brush or at least rinse before putting them back in. Clean the aligners with a soft brush and cool water, never hot.
Treatment length depends on how far your teeth need to move. Simpler cases can finish in a matter of months; more involved ones take a year or more. You'll get an estimate at the planning stage, and it's only as good as your wear time — every hour the aligners are out is an hour your teeth aren't moving.
How much do clear aligners cost in Toowoomba?
Clear aligner treatment at Southside Dental — Invisalign or Angel Align — is $6,500 from start to finish, including your retainers at the end of treatment. One figure for the whole journey: planning, every aligner, attachments, review visits, any refinement series and your first set of retainers. There are no surprise add-ons as you go. Clear retainers down the track are $300 for a set of upper and lower — the same price whether you had your aligners with us, had braces elsewhere, or simply need a worn or lost retainer replaced.
Your 30-minute aligner consultation is complimentary, photos included. The check-up and X-rays needed before treatment starts are charged separately — new patients can use the $199 new patient offer, which includes a comprehensive examination, scale and clean, fluoride, two X-rays, oral hygiene assessment, 3D scan where clinically needed, and a personalised treatment plan. Before starting aligners you'll receive a written quote and treatment plan, and payment plans from $20 a week — Denticare interest-free plans for amounts over $1300 — can spread the cost. Some health fund extras policies contribute towards orthodontic treatment; we'll help you check. See the full pricing guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long does clear aligner treatment take?
Treatment time varies with the complexity of your case — many treatments run from several months to around two years. We'll give you an estimated timeline at your consultation.
What happens at the aligner consultation?
It's a complimentary 30-minute appointment. We talk through what you'd like to change, look at your teeth, and take a few photos — inside your mouth and of your smile — as part of the assessment, so we can show you what we're seeing and keep a record of how your teeth look today. You'll get a straight answer on whether aligners are likely to work for you and a clear idea of the cost. It isn't a full dental examination, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
Do you take photos at the consultation?
Yes — a few photos inside your mouth and of your smile are taken as part of the assessment. They let us show you what we're looking at on a screen instead of describing it, and they become part of your record so we can compare later. They're kept confidentially with your dental records and aren't used anywhere else without your written permission.
How much does Invisalign cost in Toowoomba?
Clear aligner treatment at Southside Dental is $6,500 from start to finish, including retainers. You'll receive a written quote and treatment plan at your consultation before starting, and payment plans from $20 a week can spread the cost.
Do I need a check-up and X-rays before starting aligners?
Yes. Aligners move teeth through bone, so we need to confirm the teeth, gums and bone are healthy first — X-rays show decay between the teeth and the bone level supporting them, neither of which can be seen by looking. New patients have a fresh examination and X-rays; existing patients are covered if their last check-up was within the past six months.
Can I have the aligner consultation before the check-up?
Yes. The complimentary 30-minute aligner consultation can be booked on its own and carries no obligation — it's a focused assessment, including photos, of whether aligners suit you. The check-up and X-rays are needed before treatment actually starts.
Is the aligner consultation really free?
Yes — the 30-minute aligner consultation is complimentary and carries no obligation, photos included. It's a focused assessment of whether aligners suit you, not a full dental examination; a check-up and X-rays are booked separately and are needed before treatment begins.
Invisalign or Angel Align — what's the difference?
Both are clear aligner systems that work on the same principle. We'll recommend the system that best suits your case, and the all-inclusive price is the same either way.
Are clear aligners noticeable?
The aligners are made from clear material and are virtually invisible in everyday conversation — one of the main reasons adults choose them over traditional braces.
How many hours a day do I wear the aligners?
Aligners are generally worn around 20–22 hours a day, removed only for eating, drinking anything other than water, and cleaning your teeth.
Do clear aligners hurt?
You may feel pressure or tenderness for a few days when starting a new aligner — this is a normal sign the aligners are working, and it typically settles quickly.
Will I need to wear retainers forever?
Retainers are the only reliable way to keep teeth where treatment put them. After an initial full-time period, most people wear them at night long term. Your first set is included in your treatment price.
Pricing and payment plans
Every smile is different, so we provide a personalised quote after your consultation — with all costs explained before any treatment begins. New patients can start with our $199 new patient offer (comprehensive examination, scale and clean, fluoride, two X-rays, oral hygiene assessment, 3D scan where clinically needed, and a personalised treatment plan), and payment plans are available from as little as $20 a week.
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