Questions, answered.
Everything you need to know about Infinity Aligner — from first consultation to final result.
For patients
Clear aligners are a series of custom-made, removable transparent trays that apply gentle, controlled pressure to shift your teeth gradually into their correct positions. Each set of aligners moves your teeth by approximately 0.25 mm before you progress to the next set, typically every 1–2 weeks. Treatment is based on a biomechanical plan designed by a certified practitioner from a digital scan of your dental arch — no silicone impressions required.
Most adults and older teenagers with mild to moderate alignment issues are good candidates. Infinity Aligner treats dental crowding, spacing (diastemas), overbites, underbites, crossbites and certain Class II malocclusions. Severely complex cases involving significant skeletal discrepancies or complex periodontal histories require a more detailed assessment. Your certified dentist will evaluate your suitability at an initial consultation — no commitment is required at that stage.
Duration varies depending on the complexity of your case. Mild corrections (simple gaps, slight crowding) take 3–6 months. Moderate cases average 8–12 months. More complex bite corrections — deep overbites, crossbites — may require 14–20 months. Your personalised 3D treatment plan will include a precise timeline, with the exact number of aligners, before any financial commitment.
Aligners do not cause the sharp discomfort associated with traditional wire tightening. You may notice pressure or mild sensitivity for 24–48 hours after switching to a new aligner set — this is normal and indicates that orthodontic forces are active. Most patients describe it as moderate tightness rather than pain. If discomfort persists beyond 72 hours or is accompanied by unusual tooth mobility, contact your practitioner.
For optimal results and within the planned timeframe, aligners should be worn for 20–22 hours per day — a maximum of 4 hours of removal spread across 24 hours. They are removed only for eating, drinking anything other than cold still water, brushing and flossing. Compliance is the number-one factor in treatment success: every missed hour of wear slows the programmed tooth movements and can extend the overall treatment duration.
Yes — always remove your aligners before eating or drinking anything other than cold still water. This is one of the main advantages over fixed braces: there are no food restrictions whatsoever. After each meal, brush your teeth and rinse your mouth before reinserting your aligners to prevent staining and cavities. Coffee, tea and red wine consumed with aligners in place will irreversibly discolour the thermoplastic.
Rinse your aligners under cold or lukewarm (never hot — thermoplastic deforms above 40 °C) water every time you remove them. Clean them morning and evening with a soft toothbrush and a small amount of clear, non-abrasive liquid soap, or with specialist cleaning crystals (such as Retainer Brite). Avoid abrasive toothpastes, which scratch the surface and create bacterial niches. Never leave them exposed to air to dry — store them in their protective case when not in use.
Once active treatment is complete, your dentist will provide a custom retention appliance — a thin clear night-time retainer, and/or a fine bonded wire on the inner surface of the anterior teeth. Teeth have a natural tendency to return towards their original position (relapse), due to the elastic memory of the periodontal ligament fibres. Consistent retainer wear protects the long-term result. The standard recommendation: nightly wear every day for the first 2 years, then 3–5 nights per week for life.
Coverage varies by insurer and policy. Some complementary health schemes in Tunisia provide partial reimbursement for adult orthodontic treatment, typically capped between 500 and 1,500 DT depending on the contract. In France and Belgium, adult orthodontics is rarely covered by state health insurance, but complementary mutuals often offer partial coverage. In Canada, many extended health benefit plans include orthodontics with a lifetime maximum. We recommend contacting your insurer directly. Our partner dentists can issue the documentation and quotes required for your reimbursement claim.
Don't panic. If you lose or damage an aligner, temporarily wear the previous set (from the prior series) to maintain the position achieved, and contact your practitioner within 48 hours. Depending on your progress in the treatment plan, they will either order a replacement or advance you to the next aligner if the majority of the movement is already complete. Avoid leaving your aligners exposed to heat, pets or easily accessible surfaces.
Both techniques move teeth by applying controlled forces to the peri-dental bone tissue, but their mechanics differ fundamentally. Aligners are removable — a major advantage for dental hygiene and dietary freedom — but require strict compliance (20–22 hours per day). Fixed braces (brackets and wires) are permanent and do not depend on patient compliance, but restrict toothbrush access, increase the risk of cavities and gingivitis, and can be uncomfortable after tightening. Aligners are aesthetically invisible; braces, even ceramic ones, remain visible. In terms of clinical outcomes, both techniques achieve comparable results on moderate cases — the choice depends on the patient's profile, case complexity and lifestyle preferences.
For non-contact sports (running, swimming, cycling, fitness), aligners can be kept in without restriction — hydrating with cold still water is possible with aligners in place. For contact sports (rugby, boxing, martial arts) or sports with a risk of facial impact, it is recommended to remove aligners and wear a custom mouthguard during training, then reinsert the aligners immediately afterwards. For wind instruments (flute, trumpet, clarinet), an adaptation period of 1–2 weeks is typical — the vast majority of musicians recover their playing ease without removing their aligners.
Yes, significantly. The removability of aligners allows standard brushing, flossing and oral irrigation without any constraint from brackets or wires. Comparative studies show that patients using aligners present significantly lower plaque scores and gingival bleeding than those treated with fixed braces at 12 months. However, this hygiene advantage is only maintained if the aligners are cleaned regularly and if teeth are systematically brushed before each reinsertion — habits your Infinity Aligner practitioner will help you establish from the very first appointment.
Follow-up check-ups are typically scheduled every 6–10 weeks depending on case complexity and your practitioner's protocol. At each appointment, the practitioner checks aligner fit (tracking), movement progression against the 3D plan, attachment integrity and periodontal health. If you are following an international hybrid protocol (initial consultation in Tunisia + remote monitoring), standardised photos are sent every 4–6 weeks with practitioner feedback within 48 hours. In-person visits remain recommended at mid-treatment and at the end of treatment.
Yes — this is one of the lesser-known advantages of aligner orthodontics. It is possible to apply a low-concentration hydrogen peroxide (3–6%) or carbamide peroxide (10–16%) whitening gel directly into your aligner trays, which then serve as natural whitening trays. This technique is particularly effective on the labial and buccal surfaces of the teeth. However, whitening is not recommended during pregnancy, in cases of marked dentine sensitivity, or on teeth with aesthetic restorations (composite, ceramic) — it does not bleach prosthetic materials. Consult your practitioner before initiating a concurrent whitening protocol.
Yes, from approximately 12–13 years of age, once the permanent dentition is sufficiently established (eruption of the first and second permanent molars). Aligners for teenagers incorporate compliance indicators (small coloured dots that gradually fade according to actual wear time), reserve spaces for teeth still erupting, and integrated replacement kits for lost aligners. The prerequisite remains the teenager's own motivation — voluntary compliance is essential. Your practitioner will assess your child's orthodontic and psychological readiness at the initial consultation.
Technology & Process
Yes — this is one of the cornerstones of Infinity Aligner treatment. After your intraoral scan (a digital optical impression completed in 3–5 minutes), our orthodontic engineers build a complete 3D simulation of your treatment. You can visualise, tooth by tooth and step by step, the planned progression of your teeth from their initial position to the desired final result. This simulation — known as a treatment plan or virtual plan — is validated jointly by you and your practitioner before any aligners are manufactured. No aligner is produced without your explicit approval of the treatment plan.
A traditional impression uses a viscous material (alginate or polyvinylsiloxane silicone) moulded over your teeth for 2–5 minutes — a procedure that is often uncomfortable, with risks of nausea and inaccuracies from material distortion during removal. An intraoral scanner (3Shape TRIOS, iTero Element or equivalent) captures thousands of images per second to reconstruct a real-time, precision 3D digital model with an accuracy of ± 25 microns. The digital file is transmitted instantly to the planning laboratory, with no risk of degradation in transit. Patient comfort is significantly superior and the clinical outcome is more reliable.
From the 3D planning file, dental models are printed in biocompatible resin by high-resolution 3D printers (layer precision ≤ 50 microns). Each aligner is thermoformed over this model using a sheet of medical-grade thermoplastic (biocompatible polyurethane or copolyester), heated and vacuum-pressed to conform perfectly to every tooth contour. The edges are then milled to the micron and polished. The entire process, carried out locally in Tunisia by Infinity Aligner, ensures a 7–12 working-day manufacturing lead time and complete traceability of each aligner set.
Attachments, or orthodontic buttons, are small composite resin spots (the same material as cosmetic fillings) bonded to certain teeth at the start of treatment. They are designed to improve the aligner's "grip" on the tooth and enable complex movements — rotations, extrusions, root torque corrections — that the aligner alone cannot achieve with sufficient biomechanical precision. Their shape, size and placement are determined by the planning software based on the required movements. They are discreet (shade close to natural tooth), painless and removed without any enamel damage at the end of treatment.
The total number of aligners depends on the complexity of your case and the progression protocol chosen by your practitioner. A mild treatment may involve 14–20 aligners; a moderate to complex treatment will include between 30 and 60, sometimes more. The standard change frequency is every 7–14 days, depending on the bone remodelling rate assessed during planning. Some practitioners adopt an accelerated 5–7 day protocol with more frequent check-ups. Your 3D treatment plan will specify the exact number of aligners and the projected timeline before any commitment.
A refinement is a supplementary series of aligners produced during or at the end of treatment to correct small residual imperfections relative to the initial plan. Even with high-precision 3D planning, individual biological variations — rate of bone remodelling, slightly sub-optimal compliance, unexpected tooth movements — can cause minor deviations from the planned result. Refinement is a normal and expected procedure for complex cases; it is not a sign of failure, but of rigorous clinical management aimed at achieving a perfect final outcome.
IPR (Interproximal Reduction), also called stripping or proximal polishing, involves removing a thin layer of enamel (0.1–0.5 mm per contact point) between two adjacent teeth to create the space needed for alignment movements without resorting to dental extractions. The procedure is carried out with a fine diamond disc or abrasive strips under millimetric control. It is painless because enamel contains no nerve endings — a slight transient sensitivity is possible in the first few hours if the enamel layer is thinned close to the enamel–dentine junction. The amount of enamel removed is always less than the thickness of the natural interproximal enamel (which averages 0.8–1.2 mm), thus preserving the structural integrity of the tooth.
In certain cases — primarily Class II corrections (antero-posterior discrepancy between the upper and lower arches) or crossbite corrections — your practitioner may prescribe the use of inter-arch elastics. These small latex or polyurethane elastics (4–6 mm diameter, 1–4 oz force) attach to special hooks integrated into your aligners or your attachments. They generate additional forces that aligners alone cannot create. Wear time is generally 20–22 hours per day, like the aligners themselves. Compliance with elastics is a critical factor: insufficient wear can compromise occlusal correction, particularly in Class II cases.
Remote monitoring relies on sending standardised photographs of your aligners in place, taken according to a precise protocol: frontal view in occlusion, right and left lateral views, upper intraoral view and lower intraoral view. These photos allow your practitioner to assess tracking (how well the aligner fits the tooth), movement progression and attachment integrity. A monitoring report is returned to you within 24–48 working hours. If a discrepancy between the planned and actual position is noted (poor tracking), the practitioner may recommend extending wear of the current aligner, performing seating exercises (chewies) or scheduling an in-person assessment.
Health, Safety & Materials
Infinity Aligner aligners are made from certified medical-grade thermoplastic — primarily medical-grade polyurethane or copolyester, bearing CE marking in accordance with Class I Medical Device requirements (EU Regulation 2017/745). These materials are free from bisphenol A (BPA), latex and the most common allergens. They have undergone cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and biocompatibility testing in accordance with ISO 10993 standards. Patients with a history of nickel or metal allergies have no contraindication — aligners contain no metallic components.
Yes, in the vast majority of cases. Dental implants are osseointegrated and do not move under orthodontic forces — they act as natural anchors that can even be used strategically to facilitate certain movements. However, the presence of implants requires adapted orthodontic planning: teeth adjacent to the implant cannot be moved towards it. A radiological assessment (panoramic X-ray + CBCT if required) is performed before treatment to evaluate inter-radicular spaces and implant positions. Your Infinity Aligner practitioner is trained in managing these mixed cases.
Clear aligner orthodontics is not formally contraindicated during pregnancy, but several precautions apply. The hormonal changes of pregnancy (notably increased progesterone) cause increased gingival vascularisation and heightened susceptibility to gingivitis — which can slow bone remodelling and alter the orthodontic treatment response. Dental whitening with peroxide is formally contraindicated during pregnancy. X-rays (initial assessment) should be deferred to the second trimester if possible. The decision to start or continue treatment during pregnancy should be made jointly with your obstetrician-gynaecologist.
Bruxism is not an absolute contraindication to clear aligners — but it requires specific precautions. The orthodontic tray offers a secondary protective effect similar to that of an occlusal night guard, by separating the arches and absorbing some of the grinding forces. However, severe uncontrolled bruxism can prematurely damage the aligners and compromise the precision of tooth movements. A TMJ (temporomandibular joint) assessment is recommended before treatment. In some cases, a decompression night guard is prescribed in parallel for nights when aligners are not worn. Your practitioner will adapt the protocol to your situation.
Absolutely. No orthodontic treatment — including clear aligners — should be initiated in the presence of active cavities, abscesses, untreated periodontitis or significant gingival inflammation. These active pathologies create a biologically unfavourable environment for tooth movement (impaired bone remodelling, increased risk of root resorption) and can worsen under orthodontic forces. The comprehensive oral health assessment conducted at the initial consultation identifies and schedules any necessary prior treatment. Your periodontal health is the foundation of any successful orthodontic project.
A slight lisp or modification of pronunciation is common during the first days of wearing new aligners — particularly for sibilants ("s", "z", "sh"). This is a temporary adaptation of the oral airflow related to the presence of the tray over the dental surfaces. The vast majority of patients adapt completely within 3–7 days. Practising out loud (reading aloud, phone conversations) significantly accelerates this adaptation phase.
The presence of crowns or bridges does not contraindicate aligner treatment, but requires adapted planning. Crowns and bridges are fixed prostheses integral to the dental structure — their morphology may differ from natural teeth, which demands a very precise optical impression for the aligners to fit perfectly. Bridges, in particular, create a solidarisation of two or more teeth: the bridge abutment teeth cannot be moved independently. Your practitioner will account for this in the 3D planning to define realistic movement objectives and adapt the applied forces. A full radiographic assessment is systematically performed before treatment.
Active untreated periodontitis is a formal contraindication to orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic forces applied to teeth whose bony support is already diminished by periodontal disease can accelerate alveolar bone loss and rapidly worsen the dental prognosis. However, stabilised and professionally maintained periodontitis is not an absolute contraindication — periodontally compromised patients regularly benefit from orthodontic treatment with reinforced periodontal monitoring (scaling every 3–4 weeks during treatment, plaque index control). The decision rests with your Infinity Aligner practitioner in coordination with your periodontist.
The coexistence of a removable partial denture and an aligner treatment is technically possible but complex. The denture and the aligners cannot be worn simultaneously — wear must alternate according to a protocol defined by your practitioner. In addition, orthodontic movements may alter the fit of the existing denture over the course of treatment, necessitating interim rebasings. In some cases, the completion of orthodontic treatment precedes the fabrication of a new definitive prosthesis, which will be designed once the teeth have reached their optimal position. Each situation is assessed individually at the initial consultation.
Pricing & Medical Travel
The cost of an Infinity Aligner treatment varies between 1,200 and 2,800 DT in Tunisia depending on case complexity, the number of aligners required and the clinic's partnership level. For patients travelling from abroad (France, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland), this represents a saving of 50–65% compared to rates in their home country, with equivalent care quality and certified materials. A detailed personalised quote is prepared after analysis of your intraoral scan — free of charge and without obligation.
We offer a fully structured international patient journey. Step 1: send us standardised clinical photographs (frontal smile, right and left profile, upper and lower intraoral views) and any recent X-rays via our secure contact form. Step 2: our clinical team reviews your file and responds within 48 working hours with a pre-assessment and indicative price range. Step 3: if you wish to proceed, a video teleconsultation is arranged with the practitioner who will manage your treatment. Step 4: upon your arrival in Tunisia, the complete consultation (intraoral scan, radiographic assessment if required, preliminary 3D simulation) is carried out and your treatment plan finalised.
Yes — this is the hybrid model we are developing for our international patients. The initial consultation, scan and planning are carried out during a first stay in Tunisia (1–2 days). All aligners for the complete treatment are manufactured and handed to the patient during this same visit, or shipped by express courier to their home address in batches. Progress check-ups are performed remotely via teleconsultation, with standardised photographs submitted every 4–6 weeks. A mid-treatment check-up and a final appointment (retainer fitting) are recommended but can be coordinated with other planned trips to Tunisia.
The pricing differential is significant and well documented. A complete clear aligner orthodontic treatment costs on average €3,500–€6,000 in France and Belgium, CAD 4,000–7,500 in Canada, and CHF 3,800–6,500 in Switzerland. In Tunisia with Infinity Aligner, the same treatment (identical CE-certified materials, same clinical protocol, same digital precision) is available between €1,200 and €2,500. Including the cost of a return flight from Paris to Tunis (€150–€350) and a few days' accommodation, the net saving remains in the order of 40–60% — with the added benefit of post-treatment recovery under the Mediterranean sun.
Yes, entirely. The remote pre-assessment from photographs is free and non-binding. The initial clinical consultation (including intraoral scan and preliminary 3D simulation) is also complimentary at the majority of our partner clinics. Your definitive treatment plan and detailed quote are provided before any decision — you have all the time you need to consider them, compare options and ask questions. No deposit is requested before your explicit agreement to the treatment plan.
Yes. Most of our partner clinics offer interest-free instalment payment plans, typically over 3, 6 or 12 months depending on the total treatment amount and the clinic's commercial policy. For international patients completing their treatment in Tunisia, a deposit of 30–40% is generally required at treatment plan confirmation, with the balance settled when the aligners are handed over. Some partners also accept SWIFT bank transfers for diaspora patients. Contact the selected partner clinic for exact terms — your Infinity Aligner case coordinator can point you in the right direction.
In several countries, dental healthcare expenditure may qualify for tax benefits. In France, unreimbursed medical costs (including adult orthodontics) may be deducted from taxable income under certain conditions via an actual expenses declaration. In Belgium, unreimbursed medical expenses exceeding a threshold of 5% of net taxable income may be deducted. In Canada, orthodontic medical expenses are deductible via the Medical Expense Tax Credit at the federal level and in most provinces. We recommend consulting your accountant or tax adviser: our partners can issue detailed invoices in local currency and euros as required for your tax file.
For dental professionals
Contact our partnerships team via the contact form or by phone. We will arrange an introductory call, invite you to our next CE-accredited training session (held monthly in Tunis, Sfax and Sousse), and walk you through the complete onboarding process. From first contact to submitting your first case takes approximately 4 weeks. Certification includes unlimited access to our digital planning portal, a dedicated case coordinator and clinical support available 6 days a week.
Our 2-day programme covers: case selection criteria and therapeutic limits, the complete digital workflow (intraoral scanning, case submission, Infinity Aligner planning portal), attachment placement and removal, interproximal reduction (IPR) protocols, refinement protocols, retention strategies, management of complex cases (implants, bruxism, TMJ), and patient communication and case acceptance. All training is CE-accredited. Regional, online and in-clinic training formats are also available.
There is no minimum case volume required. We work with practices of all sizes — from single-practitioner clinics submitting 2–3 cases per month to high-volume multi-site groups. Partnership tier benefits (tiered pricing, dedicated support, co-branded marketing) scale with case volume, but access to certification, the digital platform and aligners is subject to no volume commitment.
Our standard turnaround is 10–12 working days from submission of a complete intraoral scan and case form to delivery of the first aligner set to your clinic. Expedited 5–7-day production is available for urgent cases (additional charge applies). Each case file has a dedicated coordinator who sends you tracking updates at every stage — scan validation, treatment plan approval, production commencement, dispatch.
Partner practitioners benefit from dedicated clinical support available by phone, email and secure messaging Monday through Saturday. Our planning team includes certified orthodontists available for complex clinical queries — refinements, TMJ case management, IPR protocols, implant cases. A monthly clinical case webinar (anonymised case review with network-wide discussion) is also organised for the entire partner network.
All certified partners receive: priority listing on the Infinity Aligner directory (patient-facing on the website and app), co-branded patient brochures in Arabic, French and English, a social media content pack updated quarterly (ready-to-publish visuals and captions), waiting-room posters and display materials, and a branded consultation template. Premium partners additionally receive a personalised landing page on infinityaligner.com, targeted digital advertising support (Google Ads, Meta) and a case study published on the Infinity Aligner blog.
Infinity Aligner partners access a secure clinical portal centralising the entire digital workflow: case submission (direct import of STL or OBJ files from all major intraoral scanners), real-time tracking of each case's progress (validation, manufacturing, dispatch), online viewing and approval of the 3D treatment plan, access to radiographs and clinical documents, secure messaging with the planning team, and a clinical resource library (IPR protocols, attachment guides, material data sheets). A complementary mobile app lets practitioners follow their cases on the move and communicate with their coordinator from their phone.
Complex cases (implants, bridges, multiple crowns, periodontal history, severe bruxism, multidisciplinary cases) benefit from a dedicated submission circuit via the portal. When submitting, select the "Complex case" option to trigger a review by our senior orthodontist team rather than the standard planning workflow. Always attach: the STL scan file, the full radiographic workup (panoramic + CBCT if available), standardised clinical photographs, and a case note detailing your treatment objectives, identified constraints and specific clinical questions. A senior orthodontist will contact you within 48 working hours for a case discussion before the treatment plan is produced. Planning turnaround for complex cases is 5–7 additional working days.
Yes. Thermoformed retention retainers (clear night-time trays) can be ordered directly through the partner portal at the end of each treatment, from the STL file of the end-of-treatment scan or the last aligner of the protocol. Manufacturing turnaround is 3–5 working days. Replacement retainers can also be ordered at any time during the retention phase, based on the same digital file, without a new impression. Fixed bonded retainers (lingual wire retention) can be planned jointly if you wish to implement a combined retention protocol.
Results & Maintenance
The results of orthodontic aligner treatment are permanent — provided the retention protocol is followed. Without retention, teeth have a natural tendency to drift back towards their original position — a universal phenomenon independent of the orthodontic technique used. With regular retainer wear (night-time tray and/or bonded lingual wire), results are maintained indefinitely. Long-term follow-up studies (5–15 years) show that compliant patients retain more than 90% of the outcome achieved at the end of active treatment. Retention is therefore not an optional phase: it is the lifetime guarantee on your investment.
Partial relapse most commonly occurs due to insufficient or interrupted retention. If you notice tooth movement after the end of treatment, several options are available. For minor relapse (a few weeks or months of interrupted retention): returning to strict retainer wear may be sufficient to restore the position. For more significant relapse: a short aligner retreatment (mini-treatment, typically 10–20 aligners) can be planned from a new scan. These retreatments are technically straightforward and significantly less costly than a full initial treatment. Consult your Infinity Aligner practitioner at the first sign of movement — the earlier the situation is assessed, the simpler the correction.
Attachment removal is a simple, painless and enamel-safe procedure. The composite buttons are removed with a fine diamond bur, then the surfaces are polished with progressive polishing discs and pastes to restore the natural enamel lustre. In the vast majority of cases, no trace is visible to the naked eye after polishing — enamel is not cut during bonding (surface adhesive technique), and removal leaves no measurable enamel substance loss. A slight transient colour difference (an area slightly less exposed to food colourants during treatment) may be observable and disappears within a few weeks. Supplementary cosmetic polishing can be performed if you wish to optimise colour uniformity.
After active treatment ends and retention is fitted, an annual follow-up with your Infinity Aligner practitioner is recommended to: check the condition and fit of your retainers (replacement if the tray is deformed or worn), assess dental position stability relative to the end-of-treatment result, evaluate periodontal health (particularly important if you have a history of gingivitis or mild periodontitis), and carry out routine scaling and a caries check. Thermoformed retainers have a lifespan of 12–18 months depending on wear — planning their replacement before they distort is essential to maintaining the result.
Yes, absolutely. Orthodontic retreatments are a common and clinically well-documented practice. A second aligner treatment is generally simpler and faster than the initial course, as the teeth have already been mobilised previously and the movements required are often less extensive. Planning starts from a new intraoral scan and an updated clinical assessment. If you have retained your original 3D treatment plan (accessible via the partner portal), the practitioner can directly compare the current position with the initial result to precisely quantify the relapse. The average duration of a retreatment is 3–9 months depending on the extent of the shift.