An Honest Clear Aligner Review: Angel Aligner

Disclaimer: This article and clear aligner review has been written with the consent of the patient. All images and text have been provided and reviewed by the patient. However, to create a balanced view for other patients and in accordance with the PHMC (Advertisement) Guidelines, we have removed all laudatory terms or what could be potentially perceived as laudatory. The patient has not been paid or sponsored in services or kind to write about his patient experience with Angel Aligner.

While I generally do not share about the experiences of my patients on this website, I have decided to share a story and testimonial of one of my patients because of how excited and happy he has been after taking up Angel Aligner treatment.

There is nothing I enjoy more than to see my patients enjoying the process as well as the end results. Before I go into further details, let me give you a quick TDLR on what Angel Aligners are, and why I have been using them as a similar alternative to Invisalign.

What are Angel Aligners?

Angel Aligners are clear aligners or invisible braces that are used to correct the alignment of your teeth. The brand is often recognised as a similar and in-kind alternative to Invisalign aligners.

Why I view Angel Aligners as similar to Invisalign?

• A dentist-directed clear aligner system that is predictable and accurate
• Predictability of teeth movement
• Able to help patients like yourself visualise before and after changes
• High quality clear aligners that shift teeth gently
• Do not stain easily even with consumption of coffee and wine
• Ability to do remote monitoring to reduce dental visits

Looking for an alternative and affordable option to Invisalign? Book an appointment with me.

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Honest Clear Aligner Review

I am a patient with Dr Amanda Koh for Angel Aligner treatment. Earlier this year, I decided that I wanted to do something about my crooked teeth which was gradually shifting out of alignment. It was bothering me as I noticed that food pieces were getting lodged behind and between my misaligned teeth more often. I had also noticed that there were slight but noticeable differences in my ability to chew properly.

I met with Dr Amanda Koh for orthodontic treatment in June 2024. I was already a prior patient with this clinic under a previous dentist and had known that I would require orthodontic treatment. However, back in 2022 when I was presented with the option of Invisalign or braces, I was not ready for orthodontic treatment for two main reasons:

1. I did not want to spend too much on Invisalign clear aligners and,
2. I did not find the prospect of having to wear braces for 12 – 18 months appealing and would prefer a more discreet alternative to braces.

When I visited Dr Amanda Koh for my first orthodontic consultation, I had initially gone in for an Invisalign consultation. I had read from Google Reviews, as well as from other friends that she was the dentist to head to for Invisalign.

Patient Concerns

While I was mentally ready for orthodontic treatment, I still had a few concerns:

Concern about the cost of treatment

One of the key concerns for me was budget. Besides my first-hand experience with the previous dentist, I had also heard that my friends had spent about $8,500 – $12,000 for their Invisalign treatment. The thought of having to fork out almost 5-figures for dental treatment held me back from orthodontic treatment for many years. The cost of Invisalign is high!

Concern about potential lifestyle changes

Another concern was whether it would impact my lifestyle habits. I could not fathom having to change my rather fixed lifestyle habits for a prolonged period of time.

Concern about paying frequent visits to the dental clinic

I was worried that I would have to visit the dentist every 2 – 4 weeks if I took up clear aligner treatment. Although I live fairly near the dental clinic, I have fairly erratic working hours. It would be inconvenient to have to head back constantly to the dental clinic.

Concern about changes in facial structure

The last and perhaps, most vain concern I had was any potential face shape changes that would occur. I had noticed that friends who had undergone braces had developed a somewhat squarish jaw. I was afraid that clear aligner treatment would have the same impact on my jawline as braces.

Patient Journey

Pre-consultation

I booked an appointment with Dr Amanda Koh during Consult Week and got an appointment with her on Friday. When I arrived at the clinic, I did not have to wait for long. I was seated for about 10 minutes before being ushered to the X-ray room to take my X-rays.

As I had not had my X-rays taken in the last 12 months, the dental assistants took my X-rays (Lat-Ceph) to check in on my current dental condition and see whether there were any existing dental issues she had to work with before the actual orthodontic assessment.

Detailed Consultation and Assessment

During the consultation, my X-rays were reviewed. As I had suspected, there were new dental caries that had developed because of my crooked teeth. While flossing helped, it was difficult to maintain good dental hygiene when I could not brush certain areas effectively.

I was informed that I was suitable for clear aligner treatment and that it would take about 6 – 8 months for the treatment to be completed.

Dr Amanda Koh also clearly laid out the treatment options I had based on my budget. She explained the differences between Invisalign, Angel Aligner, and braces and let me know the pros and cons of taking up each option.

Based on the information provided, I decided to choose Angel Aligners because of the following reasons:

• They were more than 20% cheaper than Invisalign but had the same treatment efficacy and predictability;
• Visits to the dental clinic were reduced by 40% with Angel Aligners;
• As a heavy coffee drinker, I did not want to have to walk around with yellowed clear aligners, which is sometimes more common with Invisalign aligners. Angel Aligners had less possibility of staining. 

Dr Amanda Koh then took detailed images of my facial profile and teeth. She also used a 3D intraoral scanner to scan my teeth.

Virtual Consultation: Treatment Plan Approval

Before the treatment began, I had to approve a treatment plan that was sent virtually to me via iOrtho – a 3-D treatment planning tool by Angel Aligner that showed me stage-by-stage progressions of my teeth alignment treatment.

Dr Amanda Koh explained each step to me and what pre-treatments would need to be done before I proceeded with Angel Aligner treatment. The back-and-forth treatment planning process was pretty speedy and took about 3 days. It is possible to personalise the entire treatment plan based on your needs and requirements.

For example, I did not want to change my facial structure and was worried that Angel Aligners treatment would change my face shape. Dr Amanda Koh changed my treatment plan to accommodate to that. 

The total treatment plan had 28 trays, and would take 6-8 months to complete. 

2nd Visit: Placement of Attachments and IPR

Before my 2nd dental visit with Dr Amanda Koh, I was informed that my clear aligners had arrived at the dental clinic. It took 3 business days from treatment plan approval to the production and arrival of the clear aligners.

During the 2nd visit, Dr Amanda Koh spent about 30 – 40 minutes placing on all the attachments and creating space between teeth (a process called interdental proximity or IPR). She informed me that IPR is usually done when there is crowding of the teeth and some space is needed to help correct or prevent further crowding.

During the 2nd visit, Dr Amanda Koh spent about 30 – 40 minutes placing on all the attachments and creating space between teeth (a process called interdental proximity or IPR). She informed me that IPR is usually done when there is crowding of the teeth and some space is needed to help correct or prevent further crowding.

The IPR process can cause slight discomfort if you are sensitive to grinding sounds. If high-pitched sounds cause you discomfort, it might be good to request for headphones or bring your own.

Once the attachments have been fully placed on, they can be a bit annoying initially. The bumps and knobs keeps rubbing against the side of your lips or mouth. I had the constant urge to brush my tongue over the attachments as they feel like pieces of dry rice or leftover pieces of food lodged between your mouth/lips and your teeth.

Dr Amanda did a quick scaling and polishing for me after IPR and attachments have been placed on. I placed the clear aligners on after, and was surprised that they actually felt comfortable.

When the aligners are first placed on, there is a mild soreness and tightness. It feels like an exercise of the jaw and teeth area, but in compression pants. However, there is no pain. The experience can be described as wearing a thinner version of a boxing mouthguard. 

Clear aligner instructions

Before leaving the dental clinic, Dr Amanda Koh gave me a list of instructions:

• Clear aligners had to be worn for at least 22 hours every day.
• If I wanted to eat, I had to remove my clear aligners before eating.
• I should rinse or brush my teeth after eating before wearing the clear aligners back on.
• I should place my clear aligners back into the case given to me so that I do not mistakenly throw it away.
• I had to use chewies at least 2 – 3 times a day to ensure that there are no gaps left between the clear aligners and the teeth. When using chewies, there is a slight tightness for certain areas, but no discomfort or pain.
• I could drink water and most liquids with my clear aligners but had to avoid overly hot beverages, unless I removed my clear aligners.
• I should wash my clear aligners at the start and end of the day to prevent bacterial build up.

Wearing Angel Aligner Clear Aligners

I actually prefer having my clear aligners on than off. Without the clear aligners, the attachments feel like I require a deep teeth cleaning. Here are some noticeable after effects of wearing clear aligners:

• Might overproduce or underproduce saliva at first. 
• Might also feel constant thirst. 
• Might find it hard to speak properly at first because the tongue automatically goes up to the top of the mouth. 
• Might find yourself constantly using your tongue to feel the aligners initially. 

The surprising part about wearing Angel Aligner clear aligners are:

• The edges of the aligners are smooth and do not rub against your gum lines. 
• I fell asleep with my aligners on and slept like a baby. The aligners feel snug and tight but do not cause any pain or discomfort. For some odd reason, it also did not cause dry mouth in the morning when I woke up, but that might just be a me thing. 
• The aligners do not stain when you drink coffee, but you should not drink hot coffee with the aligners as the plastic might warp. You should also probably brush your teeth immediately after drinking coffee (especially coffee with sugar in it) to prevent dental caries. 

Angel Aligner Cost

The total cost of Angel Aligner treatment was the following:

• Cost of Orthodontic Consultation: $50 
• Cost of Guided Biofilm Therapy (Dental Cleaning): $220
• Cost of Angel Aligners (Select 30): $5,800

Interested to find out more about Angel Aligner? Drop me a message.