Good aligner candidates
At-home clear aligners work best for mild-to-moderate crowding, small gaps or spacing, and minor relapse after previous braces.
Also known as mild-to-moderate cases.
The descriptions on this page are InvisibleBraces editorial summaries. The research behind them is counted and linked below, each count opening the search that returns it.
At a glance
Updated monthly · checked 11 d agoGood aligner candidates: a question of who at-home aligners suit, not a product or a treatment. Its research-volume score is ~47/100, from 543 indexed papers. Our verdict: If your case is mild-to-moderate, at-home aligners are a sensible, lower-cost option. Match the tool to the case.
Brands market aligners as able to fix "most" smiles.
If your case is mild-to-moderate, at-home aligners are a sensible, lower-cost option. Match the tool to the case.
What the evidence says
Our summary of the research, then the counts it rests on. Each count opens the search that returns it.
Systematic reviews find clear aligners are most predictable for mild-to-moderate cases and specific tooth movements. They are a reasonable, cheaper route for the right case, not a fit for every correction.
The score is the one figure here we compute ourselves: a logarithmic blend of the three counts above (every indexed paper, the randomized trials, and the systematic reviews), with a trial or a review counting for more than an ordinary paper. It measures how much research exists on the topic, not whether a product works for you. The same method grades every topic on the accessories index.
Source: Europe PMC · as of Nov 2, 2026
What to watch for
Overstated candidacy is a real risk of remote-only screening. If a brand approves a clearly complex case from photos alone, get a second opinion.
InvisibleBraces editorial guidance, not a clinical instruction. For the professional-body positions on moving teeth without an exam, see what the ADA and AAO say.
Other candidacy topics
Our verdict: For anything beyond mild-to-moderate, see a licensed orthodontist. Aligners by mail are not the tool for a complex bite.