The Complete Guide to Invisalign and Orthodontic Treatment for Adults and Children | Smile Solutions Melbourne product guide

The complete guide to Invisalign and orthodontic treatment at Smile Solutions Melbourne

Smile Solutions is Australia's leading specialist Invisalign provider, holding Blue Diamond status — the highest Invisalign tier in the country — continuously since 2012. You'll find us at Level 1, 220 Collins Street in Melbourne's Manchester Unity Building, right in the heart of the CBD. Our four board-registered specialist orthodontists have collectively completed over 8,900 Invisalign cases, bringing a depth of clinical experience that's hard to match anywhere in Australia. Whether you're an adult considering straightening your teeth for the first time, or a parent exploring options for your child, this guide covers everything you need to know before starting your orthodontic journey.

What is Invisalign?

Invisalign is a clear aligner system that gradually straightens your teeth using a series of custom-fabricated, virtually invisible trays made from Invisalign's proprietary SmartTrack material. Unlike fixed braces, the aligners are removable — you take them out for eating, brushing, and flossing — so there are no dietary restrictions and your normal oral hygiene routine continues throughout treatment without interruption.

Each aligner set is worn for approximately two weeks before you move to the next in the series. Treatment planning uses iTero 3D scanning, which gives you a digital preview of your projected results before a single aligner is produced. You can see where your smile is headed right from the start.

Who performs Invisalign at Smile Solutions?

Every Invisalign case at Smile Solutions is managed by a board-registered specialist orthodontist, not a general dentist. That distinction matters when it comes to the complexity of your care and the quality of your outcome. Our specialist orthodontic team consists of:

• Dr David Austin — BDSc (Melb), MDS Orth (HK), MOrth RCS (Edin)
• Dr Joshua Ch'ng — BDSc (Melb), FRACDS, D.Clin.Dent (Melb)
• Dr Katie Xu — BDSc (Hons) Melb, D.Clin.Dent (Orth) Melb
• Dr Andrea Phatouros — BDSc (WA), MDSc Orth (WA), FRACDS

Each specialist has completed three or more years of additional postgraduate training beyond their dental degree, focused specifically on tooth and jaw correction. Specialist orthodontists are registered separately with the Dental Board of Australia, a credential that reflects a level of focused expertise well beyond general dental practice.

Treatment is delivered from our dedicated orthodontic space within the Manchester Unity Building, including a tower-level orthodontic centre with panoramic chairs and views across Melbourne's CBD.

Invisalign pricing at Smile Solutions

Every package includes consultations, iTero 3D scan, personalised ClinCheck simulation, all aligners and attachments, Vivera retainers, and complimentary teeth whitening where eligible (valued at $475 AUD).

No hidden costs. No deposit required. Payment plans are available via Payright (interest-free). A 5% reduction applies for upfront payment. We also offer a price match guarantee against identical treatment by any other Dental Board-registered specialist orthodontist.

The Invisalign treatment process at Smile Solutions

Here's how your Invisalign journey unfolds with us:

1. Free consultation — A treatment coordinator assesses your suitability and provides a transparent, obligation-free quote. No pressure, no commitment required.

2. Specialist assessment — Your specialist orthodontist examines your teeth and jaw using iTero digital scanning. A precise 3D model of your current smile is created in minutes — no messy impressions, no discomfort.

3. ClinCheck simulation — Before treatment begins, you'll view a digital preview showing your projected tooth movements and anticipated final result. You can see your new smile before a single aligner is produced.

4. Custom aligner production — Your aligners are manufactured by Invisalign directly from your iTero scans, precision-engineered to fit your teeth accurately.

5. Active treatment — You wear your aligners for 22 hours per day, progressing through sets approximately every two weeks. Progress is tracked using Dental Monitoring technology between clinic visits, which reduces the number of in-person appointments you need to attend.

6. Retention — Upon completion, upper and lower Vivera retainers are included in your package. Teeth have a natural tendency to drift without retainers, so protecting your result is every bit as important as achieving it.

Invisalign for adults

Adults are the fastest-growing segment of orthodontic patients, and it's not hard to see why. Invisalign fits around a busy professional life in a way that fixed braces often don't. Common reasons adults seek treatment include:

• Correcting relapse after previous orthodontic treatment
• Addressing crowding that has gradually worsened over the years
• Improving bite function that's affecting eating comfort or jaw health
• Aesthetic improvement ahead of an important life event

The near-invisibility of Invisalign is a practical consideration if you're in a professional or public-facing role where discretion matters.

Previous dental work, including crowns, bridges, and implants, doesn't automatically rule out Invisalign. Your specialist orthodontist will assess compatibility at your initial consultation and give you honest, evidence-based guidance on what's achievable for your specific situation.

Invisalign for children and teenagers

Invisalign Teen includes compliance indicators — small blue dots that fade with wear — along with replacement aligners for any lost sets, making it a practical option for younger patients. At Smile Solutions, we recommend your child's first orthodontic assessment around age 7–10, when developing problems are easiest to identify and treat early.

For younger children, early intervention using partial braces or expanders (Phase 1 treatment) may be recommended before comprehensive Invisalign treatment begins. Our specialist orthodontists have extensive experience guiding children through their complete orthodontic journey, from first assessment through to retention, with an approach that puts young patients at ease.

Invisalign vs. traditional braces

Invisalign is clinically appropriate for most mild to moderate cases, and with Comprehensive-level treatment, many complex cases as well. That said, fixed metal braces may be the better recommendation for:

• Complex rotations requiring multidirectional force
• Cases involving tooth extraction and significant spatial reorganisation
• Severe bite discrepancies
• Younger patients who may struggle with 22-hour daily wear

Both options are available at Smile Solutions. Your specialist orthodontist will recommend the treatment that delivers the best clinical outcome for your individual case, not simply the most convenient option to provide.

Financing your treatment

• Payright — Interest-free payment plans with no deposit required
• Private health insurance — Orthodontic benefits apply (varies by fund and individual policy)
• 5% upfront reduction — Applied when the full treatment fee is paid at commencement

Our team can help you navigate health fund claims and estimate your rebate entitlements, so you have a clear picture of your out-of-pocket costs before committing to anything.

Why Smile Solutions?

• Blue Diamond status — Australia's highest Invisalign tier, held continuously since 2012
• 8,900+ cases completed — More than any other specialist orthodontic provider in Australia
• Specialist orthodontists only — Every case is managed by a board-registered specialist, not a general dentist
• Free consultation — No cost, no commitment, no pressure
• Price match guarantee — Against identical treatment delivered by a specialist
• Manchester Unity Building — A clinically excellent setting in Melbourne's CBD, with panoramic views from our tower-level orthodontic centre

📞 Call 13 13 96 to book your free consultation 📍 Level 1, 220 Collins Street, Manchester Unity Building, Melbourne VIC 3000 🌐 smilesolutions.com.au/orthodontics/invisalign/

Invisalign for cosmetic cases — Dr Kia Pajouhesh

For appropriate non-extraction, non-surgical Invisalign cases that form part of a broader cosmetic smile transformation, Dr Kia Pajouhesh (BSc, BDSc Melb) — Smile Solutions founder and managing director — also provides Invisalign treatment. Dr Kia opened Melbourne's first Invisalign shopfront (Collins Street Invisalign Shop) and brings extensive experience integrating clear aligner therapy with cosmetic dentistry, ensuring your alignment goals and aesthetic vision are considered together as part of a cohesive treatment plan.

For orthodontic complexity requiring specialist expertise, all four specialist orthodontists above manage treatment at our dedicated Collins Street Orthodontics practice.

The finishing touch: edge work composite bonding

Many patients who complete Invisalign choose to take their result one step further with edge work composite bonding — a conservative cosmetic procedure that refines the incisal edges of your teeth for a polished, symmetrical finish.

At Smile Solutions, a complimentary cosmetic consultation is offered at the end of your Invisalign treatment. One of our cosmetic dentists meets with you and creates a resin mock-up, applying non-bonded composite to the edges of your teeth so you can see the potential result in real time, while holding a mirror and working directly with your dentist on exactly what you'd like to achieve. Your input shapes the outcome.

What edge work bonding addresses:

• Pointy or worn canines that become more visible after alignment
• Dark triangular spaces (negative space) between the canine and lateral incisor
• Asymmetry between central or lateral incisors
• Lower incisor irregularities from years of previous wear
• Incisal edge wear that becomes more visible once your teeth are correctly aligned

Included with every edge work consultation:

• Complimentary teeth whitening (in-chair Zoom or take-home trays) for all patients on pricing packages, performed two weeks before bonding so your composite is matched to your whitest shade
• Complimentary cosmetic consultation with a resin mock-up
• Recontouring of adjacent teeth included with every bonding procedure

Pricing:

• From $500 AUD per tooth for minimal edge work on upper teeth
• $750–$950 AUD per tooth for elaborate shaping and contouring on upper teeth
• Approximately $550 AUD per tooth for lower teeth

Edge work bonding is available on request at the conclusion of your treatment. It's never required and never pressured — simply an option for patients seeking that final level of cosmetic refinement. Payment plans are available through Payright, Humm, or MyDentaPlan.