Invisalign in Rugby · the honest guide
What can Invisalign fix? Overbite, crowding, gaps, crossbite, and what it cannot
Written by Dr Jasmeet Heran, Invisalign dentist at Rugby Smiles · Reviewed September 2026
The short answer: most of the things people worry about, but not all of them. Invisalign moves teeth with a series of clear aligners, and it is very good at crowding, gaps, rotations and many bite problems. It is less good at moving roots a long way, and it cannot change the position of your jaw. Which side of the line your teeth fall on decides two things: whether we recommend aligners at all, and which Invisalign package you actually need.
Below is how our Invisalign dentists think about each problem, in the order patients ask about them. The aligner counts and months are typical ranges from cases like yours; your own numbers come from the free 3D scan, before you spend anything.
Crowding: mild, moderate and severe
Usually Lite, sometimes Moderate Typical: 10 to 14 aligners · 4 to 8 months
Overlapping or twisted front teeth with a bite that is otherwise fine is the case Invisalign was built for, and it is the most common one we treat. If your crowding is mild to moderate, your bite is stable and we are mainly straightening the front teeth, Invisalign Lite, with up to 14 aligner sets, is usually enough.
The test our dentists apply is simple: are we confident the result is achievable within the aligners in the package? If the answer is no, we do not squeeze a bigger case into Lite to make it cheaper. Heavy crowding, badly rotated canines and premolars, or teeth that need to move bodily rather than just tip, all push the case into Moderate or Comprehensive, often with tooth-coloured attachments to give the aligner something to grip.
“I would not try to squeeze a more complicated case into Lite simply to make treatment cheaper. If I think we are likely to need significant bite correction or a lot of tooth movement, I recommend the more comprehensive package from the beginning.”
Dr Jasmeet Heran, Rugby Smiles
Where crowding is very severe, Invisalign might still improve things, but it may not give the most predictable result. That is one of the cases where we say fixed braces instead, and we cover why further down.
Gaps and spacing
Usually Lite Typical: 6 to 14 aligners · 3 to 7 months
A gap between the front two teeth, or a couple of small spaces, closes predictably and is one of the fastest Invisalign cases. Several larger gaps across the arch need more aligners, and occasionally a gap is better closed with composite bonding than with tooth movement, which we will tell you at the scan.
Sometimes creating the right spacing means the opposite: a tiny amount of room has to be made so crowded teeth can line up. That is done with interproximal reduction, or IPR: carefully removing a fraction of a millimetre of enamel between selected teeth, planned in advance. Patients sometimes imagine large amounts being filed away. It is nothing like that, and it can also improve tooth proportions and reduce small dark triangles between teeth.
Overbite and deep bite
Usually Comprehensive Typical: 20 to 40+ aligners · 12 to 18 months
Your upper front teeth should overlap the lower ones by a small amount. When they overlap much more than that, it wears teeth down and can strain the jaw. Correcting it means moving the back teeth as well as the front, sometimes with small elastics hooked between the aligners, which is why an overbite is almost always a Comprehensive case rather than Lite.
Our dentists also lean towards Comprehensive for any case where refinements are likely. Teeth do not always respond exactly as the digital plan predicts, particularly for the more difficult movements, and Comprehensive gives us the freedom to keep refining the result rather than worrying about running out of aligners. On Lite and Moderate two refinement rounds are included within two years; on Comprehensive, as many as your case needs for up to five years. Any further round is a flat £195.
Crossbite and underbite: where elastics come in
Usually Comprehensive Typical: 25 to 50 aligners · 12 to 24 months
A crossbite is when some upper teeth sit inside the lower ones; an underbite is when the lower front teeth sit in front of the uppers. When the cause is the position of the teeth, Invisalign can correct both, but it is always a full-mouth job, and elastics are a normal part of the plan.
When the cause is the position of the jaw itself, a skeletal discrepancy, aligners alone are not the answer. That is not a failure of Invisalign, it is the wrong tool for that job, and we would rather say so at the scan than halfway through treatment.
Open bite: the honest limits
Comprehensive, and not every case Assessed individually at the free scan
An open bite is when the front teeth do not meet at all when you close. Invisalign can correct many open bites by moving the back teeth and letting the front teeth come together, and it is a movement aligners do rather well. Substantial open-bite correction is Comprehensive territory, and where the problem is skeletal we may recommend conventional orthodontics or refer you to a specialist orthodontist.
When we say fixed braces instead, and why that is not a failure
There are cases where Invisalign could improve things but would not give the most predictable result: very severe crowding, significant skeletal discrepancies, or particularly difficult tooth and root movements. In those situations we recommend Spark fixed braces, fitted by Dr Ashwin Patel at £3,950 all-in, or we refer you to a specialist orthodontist.
“Invisalign is an excellent system, but that does not mean it is the best appliance for every patient. I would rather be honest and recommend conventional orthodontics than promise something aligners may not deliver.”
Dr Jasmeet Heran, Rugby Smiles
There is a second reason we might steer someone away from aligners, and it has nothing to do with teeth. Invisalign only works while it is in your mouth, around 22 hours a day. If you already know you will constantly take them out and forget to put them back, fixed braces may genuinely suit you better. That is not a criticism. It is just the honest maths. Compare all your teeth-straightening options here.
Adults over 40: what actually changes
Nothing about your age rules you out. There is no upper limit for Invisalign and our dentists treat plenty of patients in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Teeth can still be moved at any age; the biological response is just a little slower as we get older.
What matters far more than age is the health of the gums and the bone supporting your teeth. Before starting, we want any gum disease under control, and we look carefully at bone levels, recession and any existing looseness. In a patient who has lost some support around the teeth, we may deliberately move them more slowly with lighter, carefully controlled forces.
“Being 40, 50 or even 60 does not automatically make somebody unsuitable for Invisalign. Healthy teeth with healthy supporting tissues are much more important than the number on the patient’s birthday.”
Dr Jasmeet Heran, Rugby Smiles
So which package does your case need?
Every package is all-in: aligners, free whitening, Vivera® retainers and 12 months of aftercare. The scan tells you which one you need before you commit.
Invisalign Lite
£3,250
Mild to moderate crowding, small gaps, minor rotations, relapse after braces. Up to 14 aligner sets.
Invisalign Moderate
£3,650
Heavier crowding, larger movements, several gaps. Up to 20 aligner sets. Our most chosen package.
Invisalign Comprehensive
£3,950
Overbite, crossbite, underbite, open bite, difficult rotations. Unlimited aligners, refinements for up to 5 years.
Simple front-teeth cases can also fit Invisalign Express from £2,495. See the full package comparison or take the 60-second quiz.
Questions patients ask
Can Invisalign fix an overbite?
In most cases, yes. Correcting an overbite means moving the back teeth as well as the front ones, sometimes with small elastics, so it is nearly always a Comprehensive case rather than Lite. Severe skeletal overbites may need more than aligners, and we will tell you that at your free scan.
Can Invisalign fix crowding?
Mild to moderate crowding with a stable bite is the classic Invisalign case and usually fits Lite. Heavy crowding with difficult rotations needs more aligners and often attachments, so it moves to Moderate or Comprehensive. Very severe crowding is one of the cases where we may recommend fixed braces instead.
Can Invisalign close gaps between teeth?
Yes. A single gap between the front teeth or a couple of small spaces close predictably and usually fit Lite. Several larger gaps need more aligners. In some cases we also use interproximal reduction, a tiny controlled enamel adjustment, to fine-tune spacing and tooth proportions.
Can Invisalign fix a crossbite or underbite?
Often, yes, when the problem is in the position of the teeth. Crossbites and underbites are full-mouth cases, so they are Comprehensive, and elastics are commonly part of the plan. When the cause is the jaw position rather than the teeth, aligners alone are not enough and we will say so.
Am I too old for Invisalign?
No. There is no upper age limit and we treat plenty of patients in their 40s, 50s and 60s. What matters is the health of your gums and the bone supporting your teeth, not the number on your birthday. Any gum disease is treated first, and in older patients we may move teeth more gently and a little more slowly.
Why would you recommend fixed braces instead of Invisalign?
Because for very severe crowding, significant jaw discrepancies or particularly difficult root movements, fixed braces give a more predictable result. Invisalign is an excellent system, but it is not the best appliance for every patient, and we would rather recommend Spark fixed braces, or refer you to a specialist orthodontist, than promise something aligners may not deliver.
Find out where your teeth fall on the line
The free 3D scan shows your finished smile, your package and your exact price in about an hour. If aligners are not the right tool for your teeth, that is an answer we give too.
Read next: how much does Invisalign cost? · playing rugby with Invisalign · side effects and disadvantages · how long does Invisalign take? · does Invisalign hurt? · how Invisalign actually works · Invisalign in Rugby · Rugby Smiles Dental Clinic · 3 Newbold Road, Rugby CV21 2LQ · 01788 579 577