Adults are a large share of orthodontic patients today, and clear aligners are why for many of them. Treatment is discreet, removable, and compatible with a working week. Our Spokane office at 510 E Hastings Rd, Suite B in Spokane treats adult aligner cases planned by Dr. Josh Johnson, using Angel Aligners.
Why Adults Choose Aligners
The aligners are clear, so treatment stays private in professional settings. They come out for a presentation, a client dinner, or a photo. And you brush and floss normally — an advantage that grows more important with age, when gum health is often the limiting factor rather than the teeth themselves.
The most common adult case we see is relapse: braces as a teenager, retainers abandoned in college, and lower front teeth crowded again by the late twenties. Correcting that is often shorter and simpler than the original treatment.
How Treatment Runs
We start with a free consultation and digital records. The iTero scanner produces a precise 3D model in minutes and a Smile Simulation of the projected result, so you can see the plan before committing. Then you wear each set 20 to 22 hours a day, removing them to eat, to drink anything but water, and to brush, advancing sets on the schedule we set.
Between visits, DentalMonitoring lets you scan with your phone so we can confirm the teeth are tracking without an office trip. In-office checks are short and several weeks apart, and we are open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. See our technology page.
Where Braces Still Win
Aligners handle crowding, spacing, mild to moderate bite problems, and relapse well. Large bite corrections, significant rotations, and cases requiring substantial vertical movement are more predictable with fixed braces, and tooth-colored clear brackets are far subtler than most adults expect.
Existing dental work also shapes the plan. Implants do not move, and crowns, bridges, and gum recession all affect what is possible — we coordinate directly with your general dentist or periodontist rather than making you the messenger.
Credentials And Cost
Dr. Johnson earned his DDS at the University of Washington in 2002, graduating at the top of his class, and a Master of Science in Orthodontics at the University of Michigan in 2005. He has practiced since 2006 and belongs to the American Association of Orthodontists, the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists, and the Washington State Society of Orthodontists.
Fees depend on the case. A payment calculator and financial information are under patient resources, many adult dental plans include an orthodontic benefit, and we review yours before treatment begins. Retainers follow — and after treating this many relapse cases, we are direct that retention is lifelong.
What The First Few Weeks Feel Like
Each new set feels tight for a day or two — that pressure is the treatment working, and it fades quickly. Speech takes a brief adjustment for some patients and goes unnoticed by others after the first week. The habit that takes the longest to build is remembering that anything other than water means taking the aligners out first.
Many cases use small tooth-colored attachments bonded to specific teeth so the aligners can grip and rotate them. They are subtle and come off when treatment ends.
Questions Adults Ask Most
- How long? Usually six months to two years depending on the correction. You will get a specific range from your scan.
- Will this affect my work? Minimally. Short visits several weeks apart, and remote monitoring in between.
- What about mail-order kits? They skip diagnosis and supervision, which is precisely where those cases go wrong.
- Can I whiten at the same time? Ask us about sequencing rather than doing both at once.
- Insurance? Many adult plans include an orthodontic benefit, often with a lifetime maximum — see patient resources.
We are open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; call or text (509) 277-9773. For the full range of care, see orthodontic treatment and other treatments.
Get Your Free Smile Consult
Find out what is possible at no cost — call or text (509) 277-9773 or contact us to book at our Spokane office.