Home / Cosmetic Dentistry / Clear Aligners
Crowded or shifting teeth can make you hold back a full smile. Clear aligners move teeth with a series of thin, removable trays, so many adults can straighten their smile without metal brackets or wires.
member, American Academy of Clear Aligners
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in practice, including 60th and Park in Manhattan
Clear aligners with Dr. Rickin Vibhakar, DDS
Updated November 2026 · View credentials
Member, American Academy of Clear Aligners
Rated 4.7 by Google reviewers
Active member, Kois Center
500+ CE hours toward AGD Fellowship
Clear aligners are custom trays made from smooth, clear plastic. Each new set is shaped a little differently from the last, so it applies gentle pressure that moves your teeth in small steps. You switch trays on a set schedule and visit our office for regular check-ins.
You may know clear aligners by the brand name Invisalign. Most aligner systems work in a similar way. At Higher Standards Dental Studio on Decatur Square, Dr. Rickin Vibhakar offers clear aligner therapy for adults as part of our cosmetic dentistry in Decatur, and plans each case around your bite, your goals, and your schedule.
a day of wear, out only to eat, drink, brush, and floss
clear aligner therapy for adult patients
so you can eat your usual foods
studies found more discomfort with fixed braces*
Severe bite or jaw problems may need a different approach.
Overlapping or twisted teeth can be harder to clean and may wear unevenly.
Spaces between teeth can often be closed a little at a time.
Teeth that moved after earlier orthodontic care can often be guided back.
Some overbites, underbites, and crossbites may improve with aligners.
A health history review, a detailed exam, and digital impressions of your teeth. Intraoral cameras let you see what Dr. Vibhakar sees.
If we find decay or gum problems, we treat those first. Teeth move best when the gums and bone around them are healthy.
Wear your aligners 20 to 22 hours a day, switch trays on a set schedule, and visit us for regular check-ins.
A retainer helps hold your new smile in place, and we show you how and when to wear it.
Severe crowding or complex bite problems may respond better to another approach. Dr. Vibhakar explains which option fits your teeth best.
Eating: Trays come out, so you can eat your usual foods
Cleaning: Brush and floss without working around wires
Look: Smooth and clear, hard to notice in conversation
Comfort: Five of six studies in a 2022 review reported less discomfort than fixed braces
Eating: Brackets and wires stay on
Cleaning: You brush and floss around brackets and wires
Look: Visible metal brackets and wires
May suit: Severe crowding or complex bite problems
Straighter teeth can also be easier to brush and floss, which may help protect your gums over time.
Usually not. Teeth can often be moved later in life as long as the gums and supporting bone are healthy.
We treat those first, often through our gum disease treatment in Decatur, so your teeth move on a healthy foundation.
Severe bite or jaw problems may need a different approach. Dr. Vibhakar looks at your whole mouth, including your bite, gums, and signs of grinding, before he recommends moving a single tooth.
Yes. Once your aligners are done, some patients add professional teeth whitening in Decatur for a brighter finish.
Dr. Rickin Vibhakar has more than 10 years of clinical experience, including private practice at 60th and Park in Manhattan. He completed the Reingage Program with Dr. David Galler for advanced clear aligner therapy and is a member of the American Academy of Clear Aligners. As an active member of the Kois Center, he plans tooth movement with your bite and long-term health in mind.
Our studio is also built to feel calm and judgment-free. Weighted blankets, noise-canceling headphones, and nitrous oxide are available if visits make you nervous.
Member, American Academy of Clear Aligners
Advanced clear aligner therapy with Dr. David Galler
Active member, all advanced coursework completed
Cost also depends on how many trays your case requires and how long treatment lasts. Mild crowding or spacing often needs fewer trays and less time than a more involved bite correction. Before you commit, we give you a clear breakdown of your plan and its cost.
Some PPO plans include orthodontic benefits, and our team can review your dental insurance coverage. In network with:
Spread payments out with flexible dental financing through CareCredit and Cherry. We also accept HSA and FSA cards.
Here are answers to the questions adults ask most before starting clear aligner therapy. For anything else, call us at (404) 577-9020.
Treatment time depends on how far your teeth need to move. Mild cases may take a few months, while more involved cases can take a year or longer. Dr. Vibhakar gives you a realistic estimate at your consultation.
For many mild to moderate cases, clear aligners can straighten teeth as well as traditional braces. Severe crowding or complex bite problems may respond better to another approach. Dr. Vibhakar explains which option fits your teeth best.
Plan to wear your aligners 20 to 22 hours a day. Take them out only to eat, to drink anything besides water, and to brush and floss.
Most people do, because teeth tend to drift back toward their old positions. A retainer helps hold your new smile in place, and we show you how and when to wear it. Regular dental checkups also let us keep an eye on your results.
Yes. Because aligners come out, you can eat your usual foods. Take them out to eat and to drink anything besides water, then brush before putting them back in.
Many patients find them more comfortable than braces. A 2022 review in the European Journal of Dentistry found that five of six studies measuring pain reported more discomfort with fixed braces than with clear aligners.
We offer clear aligner treatment for adults only. Many adults wait years to straighten their teeth, and teeth can often be moved later in life as long as the gums and supporting bone are healthy.
Your first visit includes a health history review, a detailed exam, and digital impressions, so you see your plan and its cost before you commit.
315 West Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 240, Decatur, GA 30030
Mon to Thu: 8:00am to 5:00pm | Fri to Sun: Closed
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