Medically reviewed by Dr. Allison Hamada.
Most adults who come to us about Invisalign in New Orleans have wanted straighter teeth for a long time and kept putting it off. Braces felt like a teenager’s problem, not something that fits a career, a calendar, and a face you see in meetings all day. Clear aligners change that.
At Hamada Orthodontics, Dr. Allison Hamada uses Invisalign to move adult teeth predictably and almost invisibly, and she looks at more than alignment while she does it: how your jaw developed, and how easily you breathe. That second part is the one that surprises people.
What Invisalign looks like as an adult
Invisalign is a series of clear, custom-fit aligners you wear over your teeth. They are removable, so you eat what you want and brush and floss normally. Most people around you will not notice them. Instead of goopy impressions, treatment starts with a digital scan, and the aligners move your teeth in small, planned steps.
Adults usually come in for one of a few reasons. Teeth that drifted after braces years ago. Crowding that has slowly gotten worse. A gap that never closed. Edges that look worn down. Or a bite that simply bothers you when you chew or when you wake up. Invisalign handles a lot of these well, and for the cases it does not, Dr. Hamada will say so.
Does any of this sound like you?
- Your teeth shifted back after braces years ago and the retainer stopped getting worn.
- You catch yourself hiding your teeth in photos or in meetings.
- You clench or grind at night, or wake up tired no matter how long you slept.
- Crowding has slowly gotten worse, or a gap never closed.
- You have wanted to fix it for years but never wanted metal braces as an adult.
If two or more of these ring true, a consultation is the simplest way to find out what is going on and what your options are.
Book a free consultationWhy more New Orleans adults choose clear aligners
The appeal is mostly practical. Aligners are discreet, so they do not change how you look at work or in photos. They are comfortable on adult teeth, with no brackets or wires to catch your lip. Visits are short and spaced out, which matters when your week is already full.
Because they come out, the day to day is easier too. You brush and floss the way you always have instead of working around wires, which keeps your gums healthier through treatment. There are no broken brackets to rush in for, so you spend less time in the chair for repairs. For adults who present in meetings or work face to face all day, that mix of discretion and low maintenance is usually the deciding factor.
What patients tell us they appreciate most is the honesty. Dr. Hamada will tell you plainly whether clear aligners can get you the result you want, or whether braces would do a better job on a more complex case. If you are weighing the two, we break down how they compare for your bite and your airway in clear aligners vs braces. Either way, you leave knowing where you actually stand, with no pressure to start.
Adults come to us for this from across the New Orleans area, from Metairie and the rest of Jefferson Parish out to St. Charles Parish, often because adult orthodontics with clear aligners fits around a full work and family schedule in a way they did not expect.
Your orthodontist
Dr. Allison Hamada
- Dental degree, LSU School of Dentistry
- Orthodontic residency, Columbia University
- Treating patients across the New Orleans area since 2004
Her focus on jaw development and breathing grew out of her own experience as a parent, and it now shapes how she plans every adult case, mapping the aligners to your bite, your goals, and what the airway evaluation turns up.
Why it matters that an orthodontist plans your Invisalign
Clear aligners are offered in a lot of places now, including some general dental offices, so it is worth understanding the difference. Moving teeth is biomechanics, not only cosmetics. The teeth sit in living bone, the roots have to move safely, and the bite still has to work when treatment ends.
An orthodontist trains for exactly that. After dental school, Dr. Hamada completed a multi-year residency focused entirely on tooth movement, jaw development, and facial balance, and that is all she has done since. So when she plans your aligners, she is accounting for your bite and your jaw joints, not just the look of your front teeth.
It is not unusual for adults to come in after starting aligners elsewhere, frustrated that their bite feels off or that progress stalled partway through. Beginning with a specialist is the simplest way to keep your teeth moving safely and predictably from the first tray.
Orthodontic specialist vs. a general dentist who offers aligners
The part most adults don’t expect: your airway
Here is the thing a lot of adults have never been told. Crowding and a bite that never felt right often trace back to an upper jaw that did not develop with enough room. A narrow arch leaves less space for the tongue, and over the years that can nudge people toward breathing through the mouth, clenching at night, and waking up tired no matter how long they slept.
It is also the part a cosmetic-only approach is most likely to miss, because straightening the teeth without reading the jaw and airway behind them can leave the real driver in place.
Airway-focused planning
When Dr. Hamada plans your Invisalign, she is also reading those patterns: wear on specific teeth, the width of your upper arch, the way you breathe. If a skeletal or jaw deficiency looks like it could be a contributing factor to disrupted breathing or restless sleep, she will tell you, and clear aligners may be one piece of a larger plan rather than the whole answer.
For some adults that conversation includes palatal expansion for adults, a non-surgical way to widen a narrow upper jaw. This is the airway-centric approach behind everything we do, and it is why a lot of patients who came in for straighter teeth end up addressing sleep and breathing concerns or adult snoring they had written off as normal.
You came for a straighter smile. Sometimes you find something bigger.
Your Adult Invisalign treatment, start to finish
Free consultation and scan
A quick digital scan of your teeth, no goopy impressions.
Your plan, mapped out
Dr. Hamada plans the full aligner series and shows you how it works.
Wear and switch
About 22 hours a day, moving to the next set every one to two weeks.
Short check-ins
Brief visits, roughly every six to eight weeks, to keep you on track.
Retainer to hold it
Once your teeth are where they should be, a retainer keeps them there.
Most adult Invisalign treatment plans run somewhere between 12 and 24 months. Simpler corrections can finish sooner, and more involved ones take longer. Many patients can begin the same day they decide to move forward.
Why adults across New Orleans trust Dr. Hamada
Dr. Allison Hamada completed dental school at LSU and her orthodontic residency at Columbia University, one of the top programs in the country, and she has treated thousands of patients across the Greater New Orleans area. Her focus on jaw development and breathing grew out of her own experience as a parent, watching how much a child’s airway shaped their sleep, focus, and growth.
That perspective shapes how she approaches adult orthodontics too. As an Invisalign provider for the Greater New Orleans area, she plans each adult case digitally, mapping the aligners to your bite, your goals, and what the airway evaluation turns up. The office uses iTero scanning so you can see how your teeth are tracking against the plan as you go.
From our patients
What New Orleans area adults say about their care
Three New Orleans area locations
Hamada Orthodontics serves adults at three offices: Metairie, Luling, and Destrehan. All three keep the same Monday through Thursday hours, and you can be seen by the same team at any of them. If Metairie is your closest office, you can read more about Invisalign in Metairie, or start from our orthodontist in New Orleans overview to see everything we offer.
Three New Orleans area locations
Frequently asked questions about adult Invisalign
Is Invisalign as effective as braces for adults
For mild to moderate crowding, spacing, and many common bite issues, Invisalign moves adult teeth just as reliably as braces, with the bonus that you can take it out to eat and clean. Complex cases sometimes do better with braces. Dr. Hamada will tell you honestly which option fits your teeth at your consultation.
How much does adult Invisalign treatment cost in the New Orleans area
Costs vary with the complexity of your case, how far your teeth need to move, and how long Invisalign treatment runs, so there is no single number. Many adults put orthodontic insurance, HSA, or FSA dollars toward care, and we offer payment plans to spread it out. We review the full cost, your financing options, and any insurance benefits at your free consultation.
Why see an orthodontist for Invisalign instead of my regular dentist
Your dentist is the right person for cleanings, fillings, and your overall dental health. Orthodontists are the specialists in moving teeth and correcting bites. Aligners only work as well as the plan behind them, so a specialist who maps how your roots move, protects the bone, and keeps your bite working tends to give you a more predictable result the first time.
How long does Invisalign take for adults
Most adult Invisalign cases run about 12 to 24 months, though simpler corrections can finish sooner and more involved ones take longer. Wearing your aligners around 22 hours a day keeps you on schedule. Dr. Hamada gives you a realistic timeline once she has reviewed your digital scan.
Will Invisalign change how I talk or eat
Most people adjust within a few days. You might notice a slight lisp at first, which fades quickly as your mouth gets used to the aligners. Eating is simple because you remove them for meals, so there are no food restrictions and nothing to work around at a dinner out.
I had braces as a teenager and my teeth shifted back, can Invisalign fix that
Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons adults restart treatment. Teeth that drifted after old braces, often because a retainer stopped being worn, usually respond well to a fresh round of clear aligners. Many of these cases are straightforward, and we will map out exactly what it takes at your visit.
Can Invisalign help with clenching or jaw tension
Sometimes. Clenching and jaw tension can be linked to how your teeth fit together and to a narrow jaw that crowds the airway. Improving your bite may ease some of that strain. Dr. Hamada evaluates these patterns and folds any jaw or breathing concerns into your plan.
Where can I get Invisalign as an adult near New Orleans
Hamada Orthodontics treats adult Invisalign patients at three Greater New Orleans area offices: Metairie, Luling, and Destrehan. All three keep the same Monday through Thursday hours. Pick whichever is closest and easiest for your schedule, and the same team can see you at any of them.
Can adults in their 30s, 40s, or 50s get Invisalign
Age is not a barrier. Teeth respond to careful, steady pressure at any age, and a large share of our aligner patients are well into adulthood. As long as your teeth and gums are healthy, you are likely a candidate. Dr. Hamada confirms that with an exam and scan before anything starts.
Does Invisalign hurt
You feel some pressure for a day or two each time you move to a new set of aligners, which is the feeling of your teeth shifting. Most adults describe it as mild and short lived, and easier than they expected. There are no wire tightenings and no brackets rubbing against your cheeks.
How often will I come in for checkups
Most adults visit every six to eight weeks, and the appointments are short. Between visits you simply change to your next set of aligners on schedule at home. If your days are packed, this is one of the lighter treatment routines in orthodontics.
See whether Invisalign fits your smile and your airway
A free consultation with Dr. Hamada covers your bite, your options, and the cost, with no pressure to start. Pick whichever of our three offices is easiest for you.
Schedule your free consultation
