Before putting it on
A few seconds in warm water. The aligner becomes flexible, goes in smoothly and, with the heat of your mouth, regains its shape and starts working. If it is cold, do not force or twist it: heat it first.
Invisible orthodontics in the south of Tenerife
Graphy shape-memory aligners in Los Cristianos: clear orthodontics without attachments
Imagine an aligner that never forgets its shape. It deforms when you put it on and always wants to return to its original shape, like a rubber band. That is the idea behind the aligners planned and 3D printed by the Dr. Lissett Rodríguez at our Los Cristianos clinic.
Treatments with flexible financing — view prices and payment methods.
- Direct 3D printing
- In many cases without attachments
- Certified Graphy Trainer
- We serve in Spanish and English
Quick summary
The essentials in 30 seconds
10:00 PMper day with the aligner in (minimum 20)
~7 daysof use per each aligner, according to prescription
0moulds: digital scanner, no impression pastes
3Dprinted directly, without a plastic plate
- What are they: 3D printed transparent aligners made with a material that always remembers its original shape.
- The difference: in many cases it is not necessary to bond attachments (resin reliefs) to the teeth.
- The memory trick: With warm water the aligner recovers its exact shape, and at the temperature of your mouth it works with a gentle and constant force.
- After: retainers. Retention is essential to maintain the result and is quoted separately from the treatment.
What are shape memory aligners?
Do you remember those plastic toys that regained their shape when you put them in hot water? The material of these aligners works on that exact same idea, applied with medical precision. Watch it in the video: We completely deform an aligner and a cup of warm water restores its exact shape.
Each aligner is 3D print directly based on the digital plan of your treatment, with the exact shape your teeth need to take. And that shape is "imprinted" in the material.
When you put it on, the aligner deforms slightly to adapt to your teeth just as they are today. And therein lies the secret: The material does not conform. It wants to return to its original shape —the shape of your already aligned teeth— and in that effort exerts a gentle and continuous force that guides each tooth into place.
A stretched rubber band always pulls back towards its original shape. This is the same, with one important difference: here the "original shape" has been designed by your orthodontist, tooth by tooth, movement by movement.
Real demonstration: the completely deformed aligner recovers its exact shape in a glass of warm water.
Why are attachments usually not necessary?
Conventional aligners require gluing small resin reliefs onto the teeth —the attachments— to be able to grip and transmit the force.
With shape memory, much of that work is done by the material itself: the recovery force is constant and the Aligner thickness can vary from zone to zone, depending on what each tooth needs. That is why, in many cases there is no need to bond any attachment; in others, quite a few fewer than usual. Dr. Lissett determines this in the study of your case.
Fewer attachments means a tooth surface that stays as it is: nothing to bond at the start or polish at the end, and an even more discreet aligner because there are no bumps showing through the plastic.
Day-to-day life
Warm water, never boiling: that is how they are cared for
Shape memory gives you an advantage that no other aligner has: if it becomes slightly deformed with use, a warm water bath restores its exact shape.
To clean it
Soft brush and water, no toothpaste (it scratches the surface). At the clinic, we will give you instructions for daily disinfection using the system's ultrasonic cleaner, which cleans and reactivates the material's memory at the same time.
What you must never do
Boil it, put it in the microwave or dishwasher, nor use bleach. Extreme heat damages the material; warm heat reactivates it.
Hours and changes
It is carried 22 hours a day (minimum 20), removing it to eat and for hygiene, and it is replaced by the next one approximately every 7 days, according to your prescription.
Dr. Lissett presenting cases of direct 3D printing at an international Graphy conference.
3D printed, tooth by tooth
Printing does not happen in an external laboratory: it happens inside the clinic. That is why something is possible here that takes weeks with other systems — start treatment on the day of diagnosis, with the first aligners in hand. And the follow-up doesn't require coming in every month either: with the remote monitoring by intraoral camera, the team checks the fit and progress at every aligner change, whether you are on the island or away.
Almost all aligners on the market—including Invisalign—are manufactured by moulding a sheet of plastic over a dental impression. Shape-memory aligners They are directly 3D printed, layer by layer, from the digital plan. No iron, no intermediate mould.
This allows things that moulding cannot do:
- Custom thickness: Finer where discretion is needed, firmer where strength is required.
- Details printed on the aligner itself —bite ramps, pressure points— which in other systems require bonding attachments to the teeth.
- More precise fit to the tooth in published laboratory studies.
We are one of the first clinics in the Canary Islands to offer this technology, and Dr. Lissett not only uses it: she is a certified trainer of the system and an international speaker, and is listed among the clinical reference leaders for Graphy Iberia.
From the scanner to the first aligner
What does it mean to receive aligners on the same day?
This does not mean the teeth will align in a single day. Tooth movement takes time and check-ups. What can be shortened is the wait between the study and the start of treatment.
Because design and 3D printing are done in the clinic, we do not depend on shipping from an outside laboratory. When the diagnosis is complete, the plan has been reviewed, and your case allows for it, we can manufacture and deliver the first aligners on the same day.
In some cases, additional testing or more time is needed to review the planning. If this happens, we explain the reason to you and do not start until the plan is properly defined.
Process carried out in the clinic to prepare directly 3D-printed aligners.
Scanner and logs
We create a digital model of your mouth and complete the photographs and X-rays that are clinically indicated.
Diagnosis and plan
Dr. Lissett studies the bite and designs each movement. The simulation is a forecast of the plan, not a promise of the result.
Printing at the clinic
After approving the plan, the aligners are directly 3D printed with the thickness and details planned for each phase.
Delivery and guidelines
We check the fit, explain how to insert, clean, and use them, and schedule the follow-up.
How are they different from Invisalign?
In our clinic we work with both systems, and we choose according to your case, never the other way around.
| Appearance | Shape Memory (Graphy) | Invisalign |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Direct 3D printing from the digital plan | Heat-moulded plastic sheet |
| Attachments | In many cases, none; in others, fewer | Common in most cases |
| Strength | Continue, due to shape recovery | Elastic, made of moulded plastic |
| Thickness | Variable by zones, depending on movement | Uniform throughout the aligner |
| Medical History | Recent technology, growing evidence | The longest on the market |
Invisalign remains a great option, with the longest clinical track record on the market. Shape memory really shines when the priority is avoiding attachments or refining movement control. During your first visit, we’ll explain which one is the best fit for you. See Invisalign.
Is it for me? — honestly
Shape memory aligners are specially documented in mild and moderate cases: crowding, gaps, and relapse from previous orthodontic treatment. And we'll also tell you what others don't.
When They Fit Well
- Crowding or spacing mild and moderate
- Relapse of previous orthodonticsthe teeth have moved again
- You want to avoid attachments or bring as few as possible
- Align before veneers or implants
What you need to know beforehand
- Sometimes the plan includes Refinementsadditional aligners to finish the final details. It is normal and is included in the quotation.
- In some cases, it is necessary to IPR, a minimal amount of polishing between the teeth, which the doctor assesses and explains to you before starting.
- The severe skeletal cases They may need a different approach, and we will tell you frankly.
- If there is tooth decay or inflamed gums, first the mouth is stabilised.
Graphy honors Dr. Lissett for her contribution to shape-memory aligner technology.
Who is going to treat you
Your orthodontist: Dr. Lissett Rodríguez
- Dentist and orthodontist · Member No. 38001202, Official College of Dentists of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Certified Trainer for the Graphy System and international speaker
- Listed among the clinical reference leaders for Graphy Iberia
- Serves in Spanish and English
Dr. Lissett personally oversees every treatment plan: the movement design, the printing of the aligners, and the follow-ups and refinements.
"This technology allows me to decide how much force each tooth receives, without bonding anything to the enamel in most cases. Come in for your first visit and I'll show you on the scanner what it can do for your mouth".
How to Get Started
Your First Visit, Step by Step
3D Intraoral Scanner
An exact digital model of your mouth, without impression pastes.
X-ray
And, if clinically indicated, a CBCT to evaluate roots and bone.
Digital simulation
A preview of what your smile could look like. It is a treatment plan, not a promise: biology and hours of wear play a role.
Written quotation
Without obligation, with flexible financing, and with the planned refinements included.
Price and financing
How much do Graphy aligners cost?
Orthodontic Plans with Graphy Aligners
From €1,999
From €70/month
The fee depends on the diagnosis, the duration, and the number of aligners needed. We offer financing for up to 60 months, subject to conditions.
Estimated rate. Approval and financing conditions depend on the financial institution. You will receive the total price and conditions in writing before starting.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about shape memory aligners
What does "shape memory" mean?
The material remembers the shape with which it was printed. If it deforms with use, heat—warm water or the temperature of your mouth—makes it recover its original shape. That is why it exerts a gentle and constant force on the teeth.
Do I have to boil the aligner?
No, never. Boiling water damages the material. It is cleaned with a soft brush and water, and reactivated with warm water. At the clinic, we will give you the exact daily cleaning instructions.
Can you tell I'm wearing it?
It is very discreet: transparent plastic and, in many cases, without attachments that show through the aligner. Up close and in good light it can be noticed, like any aligner.
How many hours a day does it take?
22 hours a day, 20 at a minimum. You take it out to eat and to brush your teeth. The hours of use are the factor that most influences the treatment progressing as planned.
How often should it be changed?
Approximately every 7 days, as prescribed by Dr. Lissett. You change them yourself at home, and check-ups are scheduled every few weeks.
Is it better than Invisalign?
Neither better nor worse—just different. Invisalign has the longest track record; its shape memory allows it to treat many cases without attachments and with custom thickness. We work with both and recommend the one that best suits your needs.
Is it useful for complex cases?
Published evidence primarily supports mild and moderate cases. Complex cases are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and if another system—or another type of orthodontics—is a better option for you, we will let you know.
Is orthodontics completed in one day?
No. "Same-day aligners" refers to the fact that, once the diagnosis and plan are complete and the case allows for it, we can manufacture and deliver the first aligners at the clinic without waiting for shipment from an external laboratory. Tooth movement continues progressively throughout the treatment.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the number of aligners your case requires. The quotation includes the study, 3D scan, aligners, check-ups, and planned refinements, and flexible financing is available. We will give it to you in writing at your first visit.
First visit
Schedule your first visit in Los Cristianos
The first visit is informative and without obligation: we will explain to you in writing if you are a candidate and how much your treatment would cost. Write to us and we will call you to schedule an appointment.
- AddressCalle Barranquillo, 2
38650 Los Cristianos, Arona (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) - Phone and WhatsApp+34 654 58 55 53
- Emailinfo@smiletenerife.com
- Opening hoursMonday and Wednesday: 10:00 – 19:00
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:00 – 17:00
Saturdays and Sundays: closed