7 Tips and tricks to make your clear aligners work best for you
1.Track your wearing time
The aligners must hold your teeth in their new position for a long time so they can get used to it. That’s why it is so important to wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day. When you start adding mealtimes, coffee breaks, time to brush your teeth or drinking non-clear liquids, it’s difficult to stick to the 22 hour regiment. Find a time tracking system that works for you!
- Make sure you take extra time for oral hygiene!
If there are any food remnants on your teeth the aligners will keep them from being washed out by saliva. They also create a more compact and moister environment for bacteria to thrive. Therefore you need to make oral hygiene a priority. Don’t skip brushing and flossing and add therapeutic mouth wash to your daily routine.
- Change your aligners on time
Each set of aligners is typically worn for 2 weeks, you will have the dates of the next aligner insertion on your aligner bag written by our dental team. Try not to speed up your treatment by changing to next set of aligners too soon because this can ultimately prolong your treatment time. Your teeth need time to adjust to the new positions, and you shouldn’t fight biology.
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Getting used to a new set of aligners might be challenging at the beginning, here are some tips to make it easier:
- When you can have your aligners off, suck on ice cubes to numb your gums slightly
- Avoid crunchy and crispy foods for the first couple of days if your gums are sore
- Use dental wax if you find that the edges of your aligners are sharp and causing extra soreness
- Keep your last set of aligners
When it’s time for a new set don’t throw out the old one, always keep the last set on hand. This will be your back up set in case you lose or break the new one and wait for the replacement set. Wearing the last set of aligners will prevent the teeth from moving back into their original position.
- Clean your aligners regularly
Keeping your aligners clean is easy, we always recommend using warm water and antibacterial soap or dish soap. Never use toothpaste as it is too abrasive and can scratch the plastic.
- Wear your retainers!!!