Common Mistakes to Avoid While Wearing Clear Aligners
Are you currently wearing or in the process of getting clear aligners to correct the position of your teeth? If so, then we are rooting for you. Clear aligners are a great option for those who are in search of a discreet and convenient teeth straightening treatment. However, to ensure the best possible treatment, some mistakes need to be avoided. This will help make your treatment faster and more effective. Today we’ll tell you the common mistakes or things not to do while wearing clear aligners!
You might feel some hunger while wearing your aligners and think that it is okay to take a bite of whatever is around, but this should not be the case at all. Why? Because eating with aligners can damage or even make them dirty. While chewing, food tends to lodge itself between your teeth and the aligners, which can lead to bacteria deposits. Moreover, certain foods tend to discolor the aligners, making them less transparent and having a cast on them.
Therefore, it is advised that you remove the aligners while you are eating. Furthermore, when you’re finished with each meal and snack, use a toothbrush or tongue scraper to clean your teeth and then snap the aligners back in. This way, your teeth and aligners remain clean and healthy all the time!
You might feel like skipping a few hours from your wear time for aligners, but don’t do it! For the best possible results, you should wear them as much as your dentist or orthodontist suggests. The average time usually ranges between 20 and 22 hours a day. If you don’t wear them enough, your teeth might not move the way they’re supposed to, and this could make your treatment take longer.
So, always remember to wear your aligners, even when you're just hanging out at home or sleeping. You'll get that perfect smile the more you wear them!
You might be thinking it is okay to drink juice or soda while wearing aligners on your teeth, but the truth could not be further away from this. Hot beverages, fruit juices, red wine, or any strongly-colored beverage can discolor or even impair the structure of your clear aligners. Sugary drinks also have the same problem of being stuck between your aligners and teeth, causing cavities.
On the other hand, drinking water is highly suggested when wearing clear aligners. If you want something different, then take them out, have a glass of juice or soda , brush your teeth, and then put the aligners back in. This allows your aligners to remain clear and your teeth away from sugar!
Regularly cleaning your aligners is as important as cleaning your teeth. If you don’t clean them, you will surely find a buildup of bacteria and plaque that is very unhealthy for your teeth. It is also important to clean the aligners, as they could look cloudy and even smell bad.
As we earlier mentioned, one should develop a routine of cleaning your aligners the same way you clean your teeth.
When you take out your aligners to eat or brush your teeth, don’t just put them anywhere! If you leave them lying around on a table or napkin, they could get dirty or, worse, you might lose them. Many people accidentally throw away their aligners by mistake simply because the aligners were wrapped in a napkin!
Always keep your aligner case with you. When you take your aligners out, put them in the case right away. This keeps them safe, clean, and easy to find when you need them again.
Even though you wear clear aligners at home, you still need to visit your dentist or orthodontist for check-ups. These appointments are important because the dentist needs to check how well your teeth are moving and if your treatment is going as planned.
If you skip these appointments, you might not know if something is wrong with your treatment. Your dentist may also need to make changes to your aligner plan, like giving you new aligners to wear. So, make sure to keep all your check-up appointments to stay on track!
You should avoid eating hard foods and also not keep the aligners in hot places, for instance, when inside a car on a sunny day sitting beside a heater, and so on. The heat can harm the plastic of your aligners, and ultimately your teeth will no longer fit into them as planned. If they don’t fit right, they won’t align your teeth as required.
To avoid this, you should make sure to keep your aligners in a cool, dry place when not in use. Furthermore, make sure not to rinse them in hot water. Keep them clean by rinsing them in cool water.
When going for clear aligner treatment, you will have to change them after a few weeks to the next set of aligners in the series. And it’s really important to switch them on time, as your dentist advises you to do. If you forget to switch, your teeth may not move as desired, and this might prolong the treatment process.
Schedule a plan on your phone or diary so that you are aware of the time you need to change to the next aligner. This is done to ensure your treatment remains on track and you get your new smile as soon as possible!
It is common to feel a little bit of pressure whenever you advance to the next set of aligners. This means that your teeth are shifting, and this is healthy for you. However, if pain turns up or if something doesn’t seem quite right, don’t brush it under the rug. There are times when the aligners may not be properly fixed, or else they may be in direct contact with the gums and make you uncomfortable.
You can always call your dentist or orthodontist if something is wrong or if you are in pain. So they can check on your aligners, and it will be fine to make sure nothing is wrong. But it’s good to have it corrected early so that your treatment proceeds without a hitch and your comfort is assured.
So it’s important to stress the fact that after every meal, always make sure to clean your teeth before placing the aligners back in. In case you don’t, some of the food particles and plaque will find themselves stuck between your teeth and the aligners. This results in dental problems such as bad breath that further extend to creating cavities and gum diseases.
Try to brush and floss your teeth each time you’re done eating, and then rinse your aligners and place them back on. Maintaining proper hygiene of your teeth as well as the aligners will make your smile look even healthier throughout the course of treatment.
You might be anxious to get your treatment done fast and have the beautiful smile you want but don’t. Many people believe they need to wear aligners longer than recommended or switch to the next set sooner to get faster results, which is not correct. The good thing about braces is that your teeth require some time to gradually be moved from their current positions to the required positions.
Take your medicines as directed by the doctor. The general information for most patients is to adhere to their treatment plans. Have faith in your working relationship and do not seek to advance it quickly. The best thing that you should note is that if you rush through your aligner treatment, you may find that this leads to further issues and will only extend your treatment length.
Clear aligners are an amazing way to straighten your teeth and get the smile you’ve always wanted. But to make sure they work effectively, you need to avoid these common mistakes. Always clean your aligners, wear them as much as your dentist says, and make sure to follow all the other important steps. Doing so will help you avoid delays in your treatment and keep your teeth healthy and happy.
By following the right steps and avoiding these mistakes, you’ll be on the fast track to a perfect smile in no time!
There is no doubt that clear aligners are a great product that will give you the smile that you have always desired. But to make sure they work their best, you need to avoid these common mistakes. Replace those aligners as your dentist instructs, ensure that you brush them regularly, and also wear them for the recommended time. This way you will not experience any delay in your treatment, and your teeth will remain healthy and happy.
So if you take the right steps and do not make these mistakes, then you will be on the way to having the perfect smile in no time.
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