Clear aligners straighten your teeth almost invisibly. They only work if you wear them enough and keep them clean. Here is how to get the best result.
Wear them about 22 hours a day
Take your aligners out only to eat or to drink anything other than water. Every hour without them slows the treatment. Put them back in straight after eating, and change to the next set exactly when we tell you.
Clean your teeth before putting them back
Food trapped under an aligner stays in contact with your teeth for hours. After every meal, brush your teeth (or at least rinse well with water) before putting the aligners back in.
How to clean your aligners
- Rinse them every time you take them out.
- Brush them gently, morning and evening, with a soft toothbrush and cold or lukewarm water.
- Do not use hot water. It can deform the plastic.
- Do not use toothpaste on the aligners. It scratches them and makes them cloudy.
- Once a day you can soak them in a special cleaning solution.
Drinks and aligners
Only water is safe with the aligners in. Coffee, tea, wine and coloured drinks stain them, and sugary or acidic drinks stay trapped against your teeth and cause cavities.
Always use the case
Most lost aligners end up wrapped in a napkin and thrown away. Keep them in their case whenever they are out of your mouth, and keep them away from pets.
Discomfort is normal
For the first day or two with each new set you may feel pressure. That means the aligners are working. If an edge rubs your gum, call us: we can smooth it.
If you lose or break an aligner
Put in the previous set and call us. We will tell you whether to move on to the next set or order a replacement.
After treatment: retention
At the end of treatment you will wear retainers to keep your teeth in their new position. Learn more about orthodontics and aligners at Roma Dental Clinic.