Clunky, shiny, mouth full of metal: isn’t that the exaggerated caricature that can pop into our minds when we think of traditional braces? Fortunately, the rapid speed of technology’s advance has swept up even dentistry in its current. Now, you don’t have to have a mouth full of metal to have straight teeth—instead, you can wear see-through aligners so slim, people won’t even detect you have them on. Today, we’ll provide you with 5 tips and tricks for the wearer of clear aligners that might help to make your experience that much more comfortable and effective.

What’s the big deal?

            If you’re new to the whole clear aligner business, you may still be wondering why exactly you need them, or what makes them so different from traditional braces in the first place. Clear aligners (also sometimes referred to by their most popular brand, Invisalign) work like regular braces to correct misaligned bites (also known as malocclusions). Their main benefit over traditional braces is that they are—as the name implies—clear. They are difficult to see unless one is looking closely or knows to look for them. Many people, teenagers and adults alike, are relieved to have an option that corrects the malocclusion while remaining more-or-less invisible.

1- Keep Dental Wax on Hand

In order for the aligners to work, they have to have time to do their job. This usually means remaining in for 22 hours a day, unless your dentist gives you special permission to only wear them during the day or at night. As you may have already experienced, this can cause some discomfort, particularly while your mouth is still getting used to it. If this discomfort happens to you, know that dental wax is your friend. Simply soften up a chunk in your fingers as if it were a bit of Play-Doh, and then smooth it onto the edges of the aligner, wherever it’s causing you trouble.

2- Watch What You Drink

The point of clear aligners is that they’re, well, clear. Pigmented liquids have the potential to stain those aligners that you’re paying handsomely for. Furthermore, your aligners are sensitive to heat and cold. If you drink something too hot (for example, your morning coffee) with your aligners in, you risk melting the aligners. Warped aligners will do you no good. While technically you could take them out to drink, clear alignments need to be worn 22 hours a day. If you think about it, you have to take the aligners out while you eat. That doesn’t leave very much time to take them out to drink, too. If you keep taking the aligners out, you risk going over that two-hour limit and chipping away at their efficacy—in turn risking damage to your teeth themselves.

To review, it’s important to be careful what you drink while you have clear aligners, because, as Bunker Hill Dentistry explains:

1. Anything other than water has the potential to stain the aligners.
2. Any hot liquid can warp the aligners.
3. Drinking anything other than water with the aligners on risks liquid seeping between the aligners and your teeth and developing conditions for tooth decay.

The solution is to stick to water while you have clear aligners unless they’re already out for you to eat. It may seem like a sacrifice, but remember that when you’re done, you’ll have the oral health benefits of a corrected bite and a beautiful smile on top of that.

3- Be Careful in Handling

Careless handling of your aligners can threaten not only the outcome of your treatment, but also your dental health itself. Think of the beautiful smile waiting for you if you follow through well on your treatment, and let that compel you to:

• Clean them thoroughly. If you do not, you risk the aligners trapping bacteria onto your teeth and causing plaque buildup. When you brush your teeth, clean your aligners, too.
• Take them out carefully. You may be in the unconscious habit of pulling your aligners out from only one side, but this could cause them to warp in that direction. Always pull evenly. A pull tool can help you remove them in an effective, sanitary way. If they get stuck, don’t panic: try gargling with salt water, using your pull tool, or contacting your dentist if nothing else is working.
• Protect them from warping. As mentioned earlier, extreme temperatures can cause your aligners to warp. Be mindful not to drink anything too hot or cold while you have the aligners in to preserve their form.

4- Leave Them in as Much as Possible

We know—it may not seem like a big deal to just slip them out for an important date, or because they were really bothering you. Or (let’s be honest)—maybe you just forgot to put them in this morning in the first place. It might not seem like it impacts anything, but it does. Clear aligners can only work when they’re actually on your teeth. If you take them out more than you should, or neglect to wear them for the full duration prescribed by the dentist, not only will they not achieve the intended effect, but you could even cause more damage by not allowing your jaw to settle properly in one position or the other.

As dentist Christ Pearson details ten mistakes that are common in those with clear aligners, you’ll note that many revolve around trying to rush through treatment and neglecting to follow through on dentist’s orders. It may seem trivial, but it truly makes or breaks the success of your treatment.

      Clear aligners are an excellent option for correcting malocclusions in a discreet manner, but they do require a bit of sacrifice. They need to stay in the mouth 22 hours a day to work, unless the dentist gives you special permission otherwise. This means that dental wax might be required to alleviate any discomfort as the mouth adjusts to the foreign presence. It will be important to abstain from drinks other than water while the aligners are in to prevent their staining or warping. It is also crucial to be careful in handling the aligners and to wear them as much as possible to achieve maximum efficacy. If you have questions, comments, or concerns about clear aligners, or would simply like to schedule your next appointment, contact our office today.