Life with Clear Aligners
STOKED ABOUT YOUR Aligners?
Clear Aligners offer some really awesome benefits to those who choose them for their treatment! There are virtually no dietary restrictions and no modifications needed when you brush and floss because guess what...those are the only two times you take out your trays (eating and brushing)
What happens if I lose an attachment?
Not to worry - we put on a bunch of them when we start treatment so there is a lot of additional support to hang onto those trays. While this is not the expectation, if you find one or two come off, don't worry about it - we will just add them back at your next scheduled visit. If more than just a few fall off, give us a call at the office so we can help with next steps!
What happens if I lose or break a tray?
This happens, and likely will happen to you during treatment! Life can get crazy at times and we totally get that! We recommend that you move on to the next tray a few days earlier and then continue to wear that tray for the following week it was prescribed. So for example, if you were to lose tray 8 after wearing the tray for 4 days. Pop in tray 9 for the 3 remaining days for that week PLUS the next 7 days of the week you were supposed to wear 9 so that tray 9 will be in your mouth for 10 days total before switching to 10. Pro Tip: do not wrap them up in a napkin, they end up in the trash :)
Can I drink coffee or other colorful liquids with these trays?
We feel the best thing to do is to remove your trays when you drink coffee or colored liquids such as sports drinks, juices or wine. The reason? The sugars from these beverages can get under the tray and trapped, essentially marinating your teeth in sugar! If you really need to keep your trays in, make sure at some point you take them out and either brush or rinse with water!
How do I clean these things?
There are a few options to clean your trays. To start, we do not recommend using toothpaste to clean your trays - it can leave a residue inside the trays. We recommend two cleaning options: First, get hand or dish soap that you do not mind the taste of (might be hard), plus a toothbrush dedicated just to your trays, and use that toothbrush and dish soap to clean the trays. Second, we recommend The Dental Pod by Zima. This is an at home ultrasonic product that really gets those trays clean! Not necessary, but it takes things the extra mile! Just a word of caution: you can use Listerine or other mouth rinse based products to clean your trays but make sure to dip the toothbrush, not the trays into the mouth rinse because if left for too long, the trays will turn the color of the mouth rinse!
Do I really have to wear these 18-20 hours a day? How do I know if it fits?
Yes! We will not bore you with the science but in order to facilitate the bone remodeling needed to move your teeth, there needs to be a certain duration of force on the teeth throughout the day to make this happen! It is essential that your trays fit well during treatment for the movements to work. A well fitted tray means that there is no visible space between the edge of the tray and the edge of your tooth. If you ever have a question about the fit of a tray, please give us a call or text us over a picture so we can take a look and advise you on what to do next!
What are these chewie things?
We give patients chewies with their trays in the event you need some extra support in seating the trays. If you find that a tooth or two is not fully seated in the tray - you can bite down and chew on the chewies for about 10 minutes 3x a day!
One of my trays is a little rough and cuts my lip/cheek.
No worries, these trays are laser cut and the majority of them are very smooth. If there is a small spot on a tray that is particularly bothersome, you can take a nail file and just polish the rough spot until it feels smooth to the touch!
YOU got this!
We are here for you! If you need anything, do not hesitate to reach out to us at the office!
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Enjoy a Complimentary Orthodontic Consultation for anyone 7+.
Call 732-639-0011 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.