Clear aligners are removable, plastic trays that are designed to fit over the teeth. They are used to correct teeth alignment and work by applying gentle pressure and moving teeth into the ideal position. Clear aligner treatment makes use of sequential sets of aligners that accommodate for the changes acquired in teeth position every two to three weeks to accomplish the required correction.
Clear aligners have become a popular choice for teeth straightening as they are discrete and far more convenient than braces, but they require consistent care and attention. Successful treatment with aligners necessitates the careful inclusion or exclusion of some essential things in your routine. This guide will highlight the important aspects of an aligner wearer’s day, from morning routines to late-night snacks, describing how aligners blend seamlessly into their everyday life.
Table of Contents
Morning Routine: Oral Hygiene Maintenance and Aligner Cleaning
Maintaining excellent oral hygiene is crucial during aligner treatment. Aligners users follow a consistent oral hygiene routine which also involves taking proper care of their aligners.
- Maintenance of oral hygiene: A soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste is used to clean the teeth for 2 minutes. After each meal and snack too, it’s important to brush or rinse thoroughly to keep the mouth clean of food debris. Flossing is done every day to get rid of food particles that brushes might miss.
- Aligner cleaning: Aligners are washed at least once in the morning with a mild soap and a toothbrush with soft bristles to gently clean them. Toothpaste might scratch the aligners, so they are avoided3. Plus, after the aligners are taken out each time, they are given a good rinse in cool water.
Diet and Eating Habits: Managing Aligners and Meals
Though clear aligner therapy doesn’t interfere much with your food choices, some reconsideration in your dietary habits may be required to ensure treatment success and maintain optimal oral health. Adapting to aligner usage/removal schedule during mealtimes is also important for aligner wearers. Here are some key points to remember:
- Removing aligners before eating: Aligner users take out their clear aligners before consuming any food or snack. This lowers the chance of gum disease and tooth decay by keeping food particles from being lodged between the aligners and teeth. 4
- Choosing the right diet: For an aligner wearer, care is taken to opt for food items that won’t harm the aligners when worn. Some dietary changes that may be required include the following.
- Eating soft, easily chewed foods like soft cheese, bread, rice, ice cream, and yogurt.
- Limiting very hot food items that can warp the aligners and highly pigmented foods and drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, and berries that can stain the aligners.
- Storing aligners safely: When aligners are not worn as in while eating, they are placed in a sturdy, breathable case to safeguard them.
- Cleaning aligners after eating: After removing and replacing the aligners in mouth, they are rinsed thoroughly with cool water. This helps remove any food particles or debris that may be trapped between the aligner and your teeth5.
Work and Socializing: Balancing Aligners with Daily Activities
It might be surprisingly easy to incorporate transparent aligners into your everyday routine. This section discusses how aligner users seamlessly integrate aligner wear with the demands at work, enjoying social events, and staying active through sports and exercise. Aligner wearers often find that their aligners become a part of their daily routine, here’s how:
- At Work: Aligners don’t alter your speech and are comfortable to wear anywhere. So they can easily be worn throughout your workday. However, some people may choose to take them out during meetings or presentations, if it makes them feel more confident.
- Socializing: Aligners are virtually invisible and can easily be worn for any occasion. Aligner users effortlessly wear them to social events and gatherings though some people may choose to remove for special occasions like dinners or dates.6
- Sports and Exercise: Aligners are safe to wear while playing light sport. For high-impact sports though, aligners users either remove them or wear custom mouthguards (devices that protect from injury) that fit over the aligners. Unlike metal braces with their potential for causing oral injuries during sports due to sharp edges, clear aligners significantly reduce the risk of harm7.
Staying Comfortable and Consistent with Your Aligners
When it comes to comfort, aligners are the treatment of choice. Aligners are smooth and rounded and avoid the risk of injuries to oral tissues that are common with wires of traditional braces. However, consistency is crucial for a successful treatment with aligners. Let’s explore how these are managed by aligner users to ensure a smooth treatment journey.
- Managing comfort: When beginning or transitioning to new aligners, minor pressure or pain may be felt. This typically resolves within a short time. To relieve pain, over the counter analgesic and topical emollients can help.
- Achieving consistency: The effectiveness of treatment depends on wearing aligners for the appropriate amount of time, which is usually 20 to 22 hours per day1. Setting reminders on the phone or planner about when to place and take out your aligners can help with this. Tracking apps are also available to keep a check of your aligner wearing time.
- Regular Check-ups: For ensuring successful treatment, aligner users keep up with regular orthodontist appointments to monitor progress, receive new aligners, and address any concerns8.
Conclusion
Although braces price in India are more affordable compared to aligners, aligners offer several advantages in terms of convenience and overall treatment experience. Aligners can seamlessly integrate into the daily routines of users. Mornings require removing and cleaning the aligners, followed by a quick brushing and flossing. Throughout the day, aligners are worn for the recommended hours, removed for meals and drinks, and cleaned again before being reinserted. Social events and sporting activities are easily accommodated too. While adhering to the treatment plan requires discipline, the convenience and discrete nature of aligners make it a manageable and often invisible part of everyday life.
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