Post-Operative Instructions for Aligners

Dental aligner placement: post-operative advice

The expert dentists of our Zenith Dentistry have provided you with their post-operative instructions for aligners on how you care for and clean the corrective device.

Wearing aligners

Wear the aligners 20 hours a day –The aligners are designed to apply constant pressure to slowly move the teeth. The pace of tooth movement by braces depends on how long you wear them. Hence you should put the corrective device in your mouth for 20 to 22 hours a day, albeit removable. We advise our patients to only take their clear braces off to eat and brush their teeth.

• Removing aligners You should be cautious while removing your clear braces to prevent cracks. While removing the brace, use your fingernail to unseat the plastic trays from the back teeth. Then move toward the front teeth gently in this manner and remove the brace.
• Inserting aligners Place the appliance over the front teeth while wearing aligners and move backward gently. Don’t bite the plastic tray to keep it in place. Cracks will occur.
• Change aligners The shell life of clear aligners is 1 to 2 weeks. Hence, getting a new set of aligners every 2 weeks is mandatory.
• Use Chewies You should not move to the new aligners if the currently wearing device does not fit snugly over the teeth. In such circumstances, biting on aligner chewies ensures the effective installation of aligners over the teeth.

Eating with aligners

As seen earlier, you can remove aligners when you eat.

It is because aligners cannot endure the chewing force even though the clear braces are strong and durable. The orthodontic appliance will be damaged if you bite or chew while having aligners in your mouth.

It will upset the treatment timeline and push you to spend money to repair the damaged appliance.

Drinking with aligners

As the plastic trays are translucent, drinking beverages or juices can discolor them so that the stains are apparent. Hence orthodontists recommend removing aligners during fluid intake as well.

On the other hand, sugar substances in the fluids you are taking will get stuck between the teeth and your brace. Consequently, it will feed oral bacteria and cause cavities.

Cleaning aligners

You should abide by the essential hygiene activities to keep the teeth straightener clean and tidy.

• Clean the aligner in the morning and night.
• Don’t use your toothbrush, denture cleaner, bleaching agents, mouthwashes, or others to clean aligners.
• Use ortho-cleaning appliances like interdental toothbrushes, oral irrigators, and others per your dentist’s recommendation.
• Soak the corrective device in a cleaning solution for 10 to 15 minutes daily.

Things to avoid

• Don’t drink hot water or hot beverages while wearing aligners.
• Avoid chewing gums while having aligners inside your mouth.
• Chemical substances in cigarettes are powerful enough to stain the invisible braces. So you should not smoke with aligners in your mouth.
• Don’t keep the clear braces near your pets because your saliva can easily attract pets. It temps them to chew the aligners.
• Don’t wrap the aligner in gauze when you take it off for brushing or eating. Instead, soak the teeth straightening appliance in a cleaning solution.