At Davis & Goldberg Orthodontics, we understand that braces are not the best treatment appliance for everybody. Many patients with mild alignment issues might be interested in an option such as clear aligner treatment, which has a number of great benefits! Keep reading to learn our 5 Keys To Creating Beautiful Smiles With Aligners.
We’re proud to offer Invisalign clear aligners, also known as trays, to give patients stunning results with a subtle orthodontic appliance appearance. Like braces, this treatment option applies gentle pressure to change the position of the teeth and jaw over time. Unlike most traditional braces, however, clear aligners are custom-made for each patient’s mouth and alignment goals. The removability and transparency of the trays offer users lifestyle flexibility and require less maintenance than their metal alternative.
Dr. Davis, Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Seitz have extensive experience providing treatment with clear aligners. Over the years, they have noticed a few things that guarantee you the finest results possible. Here are their top five keys to success.
Wear Your Aligners!
The removability of the trays allows you to stick to your normal diet and oral hygiene routine as if you were not in treatment. All you have to do is take them out for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing. Patients also have the option to remove them for special occasions, like wedding photographs, school picture day, date night, an important presentation at work, et cetera.
However, in order to see results, you gotta wear ’em! Clear aligners use amazing modern technology, but unfortunately, that technology has not advanced to work “contact-free” or from a distance! While your prescribed time in the aligners might vary, most patients need to wear them for twenty-two hours a day. This responsibility can be hard for some patients, so before you choose this treatment option, you must be sure you can wear them appropriately. On average, clear aligners can straighten your teeth faster than braces, but forgetting or neglecting to wear them will extend your overall treatment time.
Maintain Proper Oral Hygiene!
While it might feel like your trays protect your teeth from germs when you wear them, they’re not! You still gotta maintain proper oral hygiene if you want beautiful pearly whites at the end of treatment.
Unclean teeth and gums encourage the growth of harmful bacteria and plaque that eventually leads to bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, infections, yellow teeth, and maybe even tooth loss! It’s just as important to brush and floss twice a day during treatment as it was before and will be after!
Luckily, your oral hygiene routine does not need to change much. Just remove the trays and brush and floss like normal. We also recommend adding a water flosser to your regimen if you haven’t already. Water flossers help remove stubborn residue on the teeth and keep all hard-to-reach places squeaky clean.
Keeping the mouth clean preserves health, and a healthy mouth is a pretty one! You don’t want to go through months of treatment for straight teeth only for them to have preventable long-lasting or permanent damage.
Keep Them Clean!
One way to help keep the mouth clean and make treatment as pleasant as possible is to clean your clear aligners daily. There are a few ways to clean your clear aligners, but it’s best to remember to always ask Dr. Davis, Dr. Goldberg, or Dr. Seitz before using any product on your aligners. Click here to see the cleaning method our team recommends.
Aligners need to be thoroughly cleaned once or twice a day, and you can do this when you do your oral hygiene routine. Taking a few minutes to clean them prevents the trays from developing a foul smell and/or taste. Fresh-smelling and clean-tasting trays are more inviting and comfortable to wear for hours every day. Proper maintenance also rids them of the same bacteria and plaque found on your teeth and gums.
Consistently clean trays also preserve their transparent appearance longer so that you can keep your treatment status on a need-to-know basis.
Follow The Schedule!
You are given a series of trays when you choose clear aligners as your treatment option. Each tray is worn for one to two weeks before you put in the next one(s) in the series. Dr. Davis, Dr. Goldberg, and Dr. Seitz have carefully curated your treatment schedule so you can achieve the smile you want as quickly and safely as possible. It is imperative that you follow your plan as instructed.
We know you’re excited to see your new look, but we strongly advise against any attempts to speed things up, such as changing trays early or skipping a set entirely. This will only extend your treatment time, risk temporary or permanent injury to your smile, and cause unnecessary discomfort or pain.
Protect Your Investment!
Your clear aligners are durable for everyday use, but they are not invincible! Their slim, clear aesthetic makes them comfortable and nearly invisible to onlookers, but those same features also make them easy to lose or break! Whenever you are not wearing your aligners, you should put them in their protective carrying case to protect them from germs and physical harm, as well as make them easier to keep up with.
Sometimes, though, trays can still become lost or damaged no matter how well you take care of them. At Davis & Goldberg Orthodontics, we understand that life happens and are always happy to make new trays for you, but this could prolong treatment time. To prepare for this possibility, we suggest our patients keep their previous trays after they advance to the next one in the series. Having something to wear while you wait on your replacements prevents teeth from regressing too much in the meantime.
Have Your Questions Answered! Come See Us At Davis & Goldberg Orthodontics!
We have produced beautiful smiles for many people with the help of Invisalign, and we would love to do the same for you!
For stunning results with clear aligners without breaking the bank, Davis & Goldberg Orthodontics has you covered. To discover if you or your family qualifies for clear aligners, schedule your free consultation with us today! We can answer all your questions and even begin treatment on the same day.