You have decided to straighten your crooked teeth and use a clear aligner system at My Orthodontist in Cherry Hill. So, how do you care for clear aligners? It all comes down to practicing new daily routines. 

Whatever you do, don’t get nervous about some minor adjustments – there’s no need to worry. Follow our seven easy tips, and you’ll be on your way toward teeth alignment and a healthy smile.

Wear Your Aligners

It is easy to neglect this step. The wear time for invisible aligners is at least 22 hours a day. You should only remove them to eat, drink and do daily oral cleaning.

As your teeth start to straighten, you may lose the urgency to wear the aligners as prescribed. Neglecting to wear them will lead to a longer treatment time. Get in the habit early and keep wearing your aligners. 

Change Your Trays on Time

With the clear aligner treatment process, every two weeks, you are given a new set of trays to move your teeth a bit more than the previous set. You’ll have a brand new smile when you have your last set of aligners. 

The orthodontic treatment is pretty methodical and keeps a precise schedule. Your orthodontist will give you a projected end date. Although this date is not 100% guaranteed, it helps to change your trays on time to keep pace and shoot for your projected end date. 

Keep Your Old Aligners

Some people toss away their old clear aligners when they move on to the next set. Your orthodontists recommend keeping the last set of aligners in case you lose your current aligners. You can protect your progress by wearing the old trays while waiting for a new replacement. 

Good Oral Hygiene

The clear aligner treatment plan can increase the chances of harmful bacteria in the tray and your mouth. The best way to combat this is to brush and floss regularly and have good oral health habits. 

Sparkly Clean Aligners

Toothpaste and mouthwash are standard bathroom items for cleaning teeth but not for clear aligners. Toothpaste is abrasive and can scratch the thermoplastic. The bristles will worsen these scratches by changing the aligners cloudy.

Remove Your Aligners During Meals

Remove your aligners before eating and drinking to avoid a buildup of bacteria. Bacteria causes bad breath, and dark beverages like coffee, tea, red wine, and soda can stain. So take your aligners out for everything but water. 

Take time to rinse your aligners throughout the day. Rinsing removes any lingering particles that could contribute to bad breath and discoloration. 

Protect Your Clear Aligners

Do not keep your trays in a napkin while eating. Time and time again, it leads to them landing in the wastebasket. Believe us, we know! Have a hard case to guard them against damage or accidentally being thrown away. 

See Us For Clear Aligners in Cherry Hill, NJ

If you have crowded teeth or large spaces and don’t want the hassle of traditional metal brackets, then aligner treatment is the way to go. Virtually invisible clear aligners work just as well as traditional braces to move your mild to moderately crooked teeth to the correct position with no metal in sight. Call us at My Orthodontist in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, for an appointment.