3 Tips For A Successful Orthodontic Treatment With Clear Aligners

Clear aligners are rapidly gaining popularity due to their many advantages over traditional braces. Unlike braces, clear aligners offer a way to correct orthodontic issues without the discomfort and cosmetic issues often associated with using metal dental braces. However, clear aligners also require patients to follow some strict rules and exercises to achieve the best possible results. 

If you're about to embark on your teeth straightening journey, you no doubt want to ensure your efforts pay off in the best possible smile. These three tips will help you make the most of your clear aligners, allowing you to achieve the results you're after with minimal discomfort and inconvenience.

1. Keep a Logbook

There are two keys to success when using clear aligners: wearing them for long enough each day and ensuring the aligners seat properly against your teeth. The former is simply a matter of discipline, while the latter may require special exercises and tools (commonly known as "chewies"). However, both are necessary to generate complete and quick results.

Keeping a daily logbook is one excellent way to stay on track with these two requirements. Logging the times you put your trays in or take them out can ensure you meet the minimum daily wear requirements. Likewise, a logbook is a great way to check off your daily chewing exercises, ensuring you keep your trays tight and correctly seated against your teeth.

2. Be Strategic About New Aligners

The most uncomfortable part of a clear aligner treatment is the first few hours or days after switching to new trays. You'll use multiple trays during your treatment, and each one will put new pressure on your teeth to move them back into their correct positions. As a result, you'll often feel the most uncomfortable when using a new aligner for the first time.

You can help reduce how this discomfort affects your life by taking some strategic approaches. For example, if it's hard to sleep with new aligners, consider making the switch in the morning, so the worst discomfort is over by the time you go to sleep. You may also want to consider using over-the-counter painkillers for a few days whenever you switch to a new set of aligners.

3. Make Day-to-Day Adjustments

Remember that you won't be wearing your aligners forever! Although that last set of aligners may seem far away, you'll be done with your treatment before you know it. In other words, you can make some temporary day-to-day adjustments to make your treatment more comfortable and resume your usual habits once you remove your last set of aligners.

Good adjustments include avoiding hard foods, switching to a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash, and quickly treating any sores that may develop due to your aligners. While these adjustments may initially seem challenging, they'll quickly become a regular part of your day-to-day routine, helping you to be more comfortable in your aligners as you wait for your beautiful new smile to take shape. 

Talk to your dentist to learn more about clear aligners. 

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