Caring for aligners is an important part of the orthodontic journey: The better care taken and the more they are worn, the more comfortable and effective they will be. Teeth will move as planned, and the completion of treatment is more predictable.
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Brushing and Flossing:
- For aligners to work, the teeth and gums must be clean. Good oral hygiene is also important to minimise straining on and around the attachments. A toothbrush is given when your attachments are placed, and you will be given instructions on how to maintain excellent oral hygiene.
- Change your toothbrush every three months.
- Taking care of teeth and gums becomes extra important, and caring for them (as well as the aligners) means taking the time to brush and floss regularly: after removing the aligners for eating, regularly rinse with water during the day, brush teeth for a minimum of two minutes (morning and night) and floss nightly.
- Use a toothbrush with a soft head and a toothpaste with fluoride. Be gentle when brushing or flossing in order to avoid damaging the gums.
- If oral hygiene is not up to a high standard, you are at high risk of developing tooth decay and at risk of having the treatment stopped early to avoid long-term issues. Furthermore, when teeth are not being cleaned properly, gum disease arises. Gum disease slows down tooth movement – meaning treatment will take longer than expected.
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Aligner Wear:
- Invisalign aligners must be worn for 20 to 22 hours a day for best results.
- Aligners must be worn day and night and be removed only when: Eating any foods; drinking any hot or cold beverages (apart from cold water); and brushing and flossing teeth.
- Hands must be washed well after every time an aligner is taken out and put back in.
- When aligners are first delivered, a slight lisp may become obvious. This should disappear over the following few days.
- Each set of aligners will be worn for one to two weeks (as per the orthodontist’s instructions). Review appointments will be arranged every eight to 12 weeks to check on the progress. Do not try to fast-track your treatment. That will only delay the overall treatment time!
- With each set of new aligners, a little extra pressure or discomfort can be felt for the first few days – this is normal. Small rubber appliances termed “chewies” will be given to make sure these aligners are fitting correctly, to allow the teeth to move. These chewies are reusable. Continuously bite/chew into them while holding them between your fingers. Do this twice a day, wash them and keep them in your case.
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Cleaning Aligners:
- Rinse your aligners twice a day, and brush both the fitting surface and outside surface gently with your toothbrush with cold water, using dishwashing liquid or liquid soap to keep them fresh and clean. Hot water must be avoided as it will cause the aligners to distort. Soak in white vinegar for five minutes once a week to eliminate odours.
- Do not put the aligners in the dishwasher.
- Do not use toothpaste on aligners, as it is too abrasive and will cause aligners to discolour.
- Rinse mouth out before placing aligners back in after eating, to make sure that no food gets trapped inside the aligners.
Attachments/Aligners Care:
- Please keep aligners out of reach of any pets (especially dogs), as they will chew them up!
- Small attachments will be placed on teeth to allow specific movements of individual teeth. They will feel strange on your teeth for the first couple of days, until you get used to them. Do not eat hard/sticky/crunchy foods. These foods can damage/break the attachments.
- Please do not throw the aligners away once you finish wearing them. Keep all the aligners until your treatment is completed.
- If you lose or break the aligners, move onto the next aligner and let us know immediately.
- Elastic wear (if applicable) – wear these as advised, day and night. Only take them out to eat and brush your teeth. If not worn correctly or for long enough, teeth go back to their original position. This will add time onto your overall treatment.
- When aligners are not in your mouth, keep them in their container to avoid losing or breaking them. Do not wrap them in a napkin or kitchen towel and do not put them in your pocket – they are often lost this way.
- If anything happens to the aligners or the attachments, contact us as soon as possible so we can advise on what to do. In case this occurs after-hours, try moving onto the next aligner. If the next aligner does not fit well, then wear the aligners before. Please, remember to contact us during working hours in order for us to address the issue.
Appointments:
- Missing appointments adds time onto your overall treatment time. So, please attend your appointments.
Caring for Removable Plate(s)
Shakespeare Orthodontics: Shaping a Smile You Will Love
Four Auckland Locations: Takapuna (North Shore), Epsom, Warkworth, Howick
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