Starting your straight smile journey is SO exciting! Clear aligner therapy is a wonderful alternative to braces for those that may want a more transparent treatment option. The SmileOntourage is here to give you some advice on caring for your aligners/trays.
Follow Doc Ak’s Instructions
While it may seem obvious that you must properly wear your aligners in order for them to work their magic, you’d be surprised at how often we find patients skipping crucial hours or forgetting to wear their aligners altogether. That’s why this step comes first: Don’t forget to wear your aligners!
Every single SmileOn patient has a unique, customized treatment plan with specific instructions provided by Doc Ak. It is absolutely vital that you wear your aligners for a minimum of 22 hours per day. Aligners should only be removed for meals. Chewing with them in can potentially damage them, which might make getting replacements a necessary (and time-consuming & costly) next step. Instead, remove your aligners before meals and reapply them once you’re done eating, ideally after rinsing or brushing your teeth.
We cannot emphasize enough that wearing your aligners for the appropriate time span every day is imperative to your treatment (22 hours per day). This allows Doc Ak to get the best possible results without adding additional time (and dollars) to your treatment plan.
Stick to Your Aligner Change Schedule
A huge part of your job as a clear aligner patient is keeping up with your aligner changes. The majority of aligner patients will go through an average of 20-30 (or more) sets of aligners throughout the course of their treatment.
Each set of aligners is custom-made to fit the treatment plan mapped out by Doc Ak. The aligners gradually become straighter and straighter with each new set as your teeth start moving toward their proper positions. Remembering to change your aligners at the instructed intervals is one of the best ways to continue seeing progress in your smile and finish treatment on time.
Keep Your Aligners Clean
An important key to having the beautiful smile you deserve is to keep your aligners clean. Neglecting to clean your aligners could result in the buildup of bacteria that can harm the aligners & your teeth and cause bad breath.
- Thoroughly rinse your aligners when you remove them to wash away saliva and/or other debris collected during use.
- Never use toothpaste! The granular particles in toothpaste can scratch your aligners, harming them over time. These scratches will be obvious when you wear the aligners.
EverSmile is an excellent cleansing product made specifically for clear aligners that will also whiten your teeth while cleaning your aligners! We have this product available for purchase at the office, or you can find it on Amazon.
- Soak your aligners in a denture cleanser once a week.
Check-In with Your SmileOn Scan Box
With the advanced technology we have at our disposal, we can ensure your smile stays on track between in-office appointments. Our remote monitoring system helps you send quick scans of your teeth to Doc Ak, no matter where you are.
This technology is super simple. Just attach your mouthpiece to your phone’s camera, scan from ear to ear and toes to nose, and submit it through the app. Doc Ak will then review your scans, tracking your progress in real-time and providing feedback directly through the app so you always know you’re on track with treatment.
Keep Your Aligner Case Handy
We highly recommend keeping your aligner case on you, allowing you to keep your trays safe when they aren’t in your mouth. It might be tempting to wrap your aligners in a napkin when you eat or lay them on the counter while brushing your teeth, but it’s always better to store them in their case for safekeeping. Also, pets are attracted to the smell of your aligners and would love nothing more than to chew them up. Doc Ak’s motto is, “If it’s not in your face, it’s in your case!”
Attend Your Appointments
Every time you visit Doc Ak & the SmileOntourage for a check-up, you are one step closer to completing treatment with that gorgeous smile you’ve been waiting for! Keeping your appointments and arriving on time helps keep your treatment plan on track, whereas missing/postponing appointments will add time (and potentially dollars) to the process.
We understand that things beyond your control occasionally come up, and that’s okay! If you can’t attend an appointment, just let us know as far in advance as possible so that we can reschedule and keep you on track for success.
Rediscover Your Smile at SmileOn Orthodontics
Clear aligners are an excellent option for almost any smile. With this nearly invisible treatment option, we can straighten your teeth without attracting notice. You’ll feel more confident every step of the way along your treatment journey. To find out if clear aligner therapy is right for you or your child, schedule your complimentary smile assessment at SmileOn Orthodontics in Cedar Park today!
