Many patients choose clear aligners when they’ve already had traditional braces before, or if they just don’t want them. Some teens hate the idea of going through school with regular braces! Clear aligners are great because they’re invisible, removable, and less bulky than traditional braces. There are less food restrictions because you can take your aligner off to eat!
Like braces, clear aligners also use gradual force to move teeth, but without the wires and brackets. While there are many brands of aligners available, they all use a series of sequential aligners made of resilient plastic that slowly straighten teeth.
At Radiant Orthodontics, we start the clear aligner process with the iTero® scanner to take a digital scan of your teeth. This scan is then sent to the clear aligner company, along with instructions from Dr. Tiffany that customize the tooth movements. The company then sends back “drafts” of the treatment sequence, which are further edited. Once Dr. Tiffany approves the final plan, the company manufactures a series of aligner sets (for your top and bottom teeth), each with small modifications that lead to the desired outcome.
On the day of your aligner delivery, attachments are bonded to your teeth to ensure they move correctly. You must wear the aligners for at least 22 hours per day, and switch to the next set after 7-14 days. After the first set of aligners, you will most likely need another set to correct all remaining minor imperfections, so a refinement scan is then taken, and the whole treatment process starts again. The total length of treatment depends on your case complexity, and treatment can take anywhere from six months to two years.
Life with Clear Aligners
When you have clear aligners, there are fewer food restrictions, but it is very important to remember a few things.
- The attachments can still break off, so you will still need to take care when eating very hard foods.
- Remove your aligners when eating or drinking anything except room temperature or cold water.
- Before re-inserting your aligners after eating, brush your teeth (or at least rinse).
- Use a mouth guard made when playing contact sports to protect yourself.
- Take care of your teeth properly to prevent cavities and gingivitis by brushing, flossing, and visiting your general dentist every 6 months for cleanings and check-ups.
We will review all instructions with you, so you will know exactly what to do!