In recent years, there’s an increase in popularity for clear aligners. Even though they cannot fix cases as complex as what metal braces can fix, many people who want to get their teeth realigned with mild to light cases can benefit from clear aligners.
There are a variety of brands in Singapore, especially since clear aligners are becoming more and more popular. To learn more about the differences between the popular clear aligners in Singapore, you can click here.
So before you decide to get one, it’s good to know the popular questions asked about it first.
Can aligners damage gums?
They most likely won’t damage the gums of patients who wear them. What patients sometimes report is the case of gum recession. This is what happens when someone has more part of their teeth is exposed, and there’s less gum due to various possible reasons.
Gum recession would be something that the dentist has to evaluate prior to giving you the green light for clear aligners. You will have to treat the gum recession first before actually starting your treatment.
Can my teeth fall out with clear aligners?
No, it is highly unlikely that your teeth fall out with clear aligners. While the discomfort might feel like the aligners are trying to pull the teeth out, but they will not be able to pull your teeth out or cause your teeth to fall out. They won’t be as strong that it can impact the bone until the teeth fall out.
Braces, aligners, and similar treatments may end up changing the shape of the roots because of the adjustment to the alignment, but these changes will not lead to teeth falling. It might lead to shorter roots in some cases, but you don’t have to worry about your teeth falling out from wearing Invisalign.
You can learn more about Invisalign from LumiaDental, they are a proud provider of Invisalign, Invisalign Teen, and other orthodontic services, including braces in New York.
Can I wear my aligners only at night?
It is not advisable that you only wear your aligners at night. To get the best possible results from aligners, you should aim to use it as much as you can throughout your day, as close to 24 hours as you can. Many orthodontists will recommend wearing them for at least 22 hours. The only good time for you to take them off is when you are eating or drinking beverages other than water.
A very important part of clear aligners treatment is the patient’s discipline. Because aligners are removable, it is really up to the patient to monitor their careful use. Are they wearing it during the day, or do they take it off regularly every time it feels uncomfortable? At the end of it, most orthodontists will agree that the longer and more disciplined you wear them, it will guarantee faster and better results.
Can I still go for clear aligners treatment if I had done braces before?
Yes, of course, you can still go for the treatment if you had done braces before. Even if you have done braces before, the clear aligners treatment you are going, for now, will not be affected. Many adults got braces when they were younger, such as when they were teenagers, and then decided to go for clear aligners later on in their 20s and 30s.
They do this because they still feel like their teeth alignment could be improved. A factor to consider would be age, where the older you decide to opt for clear aligners, the harder it will be for them to realign your teeth. The older we are, the tougher and more rigid the structure of our teeth and jawbone are. This is why it is advisable to start using them from a young age.
How do I take care of my clear aligners?
It is important to take good care of your clear aligners, not only due to hygiene purposes but also to make sure you do not damage the structure of your aligners. So you will need to take your aligners off several times during the day, such as when you need to eat or drink anything else other than water and to brush your teeth.
When you take it off, make sure you rinse them before putting them back on. Rinse them well, make sure they are clean from traces of your saliva, or other possible bacteria, or anything else carried from the previous time you wore them. If you don’t rinse them, they might pile up bacteria that might then cause complications to the teeth.
When you brush your teeth, brush the aligners too, but do it very gently. Clean them once a day. One of the things that your dentist or orthodontist will give is a special solution that you can use to clean your aligners. This solution is antibacterial and specifically made to disinfect your aligners. Soak them in this antibacterial solution as given by your dentist or orthodontist, or if you didn’t get any of this, you can disinfect your aligners with a solution of water and vinegar for around 20-30 minutes.
Don’t just use some random soap as it might spoil your aligners. Also, do not use soap with coloring because it might leave stains. This will affect the color of your aligners and then it won’t be clear aligners anymore. The point of getting them is to have your teeth aligned in a less noticeable way isn’t it?
Also, when you drink, make sure you are drinking room temperature beverages. Stay away from hot water if you drink with your aligners. Keep them away from high temperature because this will damage the structure of your aligners.
Hopefully, the information above can help you to learn more about clear aligners, as well as to prepare you for your clear aligners journey! And surely, adhere to your dentist’s instructions and advice to get the best results!
