What You Need to Know About Clear Aligners

If you are dissatisfied with your smile, you may be considering getting clear aligners to straighten your teeth. Straight teeth not only give you a beautiful smile, but they also improve your oral health by making it easier for you and your hygienist to clean your teeth, helping you to avoid tooth decay and gum disease. Straightening your teeth improves your bite and aligns your jaw correctly so you can prevent headaches and TMJ problems.

Clear aligners use cutting-edge technology to achieve groundbreaking advances in teeth straightening. Here are some interesting and fun facts about clear aligners to help you determine if they are a good option for you. If you are wondering “what are clear aligners and what can they do for me?” keep reading.

Clear Aligners Use 3D Technology

Leave messy putty moulds in the past. Clear aligners use an iTero intraoral scanner to take digital impressions of your mouth. The images are used to fabricate your customised aligners for your unique smile.

You Can View an Image of the Final Results at the Outset of Your Treatment

Using CAD/CAM technology, you can view each stage of your treatment and will know the outcome and how your smile will look before starting treatment.

The Aligners are Transparent, Making Them Barely Noticeable

Clear aligners are also known as invisible braces, and for good reason. They are made from transparent, thin plastic and are so discreet that only you and your dentist will know you are wearing them. Their transparency makes them ideal for older patients wishing to avoid visible braces.

Clear Aligners Mask Gaps in Your Smile While Undergoing Treatment

If you’ve always been conscious of a gap in your smile, clear aligners could be an excellent solution for you as they instantly mask it. Even during treatment, your gap will be less noticeable.

Clear Aligners Protect Your Teeth from Wear and Tear

If you clench or grind your teeth or suffer from bruxism, clear aligners function similar to a mouth or night guard, protecting your teeth. Teeth grinding can be detrimental to your dental health.

Clear Aligners are Removable

Clear aligners resemble a transparent mouthguard and can be removed so you can eat, drink, floss and brush your teeth. However, you have to be self-disciplined and wear them 20-22 hours a day to achieve the best results as quickly as possible.

There are No Food Restrictions

Because the aligners are removable, you don’t have to modify your diet, unlike other forms of orthodontic treatment.

Clear Aligners are BPA and Latex-free

Clear aligners are made from a tested, safe, and patented thermoplastic that contains no BPA or latex.

You are Responsible for Switching Your Aligners

Each set of aligners is switched every two weeks, but you only visit your dentist every six to eight weeks. You will change your aligners yourself, meaning your dental care won’t interrupt your life.

Celebrities Use Clear Aligners

Celebrities aren’t all born with straight teeth, and many of them use clear aligners to correct their smile. Tom Cruise, Serena Williams, Eva Longoria, and Zac Efron all have beautifully straight smiles thanks to clear aligners.

Clear Aligners Stop you from Biting Your Nails

To get the best result from your clear aligners, you should wear them 20-22 hours a day. This is great for people who struggle with nail-biting as wearing aligners seriously hinders your ability to chew them.

Clear Aligners Can Help you Give Up Smoking

Just as with nail-biting, wearing clear aligners can help you to quit smoking. Smoking is bad for your oral health in general, but it’s particularly detrimental if you have aligners. When tobacco gets stuck in the trays, it can lead to tooth decay. Smoking also discolours and stains the clear aligners, making them unsightly and more visible.

You Must Brush Your Teeth Before Re-inserting Your Aligners

You have to remove your aligners to eat and drink, but if you put them back in without brushing your teeth, bacteria could get caught inside the aligner and lead to tooth decay. Therefore, it’s essential to clean your teeth after eating and drinking.

This may sound like a bit of a hassle, but it’s a great habit to get into, even after you’ve finished with your clear aligners, as brushing after food helps protect tooth enamel.

Clear Aligners are More Comfortable than Traditional Braces

Many of us wince when we remember how uncomfortable wearing braces was as a teen. Having any kind of orthodontic apparatus can cause some discomfort, but many patients find aligners much more comfortable than traditional braces because they are made of plastic, not metal and wire.

Final Thoughts

These facts should help you answer the question “what are clear aligners?” If you think that aligners are for you or have specific questions about them, our experienced dental professionals at Dentistry on Solent are here to help start you on your journey to a new smile.

At Dentistry in Solent, we pride ourselves on our compassionate and caring approach to dentistry. Our team is experienced at helping people of all ages achieve straighter, healthier teeth, using modern orthodontic methods such as clear aligners.

Call us today on (02) 9158 6137 to arrange your orthodontic consultation.