The day you get aligners, eat as usual. Just brush and floss thoroughly after eating.
A retractor will be placed in the mouth to keep the mouth open comfortably. This will also help to keep the mouth as dry as possible. Next, so that attachments bond to the tooth enamel, the tooth surface will be etched with a mild solution. After a few seconds, the tooth will be rinsed. Then, a special adhesive will go in the aligner trays and they will be placed on the teeth and cured with a special light. After all of the attachments have been placed and the adhesive has been cured, any excess adhesive will be removed. Your first aligners will snap into place. Your orthodontist will demonstrate how to put your aligners in and take them out. When you first put a set in, they won’t be an exact fit. They’ll be off by just a fraction of a millimetre. But that’s the idea – so that your teeth move to fit the aligner. They’ll be a little tight at first, and then start to loosen up.
You should be in and out of the office within an hour.
No, getting aligners will not cause discomfort.
We will probably give you a few sets of aligners, and instruct you to wear a set for one to two weeks before changing to the next set. You will get additional sets of aligners when you see our orthodontist at your routine appointment.
We will probably give you a few sets of aligners, and instruct you to wear a set for one to two weeks before changing to the next set. You will get additional sets of aligners when you see our orthodontist at your routine appointment.
Yes. At first, you may want to consider foods that require little or no chewing such as soup, pudding, mashed potatoes, applesauce, ice cream, etc.
Expect some discomfort for the first few days. This is temporary and can be relieved by rinsing with warm salt water, or by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever. It may be tempting to take out your aligners if you feel uncomfortable. They can only move teeth when they are in your mouth.
You should be fine going to work or school and taking part in your usual activities the day you get your aligners.
Our orthodontist will brief you on brushing, flossing, toothpaste, rinses and other hygiene tools for your teeth, as well as any special instructions on cleaning your aligners. If you eat or drink anything besides tap water, remove your aligners first. Put them in their case, and put the case in a safe place. After you are done drinking or eating, brush your teeth before putting your aligners back in.
