Clear aligners are remarkable orthodontic appliances that allow patients to straighten out their smiles without the irremovable metal parts and frustrating dietary restrictions that come with traditional braces. While you may experience some mild discomfort when you begin the treatment, there are a few steps you can take to accelerate your adjustment process. Here’s a guide to how to stay comfortable when you start wearing your clear aligners.
How Do Clear Aligners Work?
Clear aligners are designed to fit snugly over the patient’s teeth while exerting the consistent pressure necessary to gradually shift them into healthier positions. The patient will have to wear each set of aligners for at least twenty hours a day for about two weeks before switching to the next set in their sequence, and it’s usually best to only remove them for meals and oral hygiene sessions. Clear aligners can usually resolve mild to moderate dental misalignments like gaps, crowding, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites in about six to eighteen months.
Can Clear Aligners Cause Discomfort?
While most patients report that clear aligners are a much more comfortable way to address dental misalignment than traditional braces, you may experience a sense of tightness or mild soreness in your teeth when you begin the treatment or switch to a new set. This should go away on its own after about a day as your mouth adjusts to your aligners.
How Can I Stay Comfortable While Adjusting to a New Set of Aligners?
Many patients find they can minimize the discomfort that may be caused when they begin wearing a new set of aligners by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever and switching to their new appliances right before bed. This can allow them to sleep through the worst of the mild stress caused by the adjustment process so they can wear their aligners comfortably in the morning.
Don’t let mild discomfort dissuade you from achieving better oral health with clear aligners. Consulting with your dentist can help you understand the best ways to keep your treatment process smooth and complication-free.
About the Author
Dr. Alejandro Lamas earned his dental degree at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and stays abreast of the latest developments in his field through continuing education coursework. His office in Plantation offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as clear aligner treatments. To learn more about how clear aligners may be able to help you, contact him online or dial (754) 701-0386.