How to handle First Day with Clear Aligners

We are sure you have landed up here, searching how to handle First Day with Clear Aligners, or how it is to wear clear aligners for the first time or how does the mouth feel like when you start wearing aligners? All these queries are common for those who have either begun the clear aligner treatment or those wanting to do so. Clear aligners are promoted by brands as painless teeth straightening devices and there is certainly no two ways about it! Clear aligner treatment is the most accurate, painless, and adaptable treatment available in India for correcting tooth misalignment problems. It has become a popular treatment option for teenagers and working professionals for its benefits like being invisible, removable, quick, and accurate. However, advertisements and promotions never talk about how it feels to wear aligners. Here we are telling you the reality of –life with clear aligners!

• First day with clear aligners

Don’t be scared but be prepared as your first set of aligners will not be easy to go with. The treatment usually starts with ‘Zero –aligners’ that are handed over to the patient to help them adjust to the aligner trays. The set helps them to get used to the feeling of wearing something over the teeth. The set makes its own space in the mouth. Although, the aligner trays are customized to give a perfect fit onto the teeth any new accessory will take some time to fit in psychologically, emotionally, and medically. One might face a slight lisp while speaking as the mouth cavity detects a foreign body and does not function normally until the tongue, teeth, and jaw gets accustomed to the new gadget they are wearing. The patient is advised to drink plenty of water as they might experience a dry mouth in the beginning.

To smoothen the adjustment process, the patient is advised to practice these tongue twisters, to make the mouth cavity adapt to the aligner trays quickly and effectively:

1. While these three fleas flew, a freezy, sneezy breeze blew.
2. Gabbar got a gubbaraa for the guard who got Gabbar in a gubbaraa
3. Nandu ke nana aur Nandu ki naani ko naan kha ke neend na aye.
4. How much pot, could pot roast, if a pot roast could roast pot?
5. If Stu chews shoes, should Stu choose the shoes he chews?

The patient usually adjusts to the feeling of aligners usually in a few hours of wearing them continuously and by practicing these tongue twisters, the problem of lisping also fades within a few days.

• A week with clear aligners

Bravo! You are doing great! By this time your mouth cavity, jaws, and teeth have completely adjusted to wearing aligner trays. By the week’s end, the patient even forgets that he or she is even wearing them as your body has completely adjusted to the feeling of wearing aligners both mentally and physically. By this week lisping will also disappear and the patient does not face any speech-related difficulties. So, it is the stage where the patient starts feeling confident about the choice of the teeth straightening treatment that is the revolutionary, clear aligners!

• Going on with the treatment

Now that the patient has fully adapted to these miracle teeth straightening devices, he or she can now monitor the treatment journey and ask any queries related to the treatment progress from the doctor. Patients are advised to carry the old sets of aligners along with them when they visit the doctor every time when in two to three months’ time. Meanwhile, on change to a new set of aligners, the patients can send a picture of their teeth with the new aligner set so that the treating doctor can check the fit of the aligner trays. The patient can view the treatment progress on a computer screen through dental software that keeps a check on the teeth’ movement. The patient can visit the doctor once in 2 – 3 months to keep the treatment progress in check. Also, by this time the patient has already switched to a different set of aligners that are needed in accordance with the treatment plan. The patient generally requires 12-22 sets of clear aligners during the treatment according to the complexity of the dental case.

• Goodbye aligners, hello retainers

The wait is over! At this stage, the patient has achieved all the treatment milestones and reached the stage where the clear aligners have done their job successfully. This is the end stage of the treatment where the patient does not have to wear clear aligners anymore rather they are given high–quality transparent retainers that keep the teeth intact in their positions achieved through the treatment and refrain them from moving back to their prior positions. These retainers are completely invisible and need to be worn for at least three to six months after the treatment is over. It is always advisable to go for fixed retainers after any orthodontic treatment to prevent relapse. Ask your treating doctor about fixed retainers.

• All good!

Once the retainers have made sure that there is no moving back and the teeth have fully adjusted to their new position, the patient is good to go! He or she can now enjoy a confident and dazzling smile with beautifully aligned teeth. The patient can now experience better oral hygiene and better heart health. All this is an added advantage a patient gets along with a bright and beautiful smile after the clear aligner treatment.