Did you miss out on orthodontic care during childhood? A lot of people did! Whether it was due to their family situation or their own opinions on it. Although misalignment was considered too minor to address with NHS care in many cases. But you don’t have to put up with it. You can get orthodontic treatment without the rigmarole of braces, regular trips to a clinic or any of the other disadvantages you may have thought you would have to go through to realign your smile. All thanks to Invisalign Clapham.
How aligners feel day-to-day
There is an amount of discomfort that comes along with any orthodontic treatment and aligners are certainly not exempt. When you change to your next aligner in the sequence, there is a noticeable tightness that you would feel across your teeth. This is usually found within the first few hours and how you wear your aligner is key. Make sure it is fitted properly.
If you personally find discomfort more predominant at night or during quiet periods, it may be best to change your aligner during a busy part of the day when you are distracted or inactive. Alternatively, if you find it easy to sleep with a fresh aligner, placing it in just before bedtime, this will allow you to sleep through any of that immediate discomfort and wake up ready for the next day!
Modifying your aligners for comfort
Patients sometimes consider modifying their aligners to make them more comfortable. This has to be done extremely cautiously. The shape of an aligner is critical for it to be efficient and as its role is to consistently push on teeth, so a degree of discomfort needs to be tolerated. That said, many report that the edges of the aligners can be sharp, or slightly curled inwards, irritating the gum line. This can be modified through cautious trimming of the very top edge or sanding using sand paper. But care should be taken not to distort its overall shape or any of the surfaces that make contact with the teeth.
Thermal warping and replacing aligners
The polymers used to produce clear aligners are thermoplastics and will warp and change shape if heated above body temperature. Aligners can therefore easily be damaged if stored too close to a radiator or left in clothing that goes through a washing or drying machine. If you do end up with warped aligners, replacements will have to be ordered. Attempting to use them could do more damage to your teeth than good. Thankfully many aligner manufacturers have a rapid turnaround replacement service for lost or damaged aligners in a sequence that can be quickly shipped.
Low-impact retainers
Orthodontic procedures, regardless of what tools are used, often finish with a period of retainer use. This is to ensure teeth do not regress back into their original positions or limit the progress that has been made, as the opportunity to become permanent has to be maintained.
Orthodontic patients do not tolerate the traditional retainers often used with braces Although they are less obvious than a brace, they are significantly more impactful on your appearance than an aligner. This has led to the development of a set of thin clear aligner-like retainers allowing you to finish your treatment as conveniently as it started.