A Few Things To Understand About Getting Aligner Tray Braces

If you wore braces as a teen but were lax about wearing your retainer and eventually stopped using it, your teeth may have shifted out of their straight alignment. One possible solution for this problem is to get invisible aligner trays, such as Invisalign, from your dentist. By wearing the trays for the necessary length of time and then switching to a retainer, your teeth can be moved back to a straight alignment for a prettier smile. Start by making an appointment with an Invisalign dentist to see if these aligner trays are right for you. Here are some things to understand about using aligner trays.

You Need To Wear The Trays Nearly All Day

You may have heard you can take the aligner trays out when you want, but it's important to understand that your teeth won't move as quickly if you don't wear the trays all day. If you don't leave the aligners in long enough, you may not get the results you want. It's true you can take the trays out when you eat and brush your teeth, but they should be in your mouth the rest of the time except for very special occasions.

When you first see your dentist, they work up a treatment plan that includes the shape of the trays and how often you need to put in new trays to change the alignment of your teeth over a certain amount of time. If you don't keep your trays in long enough every day, you might disrupt your treatment plan.

You Still Need A Retainer After Your Treatment

Just like normal braces move the position of your teeth, the aligner trays move your teeth to a different position so their alignment is improved. Once your teeth reach their desired position, there is nothing to hold them in place except for a retainer. You may need to wear the retainer all day initially, and then gradually reduce the amount of time you need to wear it. Your case is unique, so your dentist will tell you how many hours to wear the retainer each day and how long you need to use it. If you don't comply, your teeth may shift once again and you'll have wasted time and money and not have the smile you desire.

You'll Still Need To See Your Dentist Regularly

Instead of having bands tightened, you'll just switch to new aligner trays on a schedule determined by your dentist. While you can do this at home, it's still important to see your dentist on the schedule they recommend. Your dentist tracks the results you get with the aligners, and if necessary, adjustments are made to your treatment plan. Your dentist wants to see you regularly to make sure the treatment is working and that you're not having problems with the aligners. Plus, you'll still need things like dental exams and cleanings, so plan on seeing your dentist as scheduled until your Invisalign treatment is over.


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