Teeth aligners have become increasingly popular in recent years as the main means of aligning teeth, as opposed to braces. Here are some of the most useful tips on how to buy teeth aligners.
What are teeth aligners?
Teeth aligners also called the invisible braces, like other types of teeth braces work towards straightening your teeth by shifting them into an ideal position. They work gradually and the results are achieved when a person wears a series of aligners, each for about two weeks, which moves the teeth for about 0.4 mm per aligner until the ideal position of the teeth has been reached. Sometimes, aligners can be named transparent braces or clear braces because they are transparent.
This means that the person will be able to wear them everywhere especially in front of people without having them stare at their teeth as it’s usually the case with metal braces and even ceramic braces. The biggest difference between braces and aligners is that braces apply a pull force that gradually shifts teeth into their place, and the aligners use a push force rather than a pull force so they could rotate your teeth. Aligners make a smooth, very mild teeth rotation and are usually the preferred choice among adults, especially because they produce no gum pain or bleeding.
The mold comes first
Before a person even thinks about beginning treatment, they will have to send their provider photos and impressions of their teeth to confirm whether or not they are a suitable candidate for aligners. This can be achieved online and the interested party may even pay for an impression kit to take the mold online which will be delivered to their home address. The kit is usually quite inexpensive, but the kit’s cost is typically refundable if the person is not accepted for treatment.
If they qualify for the treatment, the next step is to take the mold of their teeth. The mold is a crucial part of getting teeth aligners because it will need to be a perfect fit for your teeth to do a great job of straightening them. The mold can be taken from the comfort of the home or can be done in the office, depending on which you prefer. Taking the mold might not be the most comfortable feeling in the world, but it is a crucial stepping stone towards making the teeth look perfect.
Mind the seams
When you first start wearing teeth aligners you might notice that they feel odd in your mouth. This is completely normal and many people find that their tongue will rub against the edges of the aligner. In some extreme cases, the seams can even create cuts on the tongue which may become very painful and can make canker sores. However, this problem will often improve when the mouth gets used to the aligners but in the meantime, dental wax can be used to cover the rough edges and make them much smoother.
Another recommended thing to ease the uncomfortable feeling that aligners first give is to try chewing exercises. Of course, when the person first starts wearing them, they won’t be in the perfect placement, but if chewing exercises are done regularly, they will help tremendously. These include chewing on small orthodontic chewies. They will also massage your gums and they will also promote blood flow throughout the gums helping them stay healthy.
Maintain your new teeth
Last but not least, once your teeth are aligned to the point where the client is satisfied, efforts should be put in to maintain the teeth in their new and correct place. Furthermore, teeth need to be prevented from moving back to their original place after treatment, so a retainer must be worn. Most providers include the price of the retainer in their treatment price, making them quite inexpensive. The retainers need to be worn as an aftercare incentive because all the effort that was put into making the teeth straight will disappear.
Furthermore, the retainers should be worn every night to maintain the new smile. It’s also recommended to wear retainers for at least a year after the treatment is completed to ensure that the teeth haven’t shifted at all. Retainers need to be worn at all costs otherwise the money will be wasted and the patient will have to go through the whole treatment again.
The first factor that needs to be considered when buying teeth aligners is whether you qualify for them by taking the mold. From then on it’s just a question of the provider and the cost of the whole process, including the aftercare once the job is done.
