After receiving your removable braces, you might be wondering: how to properly insert and remove aligners. Proper aligner usage and removal are crucial for keeping your orthodontic devices in ideal condition.
Furthermore, you also get to protect invisible aligners from any possible damage or mishandling that can affect their performance. Plus, improper aligner removal can cause irritation and discomfort. Therefore, understanding the best aligner usage methods can save you a lot of trouble.
Guide For Inserting Clear Aligners
To place and use your clear aligner trays in the best possible way, you need to follow certain steps listed below:
- You should always start from your front teeth area and then ideally work along the way to the back.
- Place your invisible aligner tray along your front teeth area and use your finger to push it up until the tray fits.
- Once your aligner tray completely covers your teeth, gently push to ensure they are seated correctly.
- You can also use chewies to ensure the ideal aligner fits over your teeth.
- The same method applies to your lower teeth arch.
Please don’t try to bite to get your aligners to fit in as it can break or bend the aligner tray. If you believe that your aligners are not properly seated they might have been folded. If you face this issue, you can carefully unfold the aligner back out and try to fit it again.
Guide For Removing Clear Aligners
Follow these steps for the proper removal of clear aligners:
Wash Hands
It is important to wash your hands before you start removing your invisible braces. This small act of hygiene can help reduce or stop bacteria from infecting your mouth, keeping your removable aligners and teeth safe.
Just simply grab your favorite scrub. Begin washing your hands with water and soap. This small step might seem insignificant, but it’s crucial for maintaining oral health.
Begin at Your Teeth’s Back Side
After washing your hands clean, let’s move on to the removal process of your invisible aligners. It is actually a good idea to begin at the back side of teeth in the molar region. Why? Because it makes it much easier to release removable aligners without much struggle or pressure on the front teeth arch, which can lead to misalignment or discomfort.
To carefully set your removable aligner free, gently use your forefinger and thumb to grip the clear aligner placed at the back. Just give it a small wiggle and move the aligner out through gentle motion.
If you think your aligner is too snugly fit don’t apply excess pressure. Instead, you can check other areas where your aligner might be loose. Sometimes, all you need is a little patience to remove your aligner tray smoothly.
Switch to Your Front Teeth Area
Once you have successfully removed your removable aligner from the back of your teeth, it’s time to set your focus on the front arch. This area requires a bit of focus and finesse, so be patient and don’t hurry.
Carefully use your fingers to pinch removable aligners placed at your teeth’s front area. Gently grip your aligner as applying pressure can be painful.
Now start pulling your invisible aligner tray away from your teeth softly but in swift motion. Just imagine you are sliding your favorite glove off your hand. If you feel like the aligner is not coming off just stop. A small wiggling motion can help you remove it smoothly.
Use an Aligner Removal Tool
In many cases, you can remove your invisible aligners using a pull tool, which is quite handy. These amazing gadgets are tailored to help you remove your aligner trays without exerting excess strain or force on your teeth or aligners. If your aligner is snugly fitted, a pull tool can help remove it with much ease.
So how can you use an aligner pull tool efficiently? First, start by using the tool on your teeth’s back side. With very small pressure just give it a wiggle to free the removable aligner just like you achieve with your fingers. The aligner pull tool offers precision removal without damaging the aligner tray.
Summing Up
Clear aligners are delicate devices that need to be handled with care and love. You can use them in the best possible way through proper knowledge and understanding of inserting and removing your aligner trays.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is generally not recommended to drink anything other than regular water while wearing invisible aligners.
You should usually start your aligner removal process at the back of your mouth in the molar region.
Yes, you can easily obtain an aligner pull tool from at-home aligner suppliers like Smilepath.
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