We always strive to provide the very highest quality in orthodontic care at James Karpac Orthodontics, and this includes maintaining an easygoing, friendly, fun office environment. Our team of orthodontic specialists works diligently to ensure that every patient of ours feels as comfortable as possible when they come to our office, and we’ll always develop a personalized treatment plan that suits the specific needs of each patient.
But developing and implementing our professional treatment plans is only just a part of the entire orthodontic process, and it’s just as important for every patient to take care of their orthodontic appliances and general oral health at home. This is especially the case when it comes to our in-house, invisible aligners called Line-M-Up.
Taking Care of Your Line-M-Up Aligners
One of the many incredible benefits of having invisible aligners is the freedom to be able to remove the aligners when you are eating and drinking, but of course they inevitably will get dirty. It’s vital to maintain the cleanliness of your aligners in order to ensure the overall effectiveness of your treatment, which is a lot easier said than done in terms of maintaining odorless, germ-free aligners on a daily basis.
If you aren’t taking good care of your aligners you can potentially start to experience discolorations, foul smells and deposit buildups of bacteria and plaque that can erode your teeth’s enamel.
But we’re here to tell you in this article just how easy it is to take care of your invisible aligners, so the following are some Do’s and Don’ts you should keep in mind:
DO:
- Rinse your aligners thoroughly every time you take them out of your mouth under running water in order to rinse any food particles, saliva and potential bacteria.
- Soak your invisible aligners regularly and/or clean them in dishwashing liquid.
- Take consistent, proper care of your teeth by brushing and flossing regularly so you can prevent plaque buildup within your aligners.
- Use anti-bacterial soap or dishwashing liquid to keep your aligners free of plaque and harmful bacteria.
- Brush very carefully but be gentle because you can potentially leave scratches and other visible marks if you brush too forcefully.
DON’T:
- Eat or drink while wearing your aligners because it can end up leaving terrible stains and unpleasant smells, so always just stick with water when you’re actually wearing your invisible aligners.
- Use toothpaste, because although it’s great for your teeth and gums it isn’t good for your aligners. You’ll want to brush them very carefully without paste. If you use toothpaste the aligners will become opaque as there are abrasives in toothpaste.
Traveling With Invisible Aligners
There’s no doubt about it that the convenience of being able to take your invisible aligners on and off can also lead to some problems, which can make something like traveling more difficult. If you’re going to travel with your Line-M-Up aligners, here are some tips to help you take care of them:
Keeping a supply:
It’s always smart to keep about three pairs of aligners with you when you travel, including your current, previous and next set. If you’re going to be out of town for more than a few weeks then it may be best to take more.
Have an extra case:
Everyone knows how easy it can be to lose a small aligner or retainer case, so we always recommend traveling with an extra.
Rinse when needed:
We always recommend that you lightly brush your aligners every time you take them out, but that’s not necessarily a viable option when you’re traveling. So, we recommend that you at the very least always rinse them out thoroughly before putting them back in your mouth, and brush as much as you can when it’s convenient.
Contact Us Today!
Do you have any questions about taking care of your invisible aligners? We’re always here to help you, so feel free to reach out to us online and schedule your appointment with us.
We are always willing and ready to give you the assistance you need to make the most out of your orthodontic treatments, and we wish you the best of luck in taking care of your Line-M-Up invisible aligners!