Here’s our list of tips to keep in mind while wearing our innovative invisible aligner technology called Line-M-Up™
Invisible aligners have become a well-known way for orthodontic patients to obtain their dream smile within a comfortable method, and Dr. Karpac’s unique Line-M-Up™ technology is leading the industry when it comes to effectiveness.
But although our Line-M-Up™ technology is on the cutting edge of our field, every patient is still going to be required to do and avoid certain things in order to fully guarantee their very best potential outcomes. Our team will always fill each of our patients in on all the necessary details about our invisible aligner system when they initiate their treatment, and in this article we’re going to briefly go over some of these important tips.
We’re more than confident that each and every one of our Line-M-Up™ patients will breeze through their treatment processes when they follow our instructions and consistently ensure the integrity of their aligners, and the following are some crucial do’s and don’ts to keep in mind regarding wearing invisible aligners!
DO The Following:
Wear your Line-M-Up™ aligners for around 22 hours each day
Invisible aligners are a really incredible type of orthodontic treatment, but only when patients are adamant and determined when it comes to actually wearing their aligners.
It’s important for patients to understand how your aligners will continuously be exerting a gentle pressure upon your teeth in order to properly shift them into their correct positioning, but of course your aligners won’t be able to create this necessary pressure if they aren’t in your mouth!
We always recommend to our patients that they wear their aligner trays for the entirety of each day and only take them out to eat meals/snacks, drink and brush/floss your teeth. This typically will equate to about 20-22 hours each day!
Clean Your Line-M-Up™ Aligners Every Day
Invisible aligner trays are a breeding ground for bacteria and plaque, and it’ll be inevitable that bad materials will accumulate on your aligners each and every day if you don’t properly clean them.
When it comes to cleaning your Line-M-Up™ trays, you’ll want to gently brush the aligners with a toothbrush that has soft bristles prior to rinsing them in warm water. We recommend DAWN dishwashing soap or another kind of dishwasher liquid cleaner. Do not soak them in the dishwasher packets dissolved! It’s pretty straightforward, but it’s important that each patient takes the time to conduct these cleaning routines each morning and every night prior to sleeping.
It’s also very important that all Line-M-Up™ patients know that they’ll need to properly rinse their aligners (and brush/floss their teeth) after snacks and meals. You’re only going to wear each aligner set for about two weeks, so it’ll always be crucial to make the most out of each aligner’s lifespan and ensure its overall hygiene!
Brush Your Teeth After Drinking And Eating Prior To Putting Your Aligners Back In Your Mouth
We mentioned this above, but it’s very important to understand how easy it is for your aligners to trap liquids and food debris if you don’t brush after meals. This is especially troublesome because your aligners are essentially going to slow down the flow of saliva in and around your teeth, which can cause the food debris to sit tightly up against your teeth for long periods of time. This can lead to serious dental problems like cavities, tooth decay and gingivitis!
In order for Line-M-Up™ patients to maintain their overall oral health, they’ll need to be vigilant when it comes to brushing/flossing, and at the very least thoroughly rinsing their mouth out after each meal prior to placing aligners back in.
Keep Your Aligners In A Case
Your case will always be the proper storage device for your Line-M-Up™ trays, and it’s a general rule of thumb to always put your aligners in the case when you take them off.
Aligners are very delicate and shouldn’t be exposed to pets or the potential of mistaking them for plastic trash! Damaging or losing an aligner will always create setbacks with the overall efficiency of your treatment, so it’s always best to make sure that you’re properly storing your aligners by keeping your case with you on a daily basis!
DON’T Do The Following:
Forget To Remove Your Aligners When Drinking And Eating
Water is the only thing you can drink when you have aligners in your mouth, and everything else will require you to properly remove your aligner trays.
Your aligners simply aren’t designed to withstand the incredible amount of pressure that goes with chewing food, and like we mentioned above you can very easily trap food and liquids within your aligners.
Wearing dirty aligners will not only put your mouth at a serious risk of oral health issues like cavities and tooth decay, but you can also potentially stain your teeth. And even if you teeth don’t stain, that doesn’t mean that your aligners won’t, and any aligner discoloration will somewhat defeat the general purpose of utilizing an invisible aligner treatment!
Expose Your Aligners To High Temperatures
There are a few pretty serious issues that can arise when you do things like rinse your aligner trays in extremely hot water, leave your trays in while drinking a hot beverage, or leave your trays in a hot car; however the biggest issue high temperatures pose to aligners is the potential for warping.
Any kind of warping to your aligner trays will have a detrimental effect on how it fits within your mouth, which can subsequently have a negative impact on your treatment’s results. This is why you should always keep your aligners safe from any kind of high temperatures or extreme heat, and always rinse your trays with lukewarm water.
Jump To The Next Set Of Trays When Misplacing Your Aligners
It’s always very important that you reach out to our offices when you lose a Line-M-Up™ aligner, because we’ll let you know the proper steps you should take in these type of situations.
It’s crucial for all patients to understand how each tray set is designed to attain very particular teeth movements, and each set of trays has its own unique role within the overall treatment strategy.
We’ll be able to let you know if it’s possible for you to move on to your next set of aligner trays, or if we think it’s best that you wear your previous trays until we can get your replacements made. This decision will typically depend upon where you are within your wear cycle, but it’s always a decision that Dr. Karpac and our team should distinguish for you.
Utilize Abrasive Cleaners On Your Line-M-Up™ Aligners
Even toothpaste can be considered harsh when it comes to cleaning your aligners, and this is because certain cleansers can increase the chances of scratching. Any scratch marks will ultimately make your invisible aligners much more noticeable while wearing them, so we always recommend being very delicate when it comes to cleaning your aligner trays.
It’s also important to note that Line-M-Up™ patients should avoid any kind of abrasive soaps, particularly scented or colored soaps. These types of soaps can create a discoloration within your aligners, and they won’t taste too good when you put the aligners back on! We recommend DAWN dishwashing soap or another kind of dishwasher liquid cleaner. Do not soak them in the dishwasher packets dissolved, though!
Reach Out To Dr. Karpac And Our Team For More Information About Wearing Our Line-M-Up™ Invisible Aligners!
The above do’s and don’ts are a great starting point for anyone that is beginning their Line-M-Up™ treatment, and our team will always be able to answer any questions or concerns you may have about this innovative type of orthodontic treatment.
So always feel free to reach out to us online or call us at 614-766-0330 (Dublin Office) or 614-471-6355 (Gahanna Office) today to get in touch with our team who can help put you or your loved one on the right track towards initiating treatment with our revolutionary Line-M-Up™ invisible aligner technology!