How Often Do I Have To Wear My Aligners?
For the absolute best results, your teen should expect to wear their aligners for as long as possible every day—meaning around 22 hours or more. Really, the only times they should be taking the aligners out at all involve whenever they’re having a meal and whenever they’re brushing their teeth (and taking care of the aligners themselves). At all other times, those aligners should be in their mouth to make sure that treatment can continue without delay.
Is There Anything That I Cannot Eat While Using Clear Aligners?
This is one reason why people like clear aligners so much to begin with: there are absolutely no dietary restrictions to speak of. This is because the aligners can be easily removed from your mouth before a meal, allowing you to enjoy whatever you want, at which point you can then put them back in again when you’re done. Just be sure to brush and floss your teeth before you put the aligners back in, of course.
How Long Does Treatment With Aligners Take?
The answer to this question will vary pretty heavily depending on the patient, as certain types of issues simply take a longer time to correct than others. No two patients are created equally, so while one person may be out of treatment after a year, another person may need an additional six months.
Don’t worry, Dr. Wilson will go over all of this with you well in advance so that you know exactly what to expect from your treatment. Having said all of that, most people can expect to be in clear aligners for a period of between one and two years.
How Do Clear Aligners for Teens Work?
Clear aligners straighten teeth using a series of custom-made trays that gradually guide teeth into their ideal position. At Wilson Ortho, we offer several clear aligner systems for teens, including Invisalign and Angel Aligners, allowing us to choose the best option for each patient.
Traditional braces use metal brackets and wires to move teeth. These wires must be adjusted periodically during office visits to continue guiding teeth into alignment.
Clear aligners work differently. Instead of brackets and wires, your teen wears a series of clear, removable aligners that are designed using a precise iTero digital scan of their teeth. Each aligner is slightly different and gently shifts the teeth over time.
Your teen will wear each set of aligners for about one to two weeks before switching to the next set in the series. With consistent wear—typically 20–22 hours per day—their smile gradually moves into alignment.
What Happens If My Teen Loses an Aligner?
If your teen loses or damages an aligner, don’t worry—this can happen occasionally during treatment.
In many cases, we may recommend moving to the next set of aligners until a replacement can be provided. Because the next aligner may feel slightly tighter, using aligner “chewies” can help the tray fit more comfortably.
If an aligner is lost or broken, contact our office so we can guide you on the best next steps to keep treatment on track.
Are There Any Food Restrictions?
One of the biggest advantages of clear aligners is that there are no food restrictions.
Because aligners are removable, teens can simply take them out before eating or drinking anything besides water. After meals or snacks, it’s important to brush and floss before putting the aligners back in to maintain good oral hygiene and keep the trays clear.
