Do you want to try out invisible aligners to get the straighter smile that you want?

If so, come and see our team at Clapham South. We can offer you Invisalign Clapham, which is a smart, sleek and minimalist way to straighten your teeth. Perfect!

So, what do you need to know about Invisalign Clapham? Here is a quick guide!

You need to wear them- a lot!

When it comes to Invisalign Clapham, in order for them to be successful, you are going to need to wear them as much as you can in order for them to work.

You may not be aware, but it takes 8 hours of continual pressure on a tooth for it to begin moving. So, if you are intermittent with their usage, they aren’t going to work. Our team recommends wearing them for 22 hours per day.

They will need cleaning

Aligners are removable, hence why they are so appealing to almost everyone. However, the aligners themselves will also need a bit of TLC when they aren’t in your mouth. There are special cleaners that you can use to clean them or, if you are in a hurry, rinse them under a cold tap and remove debris with a toothbrush. Never rinse the aligners under a hot water tap or use mouthwash to clean them; the heat can warp them, and the mouthwash can stain them.

Wearing times vary

You may have read on our website that aligners take between 3-6 months to straighten teeth. This is an average. If your teeth have a more complicated alignment, it may take longer. Luckily, our team will be able to give you a timeline of how long we think it will take at the initial assessment.  So, keep them in as directed by our team and be sure to attend the check-ups and send pics.

They don’t suit everyone

We should state here that when it comes to invisible aligners, they don’t suit everyone.

If you have a dental misalignment that is complex, or you have a misalignment that is not minor to moderate, then you can’t use aligners to straighten your teeth. You will need a fitted brace instead!

Of course, aligners can be used at a later stage in the realignment process if you wish, but most people can somewhat bond with their braces and choose to wear them until the end of treatment (yes, really!), but it is up to you. Also, aligners cannot move molar teeth, so if you have a set of molar teeth that are crooked or protruding, this will not be suitable for aligners.

Wear….the…retainers!

OK, this is a point we have to insist upon! As orthodontists, members of our team are not only dedicated to moving your teeth into better positions. But we also want them to stay there.

Once the aligners are off, you will need to wear your retainers every night after you go to sleep. Why? Because teeth are moveable as they are attached to bungee-like cords. If they are not held in place, those cords will pull them back to their original position.

So, wear the retainers, or you may end up with a fitted one!