Understanding how to minimize clear aligners’ discomfort

Metal braces hurt. No questions about it. Compared to them, clear aligners are a breeze. Agreed, there is a slight degree of discomfort with the aligners but it is temporary. But, if you feel you cannot handle the discomfort, there are several ways to handle it.

Here are a few tips that you can follow to minimize clear aligners’ discomfort.

1. Switch Aligners at Night

Ideally, you must change your toothsi invisible aligners every 12-14 days. The only time you will feel a slight discomfort is when you change to the next set of aligners. Even that would be temporary.

The first few hours after switching the aligners may be slightly uncomfortable. If you switch them at night, you would sleep through the discomfort. Moreover, the sensory system relaxes when you sleep. This helps in reducing sensations like pressure on the teeth, stress, and pain.

By the time you wake up, the dental ligament will be stretched out and the teeth will have a few hours to adjust before you remove your aligners.   

2. Stay on Schedule

You need to switch to the new set of aligners exactly as mentioned in your toothsi smile makeover plan. Not a day before, not a day later.

If you switch early, the new aligners may not fit properly and you will feel some pain. The same applies if you switch the aligners later than the prescribed time.

Going off-schedule can also hinder the treatment and affect the final outcome of getting the perfect smile.

3. Cold Compress

Ice pack FTW! Placing cold compress or an ice pack on the cheeks or jaw will reduce inflammation and numb the slight discomfort.

But do not do that for more than 20 minutes. Instead, do it for short increments. If you are using ice, wrap it up in a towel or cloth. This helps in preventing injuring the skin.

4. Suck on Ice Cubes

Another effective way of reducing clear aligner discomfort is to suck on ice cubes. If you feel some pain after removing your aligners to brush or eat, suck on an ice cube for a while.

This will alleviate mild pain to a great extent.

5. Don’t Remove Aligners Constantly

Removing the transparent aligners constantly won’t just affect the smile makeover process but also increase the discomfort.

True, you have to take out the aligners when you eat, drink or brush. If you leave them out for too long, they will feel tighter when you put them back on. When you wear them consistently for the recommended time, your mouth will get a chance to adjust to the aligners. This will eventually minimize the discomfort.

If you left them out for too long and the aligners are not fitting correctly, you might have to go back to an earlier set of aligners.

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Remember that the discomfort is temporary. If you can find a way through that and apply the above-mentioned tips, you will get that picture-perfect smile before you know it.

Talk to your orthodontist if you face any speedbumps in your smile makeover plan, especially if the aligners don’t fit you properly at any stage.