We often blog about our clear aligners treatment, which we offer here at our orthodontists near Stockport, Manchester. But, many people are still none the wiser about some of the practicalities of wearing these clear braces. We’re hoping to clear that up in today’s post. What are clear aligners? First of all, we’ll give a […]
We often blog about our clear aligners treatment, which we offer here at our orthodontists near Stockport, Manchester. But, many people are still none the wiser about some of the practicalities of wearing these clear braces. We’re hoping to clear that up in today’s post.
What are clear aligners?
First of all, we’ll give a quick summary of what these clear braces are and how they work. They’re made of transparent acrylic, fit comfortably in the mouth, and can be taken out by the patient when needed (unlike fixed braces). Treatment involves wearing a set of aligners across a period (perhaps a year), with each set gently adjusting the teeth.
Can you smoke while wearing clear aligners?
No – and we’d caution against smoking at all, as it has such detrimental effects on your dental health (being a cause of oral cancer, for example). Smoking while wearing the aligners can cause your aligners to become discoloured, so they lose their clear appearance. It’s even possible that smoking could damage them in other ways.
Can you eat with clear braces?
No, again this isn’t recommended. Clear aligners can easily be taken out when you need to eat or drink (except for water), which means there are no limitations on your diet whatsoever. However, you will need to clean your clear braces before putting them back in and when it comes to brushing your teeth, you’ll need to care for your aligners, too.
Can you chew gum with clear aligners?
No. Not only could the forces of the chewing cause untold damage to your aligners, but the gum could get stuck in the crevices of the brace. And, of course, damaging your clear braces while wearing them could cause damage to the tissues of your mouth, teeth and gums.
Can you drink with clear braces?
We touched on this earlier, but again, it’s a resounding no. There’s a risk of staining or discolouring your braces, and there could be effects on your oral health, too. Always take them out when you’re drinking. We do stress, though, that water is absolutely fine to drink when wearing the aligners.
I need help with my clear aligners. What do I do?
Just give us a call or email and we’ll get on the case. Our orthodontists, specialising in clear aligners near Stockport, Manchester, offer the very best in dental care and dental excellence, and our team work hard to create fantastic results for each patient that walks through our doors.
