Clear aligners have revolutionized not only dentistry but also the lives of many dental patients, who didn’t want to compromise their aesthetics with traditional braces. With their discrete presence, removable aligners are generally easy to wear and maintain, while a few aligner accessories can make living with them easier.
Aligner accessories are some essentials and even parts and parcels of Clear aligner treatment. They are vital for maintaining proper hygiene of not only your aligners but your complete oral health. These accessories are useful in carrying, storing and protecting and even smooth using of your aligners.
So, from the right aligner storage case to specialized cleaning supplies for aligners, here’s a brief detail of the key accessories every aligner wearer should have.
Cleaning and Hygiene Accessories For Aligners & Your Teeth
Aligner cleaning solutions and crystals
Aligner cleaning solutions and crystals are meant to clean and disinfect clear aligners and retainers. These tiny cleaning crystals remove all kinds of plaques and bacteria on the surface of the aligners. They are also deep clean of any bacteria stuck inside. They are recommended for daily soaking, but you may also use them for soaking twice a week.
Toothbrushes
Soft-bristled branded toothbrushes are recommended to clean aligners for minimum pressure and effective cleaning. However, manual toothbrushes are nowhere near as effective at removing bacteria and plaque buildup, which is vital when you’re using clear aligners. So you may switch to electric toothbrushes. If you don’t clean your teeth effectively for 22 hours per day, bacteria is trapped against your teeth, where it can do the most damage.
Dental floss
You should already be flossing your teeth, too, to keep them in the best shape. Dental floss is a cord of thin filaments used in interdental cleaning to remove food and dental plaque from between teeth or places a toothbrush has difficulty reaching or is unable to reach. Its regular use as part of oral cleaning is intended to maintain oral health.
Ultrasonic cleaning devices
If you have a good amount to invest in aligner care, investing in an ultrasonic cleaner will do wonders for your aligner trays. Although it is not a necessity, it does a great job deep cleaning aligners and retainers. Even after using the device, make sure to rinse the trays one more time before putting them back in your mouth.
Whitening foam
If you’re a little impatient and want a whiter smile while your teeth are straightened, consider a whitening foam that you can wear with your aligners. With these, it’s best to stick to the gels provided as optional extras by your aligner provider.
Whitening foams won’t be as strong as strips or gel, but they will certainly make a difference as your teeth are undergoing alignment treatment. It’s harmless to your gums and the aligner itself but it is advisable to use whitening foam with caution and after consulting your orthodontist.
Comfort and Protection Accessories
Aligner chewies or seaters
The aligners will often be an extremely snug fit, particularly every time you switch to a new set. You might find trouble getting them quite into place the first time you wear each set. That’s where chewies can help. They are a soft, sponge-like item that you chew on once you have inserted your aligners in your mouth.
The chewing action helps to force the aligners into place, making sure they find their correct home and get to work with moving your teeth. You simply pop in a chewie and chew for around 10 minutes, and you should find your aligners are snug once you’re done.
Aligner removal tools
Your aligners may sit flush against the edge of your gums, so getting a grip on them to remove them without damaging them may be tricky. That’s when you need an aligner removal tool. The tool is a small plastic product with a ridge that you can use to carefully lever your aligners away from your teeth without risking slipping and hurting your gums or the roof or base of your mouth.
Aligner cases and storage containers
Aligner cases and storage containers are the best picks while you travel a lot or are involved in daily jobs and other activities. Carry a case with you whenever you are going out where you need to eat to carefully place the aligners after removing them. This way, the aligners will be kept clean and damage-free.
Orthodontic Wax
Orthodontic wax can be used to relieve discomfort from aligner attachments. You can take a small amount of wax in between your thumb and index and start rolling until making a small ball. Place that on one point of the edges and spread it over. This wax coating will eliminate the soreness that sharp edges can cause.
On-the-Go Aligner Accessories
Portable aligner cases and containers
A portable extra aligner case and containers are a must to keep in your bag while traveling during your treatment with clear aligners.
Essentials
A soft-bristled toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, and dental floss will help you clean your teeth thoroughly whenever you remove the aligners. An oral irrigator can help clean between close-together teeth that you can’t floss. And a good mouthwash will keep bad breath at bay.
Aligner cleaning spray
Bacteria buildup on your aligners can change them from clear to cloudy. And all of those colonies could hop from your trays to your teeth. Aligner cleaning sprays remove those harmful bacterial colonies, and they can keep your breath fresh too. While the traditional way to clean your aligners is with soaking tablets or a toothbrush, both of these cleaning options can be cumbersome. A cleaning spray is easier to use. The cleaning spray kills germs that cause bad breath without damaging your aligners
Aligner removal tools for convenience
Carry aligner removal tools for a convenient and comfortable removal experience especially when you are on the go for a smooth removal without causing any harm or damage to the aligners.
Tips for Choosing the Right Accessories
- It’s tricky to choose the right attachments for clear aligners. One may invest in accessories considering individual needs and preferences, age of the patient, kind of clear aligner trays, how active the person is throughout the day, how often he needs to go out, and altogether decide which accessories he needs to invest in.
- Try to buy products recommended by your orthodontist or products that are good in quality and aligned or compatible with your aligner brand.
- An important factor is always being cost-effective and valuing money. So check the price beforehand and do a brief market research. Remember not to choose cheap quality products at lower prices.
Fun Accessories for Kids
Motivating kids to use clear aligners must be no joke for parents. Thinking about the junior users of clear aligners, there are some fun accessories available in the markets, essentially designed to add a fun quotient to the overall orthodontic treatment.
Extras like printed aligner cases that enhance the look and feel of the aligner cases may be used to personalise the cases. Again, there are aligners stackables that kids can find cool to use, which may motivate them to use the aligners for longer periods of the day.
Whatever you are choosing, make sure to consult your orthodontist to avoid any mishappening.
Final Verdict
Similar to brushing your teeth every night, knowing the proper way of cleaning your clear aligner trays is important for your oral health.
If you don’t clean your aligners regularly, then any stains can stay there and make them appear more noticeable. Also, any food particles that get stuck in your trays can breed bacteria and spread quickly, causing one to develop bad breath.
Accessories make life easier with clear aligners, but cleaning all the tools and equipment that touch your teeth or aligners is a must. You should consult your aligner provider or your orthodontist before using any accessories with your clear aligner treatment. For more details on aligner care and clear aligner hygiene tips, check all our blogs.
FAQs
Aligner accessories are meant for protection and aligner safety. Also, these accessories help maintain hygiene and care for the aligners.
How often you replace your aligner cleaning solution depends on the type and how much you use it. If you use it every day, change it every one to two weeks. If you use it less often, you may not need to change it as frequently.
Chewies assist in applying pressure to your teeth to move them gradually into the desired position. They are soft and chewable and do not damage or scratch aligners
Ideally, clean your aligners every day with a mild cleaner and soft toothbrush.
Research online what you are exactly looking for and also consult your dental professional for the best products and usages.
