You're unlikely to be at home 24/7 so it's a really good idea to carry a manual toothbrush and toothpaste with you at all times.

If you’re considering braces, you’re in good company: The American Association of Orthodontics reported a 92.5% growth in orthodontic patients in 2021) . “My practice has had more adults come in for teeth alignment issues than orthodontists have seen in past decades. It's a trend that has been rising for the past ten years,” says Bruce Tasios, DDS, MDSc, and an orthodontist in private practice in Ontario, Canada. I don't carry all my little interdental brushes and flossers everywhere, but I do like to make sure I can keep to a good hygiene routine when I'm out and about. This part of the guide is in case something is wrong, whether it be the sharp edge of an aligner poking into you, broken aligners, etc.. PowerBar is a fixed functional, direct bond orthodontic appliance for correction of Class II cases into Class I through efficient segmental tooth movement. The universal design . . . Read More Smoking: You should not smoke with your aligners in. This can stain them, and cause them to smell awful. Not sure about the heat.As regular readers will know, right at the end of 2018, I had hidden braces (lingual braces) fitted to help reposition my crowded teeth. They're braces that are fitted on the inside surface of the teeth, so that they don't show when you talk and smile, and I'm having the treatment with Signature Orthodontics in return for sharing my experiences.

You will most likely be pleased with the result. However, keep in mind the possibility that you end up with a sort of wonky bite. It isn’t too uncommon, yet it does happen on occasion. You should know the risks. My dentist advises against having any fizzy drinks at all and suggests that if you must have a sweet treat, that you try to have a piece of cheese afterwards to neutralise it, and brush your teeth soon after, as normal. Take your time to clean your teeth properly Anything very sugary: This can be very bad for your teeth and depending on what it is, potentially funk up your aligners. You'll need to use a good quality toothpaste with the correct fluoride content according to your orthodontist's advice. Once you've completed your dental cleaning routine, it's usually best to finish off by rinsing with a mouthwash to remove any loose particles and give an extra dose of fluoride.

Sugary foods can damage your tooth enamel irreparably and what's the point of working so hard to get straight teeth, only to have them full of cavities. Most people couldn’t tell I had them, and I loved that I could smile widely without worrying about my braces being visible in pictures when I was a bridesmaid at my brothers’ wedding or when I took a headshot for work. And the most important thing. Know your options, and make sure SDC is a good fit for you. Your life probably doesn’t rely on getting your teeth as straight as possible as soon as possible and for the cheapest price. You do not want to make whimsical decision when it comes to potentially life altering choices like this. SDC is most probably revertible without problem. But it does cost money in the first place. And you want to make a choice you will be happy with. And while it’s not my place to say, if your issues are purely self-conscious. Then maybe work on that without having to spend the cash. Alcohol: I don’t drink, nor have I heard of any cases of someone drinking with their aligners in, so I wouldn’t know. But I’d say probably not, though this probably varies on the alcohol itself. And a thing to note, sometimes when I drink things like certain juices, they really irritate my gums due to what I can assume to be citris, or acids from the juice being trapped in my aligners. So be careful with that. But that may just be me.

You could also end up with additional plaque build-up, which could impact the quality of your brace's performance, causing staining and additional dental problems. I'm really excited to have a smile that I'm confident to share. The progress over this first 6 months has been incredible. Here's a look at how the top arch has moved in the first 13 weeks - amazing, right?! Both the toothpaste and mouthwash are designed specifically for those with orthodontic appliances. They care for your teeth and come in a mint and apple flavour, which is designed to taste and feel mild so that they don't sting sensitive gums or any sore areas on the tongue. My job is to concentrate on the maintenance of my lingual braces day-to-day, keep them clean and my teeth healthy.You don't have to live on a diet of soup (although you might want to in the first week when your teeth feel wobbly!) but you do have to be sensible and that means changing your diet for the duration of your treatment. This community provides unofficial support for those using SmileDirectClub (as well as all of other aligner companies!)

Don’t be afraid to consult the subreddit. We may not be as big as some other aligner based subs, but we’ll get the job done. Don’t be afraid to make a post asking any questions which you may have, giving us some updates, and so on. We’re a little white-knighty and strange, but we’re here for you. Even if you are still struggling with mouth irritation despite using wax or other methods – don’t give up. The mouth will normally adjust over time and the irritation will settle down. You will have your new smile sooner than you know it. And since they take time to get a close look at the whole mouth, they can also provide advice about any areas that need to be cleaned more thoroughly as part of your daily routine, plus give tips on the tools you should use, or use differently. Use dental wax Anyways, if you miss a day, that being a full 24 hours or more, make sure you login to your SmileDirectClub account (the one where you got your 3D scan) and just update your schedule from there. You should just have to wear your current set for an extra day. But I should note, it should be mandatory if you’ve missed 24 hours. But I guess you could possibly get by with missing a few hours (Below around 8 probably) unscathed, although I don’t condone it. You should still be wearing your aligners 22 hours a day.Once you have received your SDC Box in the mail, please open it up and read all of the contents included in the various guides and FAQs. In your box you should find some lip balm, which you can use at your own leisure, your teeth whitening gel, BrightOn your outie tool, your chewies, and your aligner carrier. Gishy Goo! is expensive, so I wouldn't recommend using it all the time, but when you have a really sore spot, it offers incredible relief. Use breath freshener spray I've always been pretty self-conscious about having fresh breath and so before braces, if I was away from home, I would pop a piece of chewing gum in my mouth after every meal. Of course, I can't do that now - it would ruin my braces!