At the office of Dr. Jeffrey Forrest, DDS, we're proud to offer comprehensive dental treatment to patients throughout Novi, Livonia, and the surrounding areas. But in addition to offering dental treatments like teeth whitening and dental implants to improve the health of teeth, we can also help patients fix tooth alignment problems through ClearCorrect: an orthodontic treatment that uses clear, removable aligners to straighten teeth instead of braces. ClearCorrect is nearly invisible and completely removable, which makes it highly convenient – but properly cleaning the aligners is vital to successful treatment.
How to Clean ClearCorrect Aligners
The convenience of removing ClearCorrect aligners means everything from eating to oral hygiene gets easier, but it also comes with responsibility: without proper care and cleaning, your aligners can amplify your risk for tooth decay, which can derail orthodontic treatment. Thankfully, cleaning ClearCorrect or Invisalign aligners is simple and easy. Here's all you have to do to keep your aligners clean and prevent dental decay during orthodontic treatment:
Every time you remove the aligners, lightly brush them and thoroughly rinse them to remove saliva and food particles. It's important not to let debris dry on the aligners, as this will make them much harder to fully clean. Using a soft antibacterial soap can also help remove any lingering debris.
Before putting your aligners back in, thoroughly brush and floss your teeth. If food gets trapped underneath the aligners, it's pressed against the tooth surface, creating the perfect environment for decay. This makes it vital to ensure your aligners and teeth are fully clean before reinserting them.
Every couple of days, soak your aligners in a glass of tap water with a denture cleaning tablet. This gives them a deeper clean and helps to remove and persistent, caked-on plaque or food particles.
Make sure to consume nothing but water while wearing your aligners. Food can get stuck under or damage your aligners, while beverages can stain the aligners.
Make sure to always, always use your purpose-built aligner case. We've had countless patients tell us they wrapped their aligners in a napkin and accidentally threw them out, which could be an expensive proposition! Your aligners should only ever be in two places: your mouth or the case. Simple as that.
Schedule an Invisalign Consultation in Livonia, MI
Clear aligner-based treatments like Invisalign and ClearCorrect are a discreet, convenient, and often fast option for realigning your teeth and achieving a brand new smile – even if you're already an older adult. It really is true that it's never too late for a beautiful smile, and if you're ready to pursue one of your own, we're ready to help. Take the first step and use our easy online form to request your ClearCorrect consultation today!