The Importance of Wearing Your Clear Aligners for the Recommended Time Each Day

In recent years, clear aligners have been gaining more favor than traditional braces in that they are transparent, thin, easy-to-wear, allowing you to get your desired smile without braces. Despite the great convenience, they require strict compliance with rules. To get the optimal result, you might want to ask the following questions:

1. How long do you have to wear clear aligners on a daily basis?

Clear aligners are custom-made, invisible teeth aligners designed to gradually straighten your teeth through applying force to your teeth precisely and continuously. Therefore, you will need to wear them for enough time during the day to ensure the optimal force expression. It is generally recommended that you wear them for a minimum of 22 hours per day, sparing two hours for you to eat, drink and clean your teeth. Some might wonder if this 22-hour rule is mandatory. The answer is yes, and the failure to conform to this rule will potentially lead to unwanted consequences.

2. What will happen if you do not wear clear aligners for the required time frame?

Unlike traditional braces, clear aligners can easily be removed when necessary. However, failure to wear them for long enough may result in your teeth reverting to their original positions, rendering the treatment ineffective. To make it worse, your teeth are likely to move so drastically that you may need extra sets of aligners, which can be both time-consuming and costly. Some would take off their aligners just because they hate the temporary discomfort they experience when they first start wearing them, but doing so will lead to greater pain once you put them back on.

3. How to avoid potential issues along the way?

Wearing clear aligners can be a lot of work. To navigate through this challenging period, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Use an app or set an alarm to track your wearing time in case of forgetting to put them back on after having some snacks or a meal.

• Establish an oral hygiene routine, including brushing, flossing, and rinsing right after eating before putting your aligners back in.

• Drink cold water to help alleviate discomfort, which may otherwise make it difficult for some patients to wear aligners for required time.

In conclusion, it is recommended to wear clear aligners for a minimum of 22 hours per day as it requires sufficient time to nudge your teeth to the desired positions. Failure to comply with this rule can lead to unwanted consequences, including reversion of progress, greater discomfort, and additional time and cost. To ensure the best result, you are advised to resort to an app or an alarm to track your wearing time, create an oral hygiene routine, and drink cold water to partly ease discomfort.