Clear aligners are an increasingly popular choice for people looking to straighten their teeth. Unlike traditional braces, which use wires and brackets to move teeth, clear aligners are made of a clear plastic material that is custom-fitted to your teeth. This makes them less noticeable and more comfortable to wear. However, like any orthodontic treatment, clear aligners require maintenance and care to ensure they are effective and comfortable throughout your treatment. Here are some tips for taking care of your clear aligners:

1. Clean your aligners regularly: It's important to clean your aligners every day to prevent bacteria buildup and keep them looking clear. You can do this by brushing them with a soft toothbrush and mild soap, or by using a special cleaning solution made specifically for clear aligners.
2. Avoid eating or drinking with your aligners in: While you can drink water with your aligners in, you should avoid eating or drinking anything else, especially anything that is hot or colored. Eating with your aligners in can damage them or cause them to become discolored.
3. Brush and floss your teeth before putting your aligners back in: Keeping your teeth and gums clean is important for the health of your mouth and to prevent bacteria from getting trapped between your teeth and your aligners.
4. Store your aligners properly: When you're not wearing your aligners, store them in a protective case to prevent them from getting lost or damaged.
5. Don't use hot water to clean your aligners: Hot water can warp or damage your aligners, so it's best to stick to lukewarm or cold water when cleaning them.
6. Don't chew gum with your aligners in: Chewing gum can damage your aligners and make them less effective.
7. Follow your orthodontist's instructions: Your orthodontist will provide you with specific instructions for how to care for your clear aligners, as well as how long to wear them each day. Follow these instructions carefully to ensure that your treatment is effective and comfortable.

Clear aligners are a convenient and effective way to straighten your teeth, but they do require some maintenance and care to keep them clean and effective. By following these tips, you can ensure that your clear aligners are comfortable and effective throughout your treatment. If you have any questions about caring for your clear aligners, be sure to ask your patient care team for advice.

Clear aligners are a popular orthodontic treatment option that can help straighten your teeth and improve your smile. One of the most common questions people have about clear aligner treatment is how long it takes. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the factors that can affect the length of clear aligner treatment and give you an idea of what to expect.

Factors that can affect clear aligner treatment time

The length of clear aligner treatment can vary depending on several factors, including:

1. The severity of your orthodontic issues: If you have more severe orthodontic issues, such as a significant overbite or crowding, it may take longer to correct them with clear aligners.
2. Compliance with treatment: To achieve the best results with clear aligners, you need to wear them for the recommended amount of time each day. If you don't wear them as directed, your treatment may take longer than anticipated.
3. The number of trays in your treatment plan: The length of your treatment will depend on the number of trays in your treatment plan. The more trays you have, the longer your treatment will likely take.
4. Your orthodontist's experience: The experience and expertise of your orthodontist can also play a role in the length of your clear aligner treatment. An experienced orthodontist may be able to create a treatment plan that achieves your desired results more efficiently.

How long does clear aligner treatment take?

On average, in-office clear aligner treatment takes between 12 and 18 months. However, the actual length of your treatment will depend on the factors listed above. Strayt clear aligner treatments average 6 months. There are two main reasons why our treatment times are treatment takes significantly less time than typical in-office treatments:

1. Strayt is designed for correction of mild-to-moderate misalignment. More complex orthodontic needs may require additional treatment techniques that can only be delivered in an office setting.
2. Our StraytVIBES alignment accelerator device (included free with treatment) uses high frequency vibration to stimulate faster and more comfortable tooth movement.

To get a more accurate idea of how long your clear aligner treatment will take, you'll need to speak to your orthodontist. They can evaluate your specific orthodontic issues and create a treatment plan that outlines the length of your treatment.

It's important to note that compliance with treatment is critical to achieving the best results in the shortest amount of time. You'll need to wear your aligners for the recommended amount of time each day and follow your orthodontist's instructions carefully to ensure that your treatment is effective.

Conclusion

Clear aligner treatment can take anywhere from 3-4 months for mild cases to two years or more for more complex cases that are best treated in an office setting. To get an accurate idea of how long your treatment will take, begin the process and let Strayt design a no cost, no obligation treatment plan for you. By following your orthodontist's instructions and wearing your aligners as directed, you can achieve the best results in the shortest amount of time possible.

Clear aligners are a popular orthodontic treatment option that can help straighten your teeth and improve your smile. But how do these clear plastic trays actually work? In this article, we'll take a closer look at how clear aligners move your teeth into the correct position.

What are clear aligners?

Clear aligners are custom-made, removable trays that fit over your teeth. They're made from a bio-compatible clear plastic material and are virtually invisible when you wear them. Unlike traditional braces, which use brackets and wires to move your teeth, clear aligners use a series of virtually invisible trays that gradually move your teeth over time.

How do clear aligners work?

Clear aligners work by applying a controlled amount of force to your teeth, gradually moving them into the desired position. Each tray in the series is slightly different, and they're designed to fit over your teeth snugly, so they apply pressure to specific areas. The pressure helps to shift your teeth into the correct position, a little bit at a time.

The treatment process begins with an accurate model of your teeth. This can be done with a 3D digital scan or with physical impressions that are then digitized. From this model, your orthodontist will create a treatment plan that outlines the movements your teeth need to make to achieve the desired result. The plan will also specify how many trays you'll need and how long you'll wear each one.

As you progress through your clear aligner treatment, you'll wear each tray for a set period of time, typically two weeks. Each tray will move your teeth a little bit closer to their final position. When you finish wearing one tray, you'll move on to the next tray in the series, which will continue the process of shifting your teeth.

Benefits of clear aligners

Clear aligners offer several benefits over traditional braces, including:

• They're virtually invisible, so you can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing.
• They're removable, so you can eat and drink what you want during treatment.
• They're more comfortable than traditional braces since there are no brackets or wires to irritate your mouth.
• Treatment time is often shorter than with traditional braces.

Conclusion

Clear aligners are an effective orthodontic treatment option that can help straighten your teeth and improve your smile. By applying a controlled amount of force to your teeth, clear aligners can gradually shift them into the correct position. If you're interested in clear aligner treatment, visit this page to find options available in your area.

People choose to get clear aligner therapy because they want straighter, whiter teeth and a more confident smile. Many patients are pleasantly surprised by some other benefits that they weren’t expecting when they began the treatment process. These unexpected benefits include:

• Improved oral health
• Instant esthetic improvement from wearing the aligners
• Healthy weight loss from improved eating habits

Improved Oral Health

Clear aligner treatment can result in improved oral health for a few reasons:

• Patients develop more consistent brushing habits while in treatment
• It is harder to clean teeth well when they are misaligned. As teeth become aligned better, it becomes easier to clean the teeth
• When teeth are misaligned, it can result in chipping and premature wear on the teeth. Effective orthodontic treatment will prevent this type of tooth damage

Instant esthetic improvement from wearing the aligners

Many patients are pleasantly surprised by how much better their smile looks immediately when they first put their aligners in. Aligners work on teeth in a similar way to how makeup works on skin; covering up the blemishes. The picture below shows a patient with and without the aligners. Both pictures were taken on the same day…

Healthy weight loss

Snacking. Drinking soda. Many of us do it more frequently than we should, and our waistlines pay the price. Grabbing that salty or sweet snack is just too easy!

Clear aligners need to be removed when eating and drinking (other than water). Teeth then need to be cleaned before the aligners go back on to ensure food particles don’t get stuck in there and cause irritation. The aligner routine isn’t difficult, but it can provide a powerful disincentive to snacking. That bag of chips or that cookie all-of-a-sudden become not worth the trouble. For this reason, many patients LOVE wearing aligners because it makes it easier to be more disciplined with what you consume throughout the day. Often that results in some of those unwanted pounds being shed during the treatment process.

A successful smile transformation with clear aligners has many important components. Here are just a few:

• An accurate digitized model of the teeth
• An expert Orthodontist to direct the treatment
• Best-in-class treatment design software
• Clear, transparent communication between the treatment team and the patient
• World-class fabrication facilities
• Premium-quality, bio-compatible thermoplastics

At Strayt®, we strive to be the best in every single one of these areas. Each one of these components is extremely important. But the real “secret sauce” of clear aligner therapy is:

• A diligent, compliant, informed patient

A diligent patient is the critical ingredient in a successful clear aligner therapy treatment. That is true for any type of orthodontic treatment, but it is particularly important with at-home clear aligner therapy. By analogy, a person might have a membership at the greatest gym in the world with all of the best equipment, classes, amenities, and trainers. But if they don’t follow the diet and exercise plan that has been set out for them, they won’t realize the results they want. It’s essentially the same with clear aligner therapy. Successful outcomes require a good routine, discipline, and consistency.

The Secret Sauce

The secret sauce of clear aligner therapy is a patient that is:

• diligent about wearing their aligners
• compliant with the treatment protocols
• armed with the knowledge of what to do if they do get off track

Our aligner guide gives a sense of what it takes to be a good, compliant patient. DON’T BE INTIMIDATED. IT’ NOT THAT DIFFICULT. Nobody is perfect about going to the gym everyday and always eating healthy. Similarly, it is expected that patients will slip up with wearing their aligners. The key is what the patient does when that happens.

How to avoid getting off track:

1. Realize that it’s okay to wear the aligners for longer than planned! Sure, it will prolong the overall treatment time a little bit. But that’s better than getting to the end of the treatment and discovering that all your teeth didn’t come along for the ride.
2. Pay attention to the fit of the aligners. It is the best indicator of how the teeth are progressing. If you advance to the next set of aligners and they don’t quite fit as well as they should, that is an indicator that the teeth have not fully completed the previous movement(s). If this happens, continue wearing the previous trays a little longer and use the “chewies” (aligner seaters) regularly to make sure the aligner is grabbing the tooth well.

3. Give your teeth the time they need to move and stabilize in each tray. If your teeth fall behind, it is unlikely that they will catch up.
4. Unsure about something? Communicate with your treatment support team. They’re there to help.

Our teeth move throughout our lifetime. When teeth shift after orthodontic treatment it is called orthodontic relapse. It is normal and expected that teeth will shift after orthodontic treatment if retention is not used. Unfortunately, many people learn the “retention lesson” the hard way. Once you’ve experienced orthodontic relapse at least once, it tends to make you more motivated to use retainers.

If you’ve recently completed clear aligner therapy but gotten off track with your retainers, it may be tempting to re-use your old aligners. Should you?

During treatment, we instruct patients to keep their last set of aligners when they move on to a new set. The only time you should re-use an old aligner is if you lose or break your current set. Going back to the previous set will as least ensure you do not lose the progress you have made while replacement trays are being fabricated.

Clear aligners are precision medical devices. Each aligner tray moves the teeth between 0.1mm and 0.25mm. Anything more aggressive than has the potential to damage the tooth by applying too much force too quicky. Pressures are applied very specifically to accomplish certain movements, including:

• Tipping
• Torquing
• Translating
• Rotating
• Intruding
• Extruding
• Distalization

With movements this precise, the aligner must fit the tooth perfectly to accomplish the desired movement. The problem with re-using old aligners trays is that we have no way to know:
• Which teeth have moved
• How have they moved
• How far have they moved

The only way to know with certainty is to take a new model of the teeth and essentially start the treatment process over.

There are two main dangers associated with re-using old trays:
1. They may apply too much force to a tooth, causing damage
2. They likely won’t fit properly which could cause teeth to move in unexpected – and unwanted – ways.

Your best option to avoid shifting teeth is to get in the habit of wearing retainers. If your teeth do shift, clear aligners are a great way to get that smile back where you’d like. But re-using old aligners is never a good idea. The sooner you address it, the easier and quicker your treatment is likely to be.

If you have been researching clear aligner therapy to straighten your teeth, you would be justified in wondering: are at-home clear aligners safe?

First, let’s be clear about what we mean by “at-home” aligners. Clear aligner therapy can be:

• delivered and monitored by the doctor directly in an office setting, OR
• delivered and monitored by the doctor remotely via a teledentistry platform.

The teledentistry version is commonly referred to as at-home aligners, or sometimes at-home invisible braces. Neither of these treatment delivery methods should be confused with the dangerous trend of do-it-yourself orthodontics which does not involve doctor oversight or the use of prescribed orthodontic appliances. Do-it-yourself orthodontics is extremely risky and is not recommended under any circumstances.

Second, there are certain risks associated with all forms of orthodontic treatment. An informed consent document will typically outline the common risks. Like any other medical procedure or treatment, it is impossible to eliminate all risk. Regardless of the treatment delivery method, there are three main things that will minimize the risks of adverse effects during treatment:

1. A thorough oral exam
2. Patient compliance with treatment protocols
3. Maintaining good oral health during treatment

ORAL EXAM

Before beginning orthodontic treatment, patients should receive a thorough oral examination and professional cleaning from their dentist. Your dentist needs to determine that your teeth, bone, and gum tissue is healthy enough for orthodontic treatment. Permanent damage could result from attempting to move teeth when there is an underlying oral health issue.

PATIENT COMPLIANCE

All orthodontic treatment modalities require the patient to follow the treatment protocols provided by their doctor. This is particularly true for clear aligners because the patient can remove them completely which creates the possibility of:

• Not wearing the aligners consistently enough which is more stressful on the teeth
• Wearing the aligners out of order (very dangerous)
• Advancing in the treatment before the teeth have had a chance to stabilize
• Skipping check-ins

At-home treatment is essentially exactly the same as in-office treatment in the sense that a doctor can only help if the patient upholds their end of the deal. That means showing up to check-ins and diligently following treatment protocols.

MAINTAINING ORAL HEALTH

Just as it is important to receive a thorough exam from your dentist before beginning aligner therapy treatment, it is equally important to keep up routine dental visits during treatment.

All orthodontic treatments involve a degree of risk. And all orthodontic treatments require the patient to follow treatment protocols. Of all the treatment modalities, clear aligner therapy is particularly reliant on patient compliance to minimize the risk of potential adverse effects.

Clear aligners are a terrific solution for mild to moderate alignment issues. Advanced, bio-compatible thermoplastics make clear aligners more discreet and comfortable than any other type of orthodontic appliance. Direct-to-patient platforms leverage technology to deliver expert treatment at a fraction of the cost of in-office alternatives. But clear aligners aren’t the silver bullet of orthodontics like some marketers would have you believe. The limitations of clear aligners include:

• Underlying bite issues
• Intrusion and extrusion
• Severe rotation
• Patient compliance

Underlying Bite Issues

Bite, or occlusion, is the relationship between the upper (maxillary) teeth and the lower (mandibular) teeth. When the lower jaw sits too far back relative to the upper it is called an overbite/overjet. When the lower jaw sits too far forward relative to the upper it is called an underbite. A person may not experience any ill-effects from an underlying bite issue, but severe instances will distort the face shape and can cause one or more of the following symptoms:

• Advanced tooth wear
• Poor bite function
• Joint pain
• Speech issues
• Sleep apnea
• Severe tooth crowding

While aligners can improve mild underbites or overbites, they cannot alter the way the lower jaw relates to the upper jaw. Severe cases will require more advanced treatments such as traditional braces or surgery.

Intrusion and Extrusion

Small intrusion and extrusion movements can be accomplished with aligners but the success of these movements can be unpredictable with aligners alone. When a treatment plan includes mild intrusion or extrusion it is critical that the patient use aligner seators to give the tooth the best chance to comply. Aligners alone will not be effective in producing significant intrusion and extrusion movements.

Severe Rotation

Teeth can rotate out of alignment for a variety of reasons. The move common reason is overcrowding. While aligners are very effective at de-rotating teeth, there is a limit how much de-rotation can be predictably accomplished with aligners alone.

Patient Compliance

All orthodontic treatment modalities require some amount of patient compliance. Because aligners can be removed by the patient, patient compliance is particularly important when it comes to clear aligner therapy. If the patient does not wear the aligners for the prescribed amount of time the teeth may not progress as expected. Once teeth stop tracking with the treatment, it is unlikely that they will catch up.

Ultimately, when considering orthodontic treatment options, patients should first clearly define their treatment objectives and then work with their doctor to select a treatment approach. Traditional wire braces are still the best option to correct a variety of more severe conditions.

Teeth straightening has never been more convenient or accessible. With clear aligner technology, doctors can now deliver quality orthodontic treatment directly to patients without the need for in-person office visits.

When wearing clear aligners around the clock, there are some basic guidelines you need to follow. For example, you have to remove the aligners each time you:

• Eat
• Smoke
• Drink anything (other than water)

And you must clean your teeth each time before putting the aligners back in. These minor lifestyle adjustments are typically no big deal for someone that is motivated to improve their smile. Night-time-only treatment options provide the pinnacle of convenience for those that don’t like the sound of having to remove their aligners and brush their teeth each time they eat or drink. Most night-time plans require the patient to wear the aligners for a minimum of 10 consecutive hours each evening. Nothing could be easier.

Why doesn’t everyone choose a night-time-only option?

Because the added convenience does come at a cost:

1. Time: Night-time-only treatments typically take at least twice as long. If you want results quickly, an all-day treatment is the way to go.
2. Healthy teeth: Teeth prefer to move continuously. When moving forces are applied to teeth a process occurs wherein the bone is broken down on one side of the tooth and built up on the other side. It is essentially a healing process. Stop-start movements make it harder for the body to heal and are more stressful on the teeth and bones.
3. Predictable outcomes: Continuous, mild pressure is the healthiest way for teeth to move. So around-the-clock treatment has the greatest likelihood of teeth will complying with the prescribed movements. Inconsistent aligner wear increases the possibility of teeth not tracking as predicted.

Night-time aligner therapy is a viable treatment option that has pros and cons. Many patients have achieved excellent outcomes with night-time-only treatment. Ultimately, the decision comes down to what you value most as a patient. If convenience is your main hot button, a night-time-only plan may be right for you. We typically recommend around-the-clock treatment options wherever possible. When around-the-clock wear isn’t possible, we encourage patients to wear their aligners as much as they can – not just the minimum 10 consecutive hours each day.

At Strayt® our primary goal is to make sure our patients are fully informed and understand all their treatment options. Complete this short dental assessment form for a no-cost consultation on your treatment options.

Everyone wants to have a smile that they love and are proud to show off. A straight smile helps boost confidence, achieve better oral health, and more. Today many adults are looking to straighten their teeth but think they are too old to wear braces or have their teeth straightened. So how old is too old for straightening your teeth?

How Old Is Too Old to Straighten Your Teeth?

Simple answer - you are never too old! Straightening your teeth isn’t limited to adolescence, and no matter your age, there is the opportunity to improve your smile. We have had patients as old as 75 straighten their teeth!  As long as you have healthy bones, gums, and teeth, it's never too late to straighten your teeth. As a child, you may not have needed teeth straightening or may not have had the opportunity. Adults are great candidates for clear aligners or invisible braces because of the following:

1) Affordability - It is now cost-effective to have clear aligners, and some insurances accept this treatment option. By cutting out office visits, we help customers save around 65% of the typical cost of orthodontic treatment.

2) Motivation - As a kid, you may not have had wanted to wear a retainer or have braces. They didn't want to be made fun of or may have just not understood the benefits of a healthy smile. However, as an adult, you are motivated by wanting a straighter smile and willing to put in the time to wear the clear aligners to get the results you want. With options like nighttime aligners, even those who don’t want to wear aligners during the day can experience the benefits of straight teeth.

3) Correct Adult Teeth Shifting - You might have worn braces as a teenager, but as an adult, there is a good chance your teeth have shifted over time. This commonly happens to adults regardless of their dental habits, resulting in gaps, misalignment, or crowding. Luckily as an adult, you can still correct your smile.

4) Convenience - You don't have to go to an orthodontist's office for regular check-ups and get braces adjusted. The treatment is customized from start to finish and will take you through each straightening stage. The best part is how discreet clean aligner technology has become. No one will know you are wearing your aligner, and it’s all done without pesky wires, metal attachments, or rubber bands.

No matter your age, if you have healthy gums and teeth, your smile is ready to be straightened. Many men and women, just like you, are looking to straighten their teeth. Strayt is making it easy for everyone giving you confidence and convenience with every order. We send everything right to your door, and you can do your FREE scan at home, or you can check to see if you live in an area where we offer convenient mobile scanning. Our Clear Aligners are easy to use and start showing results fast. View our clear aligners, find the best aligner pricing plan, and start showing off your confidence with a smile!