Removable braces, or aligners, are a more modern and less noticeable way to straight teeth compared to traditional "wires." But even this method comes with different challenges.
What are the most common problems people encounter during treatment sensing braces encounter, and how to overcome them?
Insufficient wearing time
The biggest advantage of sensing braces over fixed braces is their removability and also their unobtrusive appearance. Ironically, this is also their biggest weakness. For successful treatment, you need to wear your braces 20-22 hours a day. Many people underestimate this requirement.
What happens if you don't wear your braces long enough? Treatment gets longer, teeth don't shift as planned, and you may end up with worse results than you expected.
Practical Solution: Set reminders on your phone to remind you to put your braces back on after eating. Keep track of wearing time with the app. Some brands of removable braces have their own apps (Invisalign has My Invisalign App). If you establish a routine, it soon becomes a habit to put your braces on automatically after every meal.
Pain and discomfort
"Does it hurt?" That's the question orthodontists hear most often. The truth is, yes - a little. Especially the first two days with new aligner. The teeth shift and this causes pressure and slight pain.
Practical Solution: Put the new aligners in at night before bed. This way, the first adaptation takes place while you are asleep. Common analgesics work for pain. Use "chewies" - special chewable rollers that help the aligner sit better and relieve pressure. If the pain persists for more than 4-5 days or is unbearable, contact your orthodontist.
Speech Problems
The new braces in mouths cause many people to have changes in speech - typically a lisp or trouble pronouncing hisses. This can be frustrating, especially if you work in a communication-heavy environment.
Practical Solution: Read aloud a lot, practice problem words. Your brain adapts quickly. For most people, difficulties with speaking disappear within the first week. If you have an important presentation or meeting, you can remove the braces for a short time - just be sure to compensate for the time you wear them later.
Difficulty eating and drinking
With braces in your mouth, you shouldn't eat anything at all. You should only drink plain water. Everything else requires removing the braces - otherwise you risk damaging or discolouring them.
Practical solution: Always carry a case for your braces. Plan your meals more in advance - fewer snacks means less taking them off. Some patients find it helpful to eat larger portions less often. At restaurants, take a hygiene kit to clean your teeth or at least sugar-free gum and water to rinse your mouth before you put your braces back on.
Poor hygiene and discoloration
Simply put - poorly cleaned braces smell and discolor. In addition, if you don't put braces on clean teeth, you lock bacteria and food debris under the aligner, which greatly increases the risk of tooth decay.
Practical Solution: brush your teeth after every meal before putting on braces. Clean the braces themselves at least twice a day with a soft toothbrush and clear soapy water (not toothpaste - it contains abrasives). Avoid hot drinks and coloured foods when your braces are on. For a deeper cleaning, you can use specialized cleaning tablets or solution.
Loss or damage to aligners
It happens sometimes. You forget the aligner somewhere, or you accidentally crush or break it during handling. Buying new braces is then quite an expensive affair.
Practical solution: ALWAYS store your aligners in a case. Never wrap them in a napkin or handkerchief. If you lose or break an aligner, call your orthodontist immediately. Depending on the situation, he or she will either recommend that you return to your previous aligner or switch to another one. Never move on to the next aligner without a consultation!
Insufficient tooth movement
Sometimes, teeth don't move as planned. This can be caused by insufficient wear, but it can also be a more complicated case that requires further intervention.
Practical Solution: If your orthodontist determines that your teeth are not shifting as planned, he or she may recommend auxiliaries - attachments (small posts attached to the teeth) or elastics. These elements help create more complex movements that braces alone can't achieve. In some cases, your treatment plan may need to be adjusted.
Gaps between teeth and braces
Sometimes braces don't fit well and visible gaps develop between them and teeth. Professionally, this is called "tracking issues" and can mean that treatment is not going as planned.
Practical Solution: Use "chewies" - they help the aligner sit better on the teeth. If gaps persist for more than a few days, contact your orthodontist. You may need to wear your current aligner longer or go back to your previous one.
Dry mouth and excessive salivation
The body reacts differently to a foreign object in the mouth. Some patients suffer from excessive saliva production, while others suffer from dry mouth. Both are uncomfortable but solvable.
Practical Solution: With excessive salivation, time helps - the body gets used to it within a few days. With dry mouth, drink more water (even with braces on can do this) and avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which dehydrate. You can also use special sugar-free sprays or chewing gum to stimulate saliva production.
Irritated gums and inside cheeks
New braces may have sharp edges that irritate the soft tissues of the mouth. This causes sore spots and sometimes small cuts.
Practical Solution: An orthodontic wax barrier applied to the problem area of the aligner will provide immediate relief. Saltwater mouth rinses or products with aloe vera content help healing. If the problem persists, consult an orthodontist who can grind down the sharp edge. Never adjust the aligner yourself!
Psychological Aspects of Treatment
Long treatment (often 12-18 months) can be frustrating. Some patients lose motivation to wear their braces for the prescribed length of time or feel embarrassed to wear them in public.
Practical solution: taking photos of the procedure adds motivation - a before/after comparison will show that something is really happening. Share your journey with friends or join online communities of people with braces. As for social situations - most people won't even notice you have braces! And if they do notice, they tend to view it positively - you are taking care of your health.
Difficulties after completing treatment
Many patients think that after the last aligner is removed, it's over. Wrong! There is a retention phase where you have to wear retention aligners (retainers), otherwise the teeth will return to their original position.
Practical Solution: Wear retainers exactly as recommended by your orthodontist. Usually it is all-day wear for the first few months, then only at night. For some patients, the orthodontist will also recommend a fixed retainer - a thin wire glued to the inside of the front teeth. This prevents them from shifting again and does not require your discipline.
When to call an orthodontist right away
Not all problems can be solved on your own. Contact a professional when:
- You feel excruciating pain lasting more than a few days
- Aligner has cracked or become damaged
- There are visible gaps between the aligner and teeth i after several days of wear
- Gum bleeding has appeared and is not subsiding
- You have lost your aligner and you have no previous or subsequent ones
Practical Solution: Save the contact information for your orthodontist to your phone. Before your consultation, write down the specific problem, how long it takes, and what you've already tried. Take pictures of any abnormalities - a picture tells more than a thousand words.
Beauty takes effort, but it's worth it
Treatment with removable braces comes with some challenges - that's an undeniable fact. The good news is that most problems have simple solutions and with a little discipline, you can overcome them.
The most important "cure" for most braces problems remains patience and communication with your orthodontist. Remember - thousands of people before you have successfully completed treatment and overcome all obstacles. You can do it too!
