The clear, custom-made mouthpieces slip over your teeth, and apply gentle pressure to move them into a straighter position. They’re removable so you can eat, brush, and floss as usual. Each tray is worn for a week or two and replaced with the next in the series until your teeth reach their final positions. The length of treatment varies based on your unique needs but usually lasts about 6-12 months.
Teeth aligners work in a similar way to traditional braces. Orthodontists have long known that consistent, targeted pressure causes tooth movement. Even ancient Egyptians used finger pressure to move individual teeth — an example of how simple it is for the human body to respond to constant, directional force.
Teeth Aligners 101: What You Need to Know About Clear Options
Your orthodontist will take a 3D image of your mouth and jaw, and then develop a plan for moving your teeth into a more aligned position. From this, your orthodontist will create a series of clear plastic aligners that fit snugly over your teeth. Each one will apply a specific amount of pressure to the teeth in order to shift them a few millimeters each time.
Each aligner in the series is slightly different from the previous one, but achieves the same result – pushing your teeth a little bit further into their final positions. It’s normal to experience some discomfort as your teeth adjust to the new pressure, but this generally passes relatively quickly. It’s also important to remove the trays while eating or drinking anything other than water to prevent them from trapping sugars and feeding bacteria that can damage your teeth.