Most of the people I straighten teeth for are adults with jobs, children and not much spare time. Here’s what aligners actually involve.
The routine
You wear your aligners about 22 hours a day. They come out to eat and drink anything other than water, then you brush and put them back in. Every one to two weeks you move to the next set.
The visits
Every six to ten weeks, for about twenty minutes. Some check-ins can be done by photo on WhatsApp.
How long it takes
Mild crowding can take six months; more complex cases twelve to eighteen. I’ll give you an estimate at your consultation, and show you a preview of how your teeth are planned to move.
Does it hurt?
Each new set feels tight for a day or two. That’s the pressure that moves the teeth — it fades quickly.
The part people forget
Retainers. Teeth drift back without them, which is why so many adults who had braces as teenagers come to see me now. Retainers are included in our fee, and so is a plan for wearing them.